Healthcare-Associated Infections

Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP)

ACIP is a group of medical and public health experts that develop recommendations on use of vaccines in the civilian population of the United States.

American Lung Association: Who Pneu?

Did you know that even healthy adults as young as 50 are at increased risk for pneumococcal pneumonia? In fact, it has been estimated that a quarter of a million Americans over 50 are hospitalized with pneumococcal pneumonia each year. Explore the Who Pneu? website to learn more, get your own personal risk assessment and hear actor Tim Daly talk about his connection to this serious disease.

Antibiotic Use in the United States, 2017: Progress and Opportunities

The CDC report includes information about the current status of antibiotic use in healthcare settings, highlighting programs and resources to support stewardship When we optimize the treatment of infections, we protect patients from harm and combat antibiotic resistance!

Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology

The Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC) is the leading professional association for infection preventionists (IPs) with more than 15,000 members. Their mission is to create a safer world through the prevention of infection. This is achieved by the provision of better care to promote better health at a lower cost.

Blood Stream Infection (BSI) QIA LAN January, 2020

January 2020 | Blood Stream Infection (BSI) QIA LAN Promoting Bloodstream Infection (BSI) Prevention with Patient-Centered Resources: The Role of the National Patient and Family Engagement (NPFE) Learning and Action Network (LAN) | View Recording Presenters: Sardeliah PearsonJerome Bailey, BAKim...

Bloodstream Infection (BSI) QIA LAN April 3, 2018

This LAN featured Sonia S Shepherd BSN, RN, CDN from DaVita Kidney Care, who:

• Defined some of the challenges of the acute kidney injury/failure, end state renal disease, and nursing home or long-term ambulatory care patient population.
• Highlighted recognized issues contributing to the increase of BSI rates and hospitalization.
• Identified ways to improve collaboration between healthcare providers.

Download Recorded Webinar / View PowerPoint Slides

Bloodstream Infection QIA LAN March 2020

March 2020 | BSI Quality Improvement Activity (QIA) LAN Event: Long-term Catheters: Rethinking Candidacy for Surgical Access View Recording Presenters: Jonathan Segal, MDMaria Regnier, RN, MSN, CNN Biographies: Jonathan Segal, MD, is a nephrologist at the University of Michigan and is the...

Bloodstream Infections

Bloodstream Infection (BSI) Quality Improvement Activity (QIA) LAN Webinars 2019 Locate and download PowerPoint slide decks and recorded webinars from all of the BSI QIA LAN meetings below: How We Decreased Our Standardized Infection Rate by 50%July 2, 2019Download Recorded Webinar Infection...

CDC Interactive Hand Washing Resource

This course is intended for healthcare providers and reviews key concepts of hand hygiene and Standard Precautions.

CDC Vaccine Information Statements (VISs)

CDC Vaccine Information Statements (VISs) explain to vaccine recipients both the benefits and risks of a vaccine. All vaccine providers, public or private, are required by the National Vaccine Childhood Injury Act (NCVIA - 42 U.S.C. § 300aa-26[2 pages]) to give the appropriate VIS to the patient (or parent or legal representative) prior to every dose of specific vaccines.

CDC Vaccine Storage and Handling Toolkit

The Vaccine Storage and Handling Toolkit reflects best practices for vaccine storage and handling from Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommendations, product information from vaccine manufacturers, and scientific studies.

CDC Vital Signs: Sepsis Report

Sepsis is a complication caused by the body’s overwhelming and life-threatening response to infection. It can lead to tissue damage, organ failure, and death. Sepsis is difficult to diagnose. It happens quickly and can be confused with other conditions early on. Sepsis is a medical emergency. Time matters. When sepsis is quickly recognized and treated, lives are saved. Healthcare providers are the critical link to preventing, recognizing, and treating sepsis

CDC: Antibiotic/Antimicrobial Resistance

Antibiotics and similar drugs, together called antimicrobial agents, have been used for the last 70 years to treat patients who have infectious diseases. These drugs have been used so widely and for so long that the infectious organisms the antibiotics are designed to kill have adapted to them, making the drugs less effective.  Check out these resources from the CDC to learn more.

CDC: Clean Hand Count Campaign

The CDC has a new campaign to promote hand hygiene in healthcare settings: Clean Hand Count.  Learn more about the campaign and download helpful campaign resources by visiting the campaign page.

CDC: Infection Control Assessment Tools

The Infection Control Assessment Tools were developed by the CDC for awardees under the Epidemiology and Laboratory Capacity (ELC) Infection Control Assessment and Response (ICAR) Program to assist health departments in assessing infection prevention practices and guide quality improvement activities (e.g., by addressing identified gaps). These tools may also be used by healthcare facilities to conduct internal quality improvement audits.

Conversation Starter to Prevent Infections in Dialysis Patients

Preventing infections is important for patient safety. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) wants dialysis patients and dialysis centers to start a conversation about preventing infections. Family members can also start the conversation. We hope this guide can be a starting point to improve awareness about patient safety issues.

Dialysis NHSN Helpdesk: Newsblast Archive

Newsblasts are simple and short articles that address important issues currently trending in the Dialysis Helpdesk inbox. In February 2015, the Dialysis Helpdesk began disseminating newsblasts on a monthly basis, towards the end of each month. Refer to the newsblast archive for answers to frequently asked questions, deadline reminders, and breaking news that you may have missed. 

Environmental Surface Disinfection in Dialysis Facilities: Notes for Clinical Managers

This resource provide notes in a checklist format for clinical managers to utilize for environmental surface disinfection.

HAIs and Antibiotic Resistance: Communication Tools for Health Departments

The Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), with support from with Porter Novelli, are pleased to launch a suite of communications tools designed to help health departments articulate the value of public health in preventing healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) and stopping the spread of antibiotic resistance. This webinar will orient health departments and key partners on how to use these tools to reach and engage various public health and healthcare audiences, including hospitals, patient care providers, facility support staff, the media, and many others who are critical to raising awareness and taking action to contain and prevent HAIs. 

Infection Prevention and Monitoring in the Dialysis Setting

This presentation outlines infection prevention best practices and tools for dialysis patients.

Influenza Trainings

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is offering free, online trainings for healthcare professionals to build their influenza knowledge and earn continuing education credits (CMEs & CEs)!

Let's Talk: Starting the Conversation to Prevent HAIs

Preventing infections is important for patient safety. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) wants dialysis patients and dialysis centers to start a conversation about preventing infections. Family members can also start the conversation. We hope this guide can be a starting point to improve awareness about patient safety issues.

Making Dialysis Safer for Patients Coalition

The Making Dialysis Safer for Patients Coalition is a partnership of healthcare-related organizations, patient advocacy organizations, industry partners, and other public health partners that span the dialysis spectrum.

The Coalition aims to prevent bloodstream infections (BSIs) in hemodialysis patients, and increase the use and visibility of CDC evidence based practices.

National Action Plan for Combating Antibiotic Resistant Bacteria

The White House released a comprehensive plan that identifies critical actions to be taken by key Federal departments and agencies to combat the rise of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. 

National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) Dialysis Event Surveillance: Improving and Using Data for Infection Monitoring: Presentation

These are the slides from a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention presentation that discusses improving and using data for infection monitoring using the NHSN Dialysis Event Surveillance.

Newly Released Treatment of Drug-Susceptible Tuberculosis (TB) Guidelines

Although tuberculosis (TB) is no longer a leading cause of death in the United States, efforts to eliminate this potentially fatal disease are critical. After two decades of steady decline, the number of reported U.S. TB cases rose slightly in 2015 to 9,563, according to provisional data released...

NHSN Continuing Education Training

Continuing Education (CE) credits are now available for the 2016 NHSN Training webstream videos!

NHSN Newsletters

This page provides the latest NHSN newsletters and members meeting updates.

The One & Only Campaign

The One & Only Campaign is a public health effort, led by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Safe Injection Practices Coalition (SIPC), to raise awareness among patients and healthcare providers about safe injection practices. The Campaign aims to eliminate infections resulting from unsafe injection practices.

Your 5 Moments for Hand Hygiene Poster

World Health Organization infection control infographic covering the 5 moments for hand hygiene in hemodialysis care.