Nosocomial infections in the pediatric intensive care unit: Affecting the impact on safety and outcome

OBJECTIVE: To define the most common types of nosocomial infections in critically ill children and to summarize the effect of methods to reduce their prevalence. DESIGN: Review of published literature. RESULTS: While in the pediatric intensive care unit, 16% of children develop a nosocomial infection. Processes affecting modifiable factors of care can reduce the prevalence of hospital-acquired infections. CONCLUSIONS: The occurrence of a nosocomial infection represents failure and is not an acceptable outcome of treating critically ill children. Evidence-based process improvement can lead to significant reductions in hospital-acquired infections in children. Most of the processes and practices discussed are not novel or intriguing but, when performed routinely and appropriately, can lead to reductions in hospital-acquired infections.