Critical Care Series: Infection Prevention

Course overview

More than 20% of hospital-acquired infections (HAIs) are obtained in intensive care units (ICUs) even though ICU beds make up less than 10% of the total beds in most hospitals (Marchaim & Kaye, 2021). Sepsis and infections account for 40% of all expenditures in this setting and are the leading cause of death in noncardiac ICUs. However, the incidence of sepsis in the ICU population continues to rise. Patients in ICUs have a multitude of factors that put them at high risk for infection. Critical care nurses play a vital role in preventing ICU-acquired infections but must have the right knowledge and skills to do so. The goal of this course is to educate nurses in intensive care settings about evidence-based practices for preventing ICU-acquired infections.