Objective To explore the role and significance of full-time infection control nurses in the prevention and control of nosocomial infection in Intensive Care Unit (ICU). Methods Before Februry 2013, there was no full-time infection control nurses in ICU in West China Hospital of Sichuan University (before implementation); since March 2013, with a comprehensive evaluation of bed numbers and infection control nurses workload, the job of full-time infection control nurses were initiated (after implementation). The management of infection control was achieved through clarifying the responsibility of full-time infection control nurses, the implementation of infection monitoring and other related measures. Results Comparing to the condition before implementation, the hand hygiene compliance among nurses, doctors, workers and cleaners in ICU elevated from 49.8% to 74.9%, the infected rate decreased from 15.3% to 9.3%, the positive rate of multiple resistant bacteria decreased from 18.3% to 13.5%, the incidence of ventilator-associated pneumonia decreased from 13.02‰ to 6.63‰, and central venous catheter-related bloodstream infection rate decreased from 6.559‰ to 2.422‰; the differences were all significant (P<0.05). The incidence of urinary tract infection decreased from 1.21‰ to 1.07‰, and the difference was significant (P>0.05). Conclusions Full-time infection control nurses can introduce continuous and effective training to medical staffs, supervise the execution of hospital infection prevention and control measures, and examine all steps involved and relevant feedbacks. Therefore, the full-time infection control nurses play an important role in the prevention and control of nosocomial infection in ICU.