ICU Infection Prevention in Sharjah
Medically reviewed by Dar Al Kamal Team
What is ICU infection prevention?
When someone is seriously ill, their body's defences are stretched. Illness, surgery, sedation and some medicines all weaken the immune system, and the treatments that keep a person alive in intensive care open new doorways for germs. A breathing tube bypasses the natural filters of the nose and throat. A central line or arterial line passes through the skin, which is normally the body's first barrier. A urinary catheter gives bacteria a route into the bladder.
ICU infection prevention is the careful, everyday discipline that keeps those doorways guarded. At Dar Al Kamal Hospital, Sharjah it is part of how the whole intensive care team works, around the clock, for every patient. It sits alongside the treatment of whatever illness brought your relative in, rather than replacing it.
Who needs it
Every patient in the unit benefits, whatever the reason for admission. The precautions matter most for people who:
- are on a ventilator, which raises the chance of a chest infection
- have one or more lines, described on our invasive monitoring page
- have diabetes, kidney or liver disease, cancer, or take medicines that lower immunity
- are recovering from major surgery or a wound
- are older, or have been in intensive care for some time
- are being treated for a severe infection, including sepsis
Some patients carry germs that need extra precautions so they stay with that one person. A specific point families rarely expect: resistant bacteria can live quietly on the skin or in the gut without causing any illness at all. A patient may look settled and still carry them. That is why your relative may be placed in isolation even when they seem well, and why screening swabs are sometimes taken on arrival, especially after a stay in another hospital or treatment abroad.
What happens
Much of infection prevention is invisible, because it happens in small, repeated steps.
- Hand hygiene. Staff clean their hands before and after touching a patient or anything around the bed, using gel or soap and water. You will see this many times an hour.
- Sterile line insertion. Lines are placed with the skin cleaned by antiseptic, sterile drapes, and a sterile gown, gloves and mask.
- A daily review of every line and tube. Each day the team asks whether each line, catheter and tube is still needed, and removes it as soon as it has done its job. Dressings are checked and changed on a schedule.
- Ventilator care. The head of the bed is usually raised, the mouth is cleaned regularly, and sedation is reviewed so breathing support can be reduced as early as it is safe.
- Careful antibiotic use. Antibiotics are given when an infection is suspected or confirmed, matched to the germ once tests identify it, and stopped when the course is complete. Using them thoughtfully helps keep them effective for your relative and for future patients.
- Isolation when needed. A patient may be cared for with gowns, gloves and sometimes masks, or in a separate area, to protect them or to protect others.
- Clean surroundings. Surfaces, equipment and the bed space are cleaned regularly.
Preparing for it
Families are part of the team that keeps infection away, and a few kind, simple habits make a real difference.
- Use the hand gel at the entrance, and again before and after you touch your relative or their bed.
- Stay home if you feel unwell. A cold, cough, stomach upset or fever that feels minor to you can be serious for someone in intensive care. Phone for news instead, or ask another family member to visit.
- Leave flowers and plants at home if the unit asks. Photos, a recorded message or a favourite prayer read aloud are welcome alternatives.
- Follow isolation instructions exactly, including putting on and removing gowns and gloves in the order the nurse shows you.
- Keep hands clear of lines, tubes and dressings.
- Choose one family contact to receive updates and pass them on, including to relatives abroad.
- Share a list of medicines and any recent hospital stays, antibiotics or treatment overseas.
- Tell the team about your relative's wishes and any religious or cultural needs, so these can be respected alongside the precautions.
Visiting arrangements are explained by the unit when your relative is admitted.
Afterwards
As your relative improves, lines and tubes come out one by one, and each removal lowers the chance of infection. If they carried resistant bacteria, the team explains what this means for the ward, for going home and for future hospital visits. Good hand hygiene at home remains a sensible habit for the whole family.
Contact your doctor or the hospital on 06 599 7777 if a former line or wound site becomes red, hot, swollen or starts to leak, or if your relative develops a new fever, cough or burning on passing urine. Call the emergency services at once for confusion, fast breathing or a high fever with shivering.
Cost and insurance
Infection prevention is part of intensive care and is normally included in the ICU admission on UAE health insurance plans. Insurers usually need prompt notification and continuing approval for an ICU stay, and some plans set limits. The insurance office at Dar Al Kamal Hospital, Sharjah can help your family on 06 599 7777.
Related services
Frequently asked questions
Why has my relative been put in isolation when they seem well?
Isolation is often used because your relative carries a germ, such as a resistant bacterium, that lives on the skin or in the gut without making them ill but could spread to other patients. It can also protect a patient whose immunity is very low. Isolation is a precaution, and it says nothing about how well they are recovering.
What are the risks of infection in intensive care?
Despite careful precautions, some ICU patients still develop a new infection, most often in the chest, the bloodstream from a line, or the urine from a catheter. The risk rises with longer stays, ventilation and a weakened immune system. The team checks for early signs every day and treats any infection promptly, and doctors will talk openly with you about it if one occurs.
Can I catch something from my relative in the ICU?
For healthy visitors the risk is usually low, and following the unit's hand hygiene and isolation instructions protects you as well as your relative. If you are pregnant, have low immunity or are caring for a newborn, mention it to the nurse before you visit.
Why are there no flowers allowed in the unit?
Many intensive care units ask families to leave flowers and plants at home because water and soil can harbour germs and the bed space needs to be kept clear for equipment and cleaning. Photos, cards and recorded messages from family are good alternatives, and the nurse can tell you what the unit welcomes.
Why does my relative need antibiotics, and why were they changed?
Antibiotics are given when an infection is suspected, often before test results are back, and are then changed to a more targeted medicine once the germ is identified. Stopping antibiotics that are no longer needed is also part of good care, because it protects your relative from side effects and resistant bacteria.
Should I wear gloves and a gown when I visit?
Gowns and gloves are only needed when the nurse asks, usually when your relative is in isolation. In that case, put them on before entering, remove them in the order shown before leaving, and clean your hands afterwards.
Does insurance cover infection prevention in the ICU?
Infection prevention measures are part of intensive care and are normally covered within the ICU admission on UAE insurance plans, subject to the insurer's notification and approval rules. The Dar Al Kamal Hospital, Sharjah insurance office can help your family on 06 599 7777.
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