Specialist Nurse-Led Environmental Nosocomial Infection-Control Practices in a Pediatric Fever Clinic During the Covid-19 Pandemic

Abstract

Background: Fever is one of the commonest symptoms in children, and accounts for one third of the common symptoms of childhood diseases. Most cases of pediatric fever are related to viral infection, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. This before-and-after study aimed to develop a specialist nurse-led environmental nosocomial infection-control practice, and to evaluate the effect of this practice in a pediatric fever clinic.

Methods: Participants were the staff of a fever clinic in a tertiary children's hospital in China. Nosocomial infection-prevention and control knowledge, and the quality of nosocomial infection prevention and control in the fever clinic were assessed before (April to August 2021) and after (October 2021 to February 2022) implementation of specialist-nurse-led infection-control practices and compared.

Results: The mean nosocomial infection-prevention and control knowledge score of staff working the fever clinic improved significantly from 77.16 ± 13.37 to 93.51 ± 8.43. The quality score improved significantly from 85.70 ± 3.42 to 94.20 ± 2.19.

Conclusion: Specialist nurse-led environmental nosocomial infection-control practice can effectively improve staff knowledge and the quality of nosocomial infection prevention and control in pediatric fever clinics.

Practice Implications: The intervention improved staff knowledge of nosocomial infection prevention and control practices, and improved the quality of nosocomial infection prevention and control in a fever clinic. This intervention not only meets the requirements of nosocomial infection management during the COVID-19 pandemic, but also maximizes the utilization of specialist infection control nurses. This management strategy is feasible, effective, and should be promoted in clinical practice.