Abstract: Objective: To evaluate the effects of Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) for prevention and control of acute respiratory infections in geriatric wards. Methods: A standardized management team with a core of medical staff was established for acute respiratory infectious diseases. SOP was developed by this team and applied to the prevention and control management of acute respiratory infectious diseases in geriatric wards. Related indicators were evaluated before and after implementation. Results: After the implementation of SOP, the number of acute respiratory tract nosocomial infections in the ward decreased from 4 to 0. The number of nosocomial infection management problems was reduced from 9 to 2. In addition, the knowledge of nosocomial infection among medical staffs, caregivers and cleaners had been improved. The qualified rate of nasal and throat swab specimens collected by medical staff had been increased. The hand hygiene compliance of caregivers, cleaners and accompanies and the standard wearing rate of masks had been enhanced. And the differences of these results were statistically significant (P<0.05). Conclusion: SOP is able to effectively improve the quality of prevention and control of hospital infection in wards and standardize the behavior of all types of personnel, thus reducing the incidence of nosocomial infections, and ensuring the hospitalization safety of patients and the occupational safety of medical staff.

Key words: Standard Operating Procedure; elderly; acute respiratory infectious diseases