Infection Prevention in a Long-Term Acute Care Hospital With Universal Prophylactic Use of a Surgically Based Alcohol Nasal Hygiene/Decolonization Method

Nasal decolonization is now recognized as an important adjunct in infection control for hospitalized patients 1, 2, 3. This paper evaluated the outcomes of a 90-day trial of nasal decolonization in a long-term, acute care 40-bed hospital setting. All inpatients were offered a surgically proven, two-step nasal decolonization method once per day. The number of blood and sputum cultures sent for microbiologic evaluation, and the number of positive cultures f rom those sent, during the 90-day period were recorded.