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Infection control is a crucial aspect of healthcare delivery aimed at curtailing the spread of infections within healthcare settings. The role of infection control nurses (ICNs) is reported to have a significant contribution in limiting healthcare-associated infections. Scholarly investigations have explored various domains of ICNs. However, a lack of comprehensive coverage of existing studies in the area is observed. Therefore, the current review attempts to determine the scope of the literature published on ICNs. A search was conducted on PubMed, Scopus, CINAHL, Embase, and Web of Science from January 2000 to December 2023 to retrieve research outputs on ICNs. The identified data underwent two screening stages to extract relevant articles based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The key outcomes were the factors that influenced the performance of ICNs and ICN programs. Out of 1869 articles, 25 were selected for the final review. The study summary identifies themes such as the roles and factors influencing ICNs and evaluating ICN programs. The review highlights a lack of high-quality evidence on ICN programs. Therefore, future studies should focus on implementing and evaluating these programs. Mapping and designing the structure, job responsibilities, and the role of ICNs demand attention from the research community.

BACKGROUND: Eliminating financial barriers and improving healthcare accessibility pertain to be key elements of the United Nation’s sustainable development goals. These have directed health policymakers to advocate private health insurance as a health promotion strategy to enable patients to obtain absolute and affordable medical care when needed. Against this backdrop, the current study investigates the coverage trend and financial risk-protective nature of private health insurance plans. MATERIALS AND METHOD: We examined 12 months’ hospital billing data of private health insurance holders with cancer, cardiac, neurological, and renal diseases. The billing and insurance claim data of 5002 patients were extracted from the billing section of a tertiary care teaching hospital located in southern India from April 2022 through March 2023. Five per cent of patients from each disease condition were selected through proportionate random sampling for analysis (n = 250). The cost incurred and reimbursement trend under various cost heads were investigated by examining the cost incurred by the patient during the hospitalization and comparing it with the amount reimbursed by the insurance company. RESULTS: The scrutiny exhibits that private health insurance fails to provide comprehensive coverage, resulting in under-insurance among subscribers. Reimbursement received for each cost category is also discussed. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study that has used institutional data instead of large survey data or patient data. CONCLUSION: The research concludes by soliciting policymakers, healthcare providers, and insurers to develop strategies to enhance the affordability and accessibility of healthcare to promote health and wellness.