THE ROLE OF NURSES IN THE PREVENTION OF HEALTHCARE-ASSOCIATED INFECTIONS AND IN PATIENT SAFETY IN INTENSIVE CARE UNITS

Abstract

Healthcare-Associated Infections (HAIs) represent a serious public health problem, especially in Intensive Care Units (ICUs). The increased vulnerability of critically ill patients, combined with the use of invasive devices and complex therapies, heightens the risk of developing HAIs. The objective of this study was to understand the role of nurses in preventing HAIs and promoting care for critically ill patients in the ICU. This is an integrative literature review with a descriptive approach, aimed at gathering, analyzing, and synthesizing scientific literature on the topic. Data were collected from the VHL, LILACS, PubMed, Scielo, and Web of Science databases using the PICO strategy and the following Health Sciences subject headings: “Nurses,” “Intensive Care Units,” “Cross Infection,” “Infection Control,” and “Patient Safety,” combined with the Boolean operators “AND” and “OR.” Articles published between 2021 and 2026 in Portuguese and English were included. The results indicated that nurses’ roles in the ICU are fundamental to the prevention and control of HAIs, highlighting their leadership, staff training and supervision, coordination with the Hospital Infection Control Committee (HICC), and the implementation and monitoring of care bundles and protocols—all of which contribute to risk reduction, the strengthening of a safety culture, and the improvement of patient care. It is concluded that nurses play a strategic role in the prevention and control of ARIs in the ICU through active management and initiatives to improve the quality of care.