ABSTRACT
Many hospital and healthcare managers may wonder whether "infection prevention" is their domain. Hospitals contribute a great deal to managing infections in individual patients, but they are also a source of infections. Hospital-acquired infections add to the suffering of patients; their stay in the hospital gets extended and the cost of care escalates. Some patients even die from these infections. Globally, hospital-acquired infections are a matter of serious concern and a big challenge. The following types of hospital-acquired infections are common: urinary tract infections; surgical site infections; respiratory tract infections; and blood infections. To prevent infections in a hospital, actions are required on three fronts: clinical procedures and practices; hospital environment; and isolation of certain patients. The hospital environment plays an important role in preventing infections. This includes air, water, food, bed sheets, surfaces of furniture and equipment, and walls and floor of the rooms.
