Microbiology. A concern for nursing.

As nurses become aware, once again, of the devastating effects of nosocomial infection on the patient in terms of morbidity, permanent disability, mortality, excess hospital costs, and law suits, attention is being directed toward its prevention and control. Florence Nightingale intimated that a person should not become sicker in the hospital after admission than before entry as the result of infection. We still need to heed her admonitions. The other articles in this issue will deal with microorganisms in regard to specific patients, anatomic sites, treatment regimens, and infectious diseases. Hopefully, the reader will be provided with enough information to reduce the nosocomial infection rate on her or his nursing unit to nearly zero.