[Importance of a network construction with each division and clinical laboratory in the hospital--from a ground of the infection control nurse].

To reduce the frequency and extent hospital infection, the infection prevention team is required to work properly. Infection control nurses play various roles in the infection prevention team, including surveillance of the occurrence of infection and checking the actual conditions of infection prevention activities, as well as the communication and coordination with other sections. Thus, they take part in almost all the activities of the infection prevention team, except the diagnosis and the medical treatment of infectious diseases; that is to say, they make reports, communicate, consult and cooperate with the staff members of other sections. As for surveillance, the results of microbiological tests by a laboratory are most important. By feedback regarding the results of surveillance measures against infection, infection prevention activities become more effective. The staff members of the microbiological laboratory and the infection control nurses can obtain information about the outbreak of infection at an early stage, which is critical in infection prevention activities. Therefore, good cooperation between nurses and the laboratory staff facilitates prompt and appropriate actions to prevent further spread of infection. The test section, especially the microbiological laboratory, is the most important section with which the infection control nurses should work in close cooperation.