Hospitals work hard to prevent infections that patients catch during their stay, but most focus on infections from medical devices like tubes and catheters. This review looked at 159 studies to understand how everyday nursing care—like helping patients with oral hygiene, staying hydrated, and proper nutrition—can prevent other types of hospital infections. Researchers found that while nursing care likely matters, there isn’t enough strong evidence yet to prove exactly how much it helps. The study suggests doctors and hospitals need more research to understand the full power of good nursing care in preventing infections.

The Quick Take

  • What they studied: Whether basic nursing care tasks—like helping patients with mouth care, making sure they drink enough water, and eating well—can prevent infections that patients catch in hospitals (infections not caused by medical tubes or devices).
  • Who participated: The review examined 159 published research studies involving adult patients staying in hospitals. The studies looked at different nursing care practices and hospital-acquired infections.
  • Key finding: Oral care (mouth cleaning) and staying hydrated showed the most promise in preventing hospital infections, but overall, there isn’t enough high-quality research to say for certain how much nursing care interventions actually prevent these infections.
  • What it means for you: If you’re in a hospital, good nursing care—especially attention to mouth care and hydration—may help reduce your infection risk, though hospitals need to do more research to prove this conclusively. This finding suggests nurses play an important role in infection prevention that deserves more attention and study.

The Research Details

This was a scoping review, which means researchers looked at many existing studies to see what we know about a topic. They followed strict guidelines from the Joanna Briggs Institute, a respected organization that sets standards for this type of research. The team searched for studies involving adult hospital patients and nursing care practices that might prevent infections not caused by medical devices. They included 159 studies that met their criteria, examining what each study found about nursing interventions and infection prevention.

A scoping review is useful when a topic is broad and we need to understand what research already exists. By looking at many studies together, researchers can spot patterns, identify gaps in knowledge, and guide future research. This approach is especially valuable when trying to understand complex topics like how nursing care affects infection prevention.

The researchers used established methodology from a respected institute, which adds credibility. However, they found that most studies reviewed had limited quality evidence. The fact that they examined 159 studies but found limited high-quality research suggests the current evidence base is weak. This means readers should view the findings as promising directions for future research rather than definitive answers.

What the Results Show

The review found that most research focused on preventing healthcare-associated pneumonia (lung infections from hospital stays), but there was surprisingly little evidence about nutrition and stomach-related infections. Oral care (mouth cleaning) had the most studies available, suggesting it’s been researched more than other nursing interventions. Hydration (drinking enough fluids) showed the strongest evidence across different types of hospital-acquired infections. However, when researchers looked at how multiple nursing care tasks work together to prevent infections, the evidence was limited. This suggests that while individual nursing actions may help, we don’t yet fully understand how they combine to protect patients.

The review revealed important gaps in research. Very few studies examined nutrition’s role in preventing infections, even though eating well is considered important for immune function. There was also limited research on how different nursing care practices work together. Most studies focused on single interventions rather than the complete picture of nursing care. These gaps suggest that hospitals and researchers should prioritize studying these overlooked areas.

Previous infection prevention efforts in hospitals have concentrated on preventing infections caused by medical devices (like catheters and ventilators). This review highlights that non-device infections are also a major problem but receive less research attention. The findings suggest that the nursing profession’s role in infection prevention has been underestimated compared to device-related prevention strategies. This review calls for a shift in research focus to better understand nursing’s full impact.

The main limitation is that the review examined existing studies, which varied widely in quality and design. Many studies had weak evidence, making it hard to draw strong conclusions. The review couldn’t prove cause-and-effect relationships—only that certain nursing practices might be associated with fewer infections. Additionally, the review focused only on adult hospital patients, so findings may not apply to children or outpatient settings. Finally, because research on some nursing interventions (like nutrition) is sparse, the review couldn’t fully evaluate their importance.

The Bottom Line

Based on moderate evidence, hospitals should prioritize oral care and hydration support as part of infection prevention programs. Based on limited evidence, attention to nutrition and other fundamental nursing care may also help prevent infections, but more research is needed. Healthcare providers should view these recommendations as promising practices that deserve continued attention and further study rather than proven solutions.

Hospital administrators and infection control teams should care about these findings because they suggest nursing care deserves more focus in infection prevention programs. Nurses should care because it highlights the importance of their daily work. Patients and families should care because good nursing care may reduce infection risk. Researchers should care because this review identifies important gaps needing study. People with chronic illnesses requiring hospitalization should especially care, as they face higher infection risks.

Benefits from improved nursing care in preventing infections would likely develop gradually over a hospital stay. Some benefits (like reduced pneumonia risk from good oral care) might appear within days to weeks, while others (like nutrition’s impact on immune function) might take weeks to show effects. Preventing infections is about reducing risk over time rather than producing immediate results.

Want to Apply This Research?

  • If hospitalized, track daily nursing care received: oral care frequency, water intake (cups per day), meal completion percentage, and skin condition checks. Note any signs of infection (fever, unusual discharge, redness) to discuss with your care team.
  • Work with your nursing team to set daily hydration goals (e.g., 8 cups of water daily if approved), commit to oral care routines (brushing teeth/mouth care after meals), and eat nutritious meals when possible. Use the app to remind yourself and communicate progress to nurses.
  • Create a simple daily checklist in the app tracking: oral care completed, water intake, meals eaten, and any infection warning signs. Share this with your healthcare team weekly to identify patterns and adjust care as needed. This creates accountability and helps nurses understand your self-care efforts.

This review summarizes research about nursing care and hospital infection prevention but does not provide medical advice. Hospital-acquired infection prevention requires comprehensive strategies involving doctors, nurses, and other healthcare professionals. If you’re hospitalized or concerned about infection risk, discuss these findings with your healthcare provider. This research suggests areas for future study rather than proven treatments. Always follow your hospital’s infection prevention protocols and your doctor’s specific recommendations for your care.