Auditing health care providers’ infection control related practices in hemodialysis units in Menoufia Governorate in Egypt

Objectives: to assess the degree of implementation of CDC-recommended practices for infection prevention in hemodialysis. Background: sepsis is the second leading cause of mortality and morbidity in hemodialysis population. Many guidelines for regulating practices related to infection control were developed but is the level of adherence to these standards of care sufficient to avoid the high sepsis rate at that vulnerable population? Subjects and Methods : A multicenter cross-sectional study in10 Chronic HD centers in Menoufia Governorate. Auditing of infection control related practices done by health care providers in chronic hemodialysis centers in Menoufia Governorate using CDC recommended practices. Results: most nurses and subsequently most units had low levels of adherence regarding different aspects of actions to be fulfilled in hemodialysis setting. There was no statistically significant association between gender and overall performance p value = 0.065. On the other hand, there was statistically significant association between education, experience and overall performance with p value = 0.037, 0.026 respectively. Sepsis rate and mortality rate in audited hemodialysis units are lower in most units achieving better adherence to infection control practices compared to those with lower adherence. Conclusion: adherence to adopted guidelines regarding infection control in hemodialysis units is not satisfactory leading to high sepsis and mortality rate.