Background
Healthcare associated infections (HAI) are a major source of morbidity and mortality despite the fact that they are often preventable. Most HAI are associated with an invasive device during a hospitalization and disproportionately occur in elderly intensive care unit (ICU) patients. The cost of HAI to hospitals is estimated to be $6.5 billion annually. However, these estimates come from the seminal Study on the Efficacy of Nosocomial Infection Control (SENIC), which was conducted in the mid 70’s.
There have been no recent multi-site studies in the U.S. describing current infection control processes, their relationship to HAI and their cost effectiveness. The over all goal of the P-NICE Study is to address these gaps.
In August 2007, Columbia University School of Nursing embarked on a three-year, two-phase study to describe infection control department staffing and interventions implemented in ICUs across the nation. Collaborators include researchers from the RAND Corporation, the CDC, the Joint Commission, as well as faculty from Columbia, Harvard, the University of Pittsburgh, University of Maryland, and the University of Illinois at Chicago.
This study is an update to the seminal Study on the Efficacy of Nosocomial Infection Control (SENIC) study.