Hospital infections are currently considered one of the biggest epidemiological, hygienic and sanitary, economical and legal problem in the world. The development of epidemiological nursing has been observed recently. The epidemiological nurse should provide “specialist information in the field of identifi cation, prevention and control of hospital infection and be responsible for monitoring and supervision of procedures connected with the risk of hospital infection”.

Aim, materials and methods. The aim of the research was to evaluate the role of epidemiological nurse in prevention of hospital infections by carrying out a survey of medical personnel. The research was realised in 2006 at the Provincial Specialist Hospital in Rzeszów. There were 159 persons included in the study: doctors, nurses and midwives. The research tool was a questionnaire designed specially for this purpose. The research results were statistically analysed.

Results. The research results show that according to medical personnel the epidemiological nursing significantly influences the progress in the fi eld of hospital infections prophylactics and building upon the knowledge in this area influences the improvement of medical services quality. Doctors, more frequently than nurses, indicate that reducing of patients’ treatment costs and medical services quality improvement are the effects of epidemiological nurses’ work. Nurses point to minimizing of hospital infections. In doctors’ opinion the epidemiological nurses should be responsible for detecting and registration of hospital infections and for fi lling hospital infection charts; however nurses say that doctors should be responsible for these tasks. Both doctors and nurses positively assess the activities of epidemiological nurses in their place of work