Health Policy Impact on Healthcare-Associated Infections and Nurses’ Responsibilities for Professional Awareness and Engagement

A significant public health concern is healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) prevalent in hospitals, nursing homes, and outpatient treatment centers. HAIs threaten staff and patient safety. Reducing and eliminating HAIs can save lives and reduce healthcare costs. Legislators and healthcare professionals are significant in developing health policies to reduce HAIs and improve patient care quality. Policies combat this problem by establishing mandatory surveillance programs funded by the state and federal governments. Health policy also governs HAIs through payment systems to encourage best practices for preventing HAIs. Various methods are used to determine if outcomes, e.g., lower rates of infections, are attributable to the policies. Nurses play a vital role in shaping health policy through professional awareness, research, leadership, and engagement.