The Role of Nursing Staff in the Early Detection and Management of Hospital-Acquired Infections Using Laboratory Biomarkers

Abstract

Hospital-acquired infections (HAIs) are among the most significant preventable complications of modern healthcare, associated with increased morbidity, mortality, length of stay, and cost. Nurses, who provide continuous bedside surveillance, are crucial in detecting early signs of infection and initiating timely interventions. In recent years, laboratory biomarkers—such as C-reactive protein (CRP), procalcitonin (PCT), leukocyte indices, lactate, and organ function markers—have become integral to the early recognition and management of HAIs and sepsis.

This paper discusses the burden of HAIs, reviews key laboratory biomarkers used in infection detection and monitoring and examines the central role of nursing staff in integrating biomarker data with clinical assessment. It highlights how nurses contribute to early detection, antimicrobial stewardship, and ongoing evaluation of treatment response. Conceptual tables, figures, and graphs are incorporated to summarize biomarker properties and illustrate nursing workflows. Barriers to effective biomarker use—such as knowledge gaps, workflow constraints, and limited informatics support—are explored, along with system-level enablers including protocols, education, and interprofessional collaboration.

The paper concludes that biomarker-informed nursing practice can support earlier recognition of HAIs, more rational antibiotic use, and improved patient outcomes, provided biomarkers are interpreted within clinical context and supported by robust protocols and education (Schuetz et al., 2012; Singer et al., 2016). Practical recommendations are offered for nursing education, protocol development, data visualization, and quality improvement to strengthen the contribution of nurses in biomarker-guided HAI detection and management.