What is a nosocomial infection?
A nosocomial infection is an infection acquired during a hospital stay which was neither present nor in the incubation period at the time of admission. It may, for example, affect a wound, the urinary tract, the respiratory tract or a catheter site. Such infections can never be completely prevented – but the risk of them can be significantly reduced through consistent hygiene measures and the targeted use of antibiotics. This is precisely the daily task of infection prevention.
Infectious diseases consultation in hospital: our consultation service
If a ward is faced with an unclear infection, a persistent fever or a pathogen that is difficult to treat, the attending doctors consult our Infectious Diseases Department. Our specialists assist with diagnosis, interpret test results and recommend the appropriate treatment. The team consists of a Senior Consultant and a Consultant in charge, both of whom are qualified specialists in infectious diseases.
How we prevent infections
Our key measures are the strict adherence to hygiene protocols, rigorous hand hygiene and the targeted isolation of infectious patients. It is crucial that this knowledge does not remain merely on paper in guidelines, but is communicated to the wards and put into practice there.
That is why we review processes and practices throughout the hospital, provide our staff with practical training and contribute our specialist knowledge to interdisciplinary working groups. Nursing staff, doctors and specialists in infection prevention work closely together in this regard.
Antibiotic Stewardship: The targeted use of antibiotics
The more frequently antibiotics are used, the greater the risk that pathogens will become resistant to them. The term ‘antibiotic stewardship’ encompasses all the measures we take to carefully manage the use of antibiotics at Zuger Kantonsspital: the right medicine, at the right dose, for as long as necessary and for as short a time as possible.
We support hospitals in this task, review prescriptions and continually refine our internal guidelines. The aim is to maintain the effectiveness of antibiotics in the long term.
Advice for referring practitioners, home care services and care homes
Infection prevention does not stop at the hospital door. We support GPs, local clinics, home care organisations and care homes for the elderly with questions regarding infection prevention, dealing with multi-drug-resistant pathogens and isolation. Exchanging information with other hospitals and specialists enables us to capitalise on synergies and consistently implement modern infection prevention measures.