A Nosocomial infection is also known as:

BTSC Staff Nurse 30July-2025

Applied Microbiology & Infection control

Easy

Appeared in: BTSC Staff Nurse 30July-2025

Explanation

A nosocomial infection is defined as an infection originating in a patient while in a hospital or other healthcare facility.
It is a direct synonym for Hospital-Acquired Infection (HAI).
A key criterion is that the infection was not present or incubating at the time of admission, typically manifesting 48 hours or more after the patient is admitted.
Common examples include catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTI), surgical site infections (SSI), and ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP).

Option A: This is an infection acquired in the community, outside of a healthcare setting, which is the opposite of a nosocomial infection.
Option B: This refers to an infection that occurs because of a weakened immune system, not the location of acquisition. While a patient might develop an opportunistic infection in a hospital, the term itself is not synonymous with nosocomial.
Option C: This is more accurately termed an iatrogenic infection, which results directly from a medical intervention. While an iatrogenic infection can be a nosocomial infection, not all nosocomial infections are iatrogenic.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: Knowing Definition of Nosocomial Infection helps nurses interpret findings accurately and avoid errors in routine assessment, medication administration, and patient teaching.
Nurses play a pivotal role in preventing HAIs through strict adherence to infection control protocols, including meticulous hand hygiene, correct use of personal protective equipment (PPE), and sterile techniques for invasive procedures.
HAIs are a major cause of increased patient morbidity and mortality, leading to longer hospital stays and significantly higher healthcare costs.
What if? If a patient develops a urinary tract infection 3 days after a urinary catheter was inserted in the hospital, it is classified as a Catheter-Associated Urinary Tract Infection (CAUTI), which is a common and reportable type of HAI.

How to Approach the Question

Identify the core term in the question: 'Nosocomial infection'.
Recognize that the question is asking for a synonym ('also known as').
Recall the definition of 'nosocomial' from medical terminology. The term originates from Greek words related to disease and hospital care.
Evaluate the options based on this definition. 'Hospital-acquired infection' is a direct and literal translation of the concept.
Systematically eliminate the other options by defining them: 'community-acquired' is the opposite, 'opportunistic' relates to the host's immunity, and 'physician-induced' (iatrogenic) relates to the cause rather than the setting.

Concept Tested & Keywords

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E6 Parks TextBook of Preventive & Social Medicine part 1 — Subpart C (pp 404-604 of 604) p. 25-27

E6 Parks TextBook of Preventive & Social Medicine part 1 — Subpart A (pp 26-201 of 604) p. 87-89

E6 Nursing Fundamentals Taylor p. 167-169