Hospital-acquired infection is called?

AIIMS Nagpur NO - 2018

Applied Microbiology & Infection control

Easy

Appeared in: AIIMS Nagpur NO - 2018

Explanation

A nosocomial infection, also known as a hospital-acquired infection (HAI), is an infection that a patient acquires during their stay in a hospital or other healthcare facility.
For an infection to be classified as nosocomial, it must not have been present or incubating at the time of the patient's admission.
Typically, infections that manifest 48 hours or more after admission are considered nosocomial.
Common examples include catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTI), surgical site infections (SSI), and ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP).

Option A: A communicable disease is any disease that can be transmitted from one person to another. While a nosocomial infection can be communicable, this term describes the mode of transmission, not the place of acquisition.
Option B: A wound infection is an infection that occurs in a wound. It is a specific type of infection, not a general term for all hospital-acquired infections. A wound infection can be either community-acquired or nosocomial.
Option C: Droplet infection refers to the method of transmission of an infection through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes. It describes how an infection spreads, not where it is acquired.

Visual 1: Flowchart - Chain of Infection in a Hospital Setting: Illustrates the six links (infectious agent, reservoir, portal of exit, mode of transmission, portal of entry, susceptible host) and shows where nurses can intervene to break the chain.
Visual 2: Infographic - Common Types of HAIs: A visual breakdown of the four major types of HAIs (CAUTI, SSI, VAP, CLABSI) with key statistics and prevention points for each.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: Knowing Definition of Hospital-Acquired Infection helps nurses interpret findings accurately and avoid errors in routine assessment, medication administration, and patient teaching.
Preventing nosocomial infections is a primary patient safety goal and a key indicator of the quality of nursing care.
HAIs lead to longer hospital stays, increased healthcare costs, significant patient morbidity, and can even result in mortality.
Nurses are at the forefront of HAI prevention through meticulous hand hygiene, using aseptic techniques for invasive procedures, and ensuring a clean patient environment.

How to Approach the Question

This is a factual recall question that tests your knowledge of medical terminology.
First, identify the key phrase in the question: 'Hospital-acquired infection'.
Next, evaluate each option to see which one is the specific medical term for an infection acquired in a hospital.
Recall or deduce that 'nosocomial' is the Greek-derived term for hospital.
Eliminate the other options: 'Communicable' refers to transmission, 'wound' is a specific site, and 'droplet' is a mode of transmission. This leaves 'nosocomial infection' as the correct definition.

Concept Tested & Keywords

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