Healthcare Associated Infection

A healthcare-associated infection (HAI) is an infection that develops during, or soon after, receiving healthcare services or being in a healthcare setting. These infections are considered a threat to patient safety, but HAIs can be prevented. The purpose of the HAI Program is to provide education to healthcare facility staff to combat transmission of HAIs and to monitor the prevalence of multidrug resistant organisms (MDROs) in Nevada.

Program Topics

About the Program

Healthcare-Associated Infections (HAIs) are infections that patients develop while receiving care in healthcare settings and were not present or incubating at the time of admission. These infections are associated with medical care, procedures, or devices and can occur in hospitals, long-term care facilities, outpatient clinics, and other healthcare environments.

Common HAIs include central line-associated bloodstream infection (CLABSI), catheter-associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI), surgical site infections (SSI), ventilator-associated pneumonia.¹ In the United States, approximately 1 in 31 hospital patients has at least one HAI on any given day.² HAIs contribute to increased illness, longer hospital stays, higher healthcare costs, and preventable deaths.

HAIs are linked to risk factors common in healthcare settings, such as gaps in hand hygiene, medical device safety, and environmental cleaning and disinfection.³

Hand hygiene: Consistent hand hygiene by healthcare personnel is one of the most effective ways to prevent HAIs.³

Medical device safety: Proper insertion and maintenance of devices like central lines and catheters reduces CLABSI and CAUTI.³

Environmental cleaning: Thorough cleaning and disinfection of patient care areas prevent germ transmission.³

The HAI Program works to reduce these risks through surveillance of infection trends and education and training for infection prevention teams. By partnering with healthcare providers, local health departments, and national partners such as the CDC, the program helps improve infection prevention practices across Nevada.

For more information on how to prevent HAIs, click here.

References:

Resources for Healthcare Providers

CDC’s Core Infection Prevention and Control Practices for Safe Healthcare Delivery in All Settings | Infection Control | CDC

Cleaning Supplies and Equipment | HAIs | CDC

Environmental Cleaning Procedures | HAIs | CDC

Considerations for Reducing Risk: Surfaces in Healthcare Facilities | HAIs | CDC

strategies-and-tactics-to-reduce-hais.pdf

Resources for Patients

Tips for Being a Safe Patient | Patient Safety | CDC

About Handwashing | Clean Hands | CDC

6 Tips to Avoid Healthcare-Associated Infections – NFID