Background & aim: Hospital-Acquired Infections (HAIs) are a persistent concern and occur more frequently in Intensive Care Units (ICUs). Evidence indicates that the use of care bundles can prevent HAIs and their associated complications. Therefore, this scoping review aimed to evaluate the impact of care-bundle approaches on HAIs among critically ill patients in the ICU.

Methods: This domain-focused scoping review assessed the effect of ICU care bundles on the prevention of HAIs employing the five-step Arksey & O'Malley framework. After formulating the research question, relevant articles were searched in Web of Science, PubMed, Google Scholar, and SID. Studies were imported into the RAYYAN software, and investigators independently screened titles and abstracts against predefined inclusion criteria. In total, 355 studies were identified.

Results: Of these, 23 studies met the inclusion criteria. Among them, 15 evaluated the impact of care bundles on prevention of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP), three assessed bundles for prevention of Catheter-Related Bloodstream Infections (CRBSIs), three related to prevention of catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs), one addressed prevention of Surgical Site Infections (SSIs), and one study examined three bundles addressing VAP, CAUTI, and CRBSI. The majority of studies reported a positive effect of care bundles on preventing HAIs in ICU settings.

Conclusion: Findings from this review indicate that bundle-based approaches are effective in preventing HAIs in ICU patients. Key factors associated with success include strict adherence to hand hygiene, faithful implementation and monitoring of care bundles, ongoing nurse education, and teamwork, which collectively contribute to reductions in HAIs, shorter hospital stays, and lower healthcare costs.