Risk Factors That Increase Nosocomial Infections among Patients with Chest Tube

Background: chest drains are used for patients who have undergone cardiothoracic surgery or chest trauma. It maintains cardiorespiratory function and hemodynamic stability by draining the pleural and mediastinal spaces of air, blood or other fluids. The aim of the study was to identify the risk factors that increase nosocomial infections among patients with a chest tube. A descriptive research design was used to conduct this study. The sample was consisted of a convenience sixty adult patients with a chest tube. The following tools were utilized for data collection: "Patient' Assessment Sheet", "Chest Tube' Assessment Sheet" and "Risk Factors of Nosocomial Infections' Assessment Sheet". Results concluded that; there was statistically significant difference between risk factors of nosocomial infection, the reason of insertion, type, place, site, number, the frequency of dressing and chest tube days. Conclusion: the most common risk factors were contaminated respiratory therapy equipment, mechanical ventilation, blood transfusion, mixed antibiotics, chronic illness, understaffing, overcrowding, improper hand washing and use of invasive devices. Recommendations: swabs should be taken from the site regularly and use aseptic technique when caring for patients to detect and prevent further infection.