Infection Prevention

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.

AHRQ Safety Program for ESRD Facilities - Toolkit

The ESRD Toolkit was created to help end stage renal disease clinics prevent healthcare-associated infections in dialysis patients.

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 Hemodialysis (2013) - Network 7

This resource is a Florida Department of Health presentation regarding antibiotic use in hemodialysis.

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.

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 Audit Tools

These audit tools and checklists are intended to promote Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)-recommended practices for infection prevention in hemodialysis facilities.

CDC Clean Hands 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 Core Elements of Antibiotic Stewardship

Antibiotic stewardship is the effort to measure and improve how antibiotics are prescribed by clinicians and used by patients. Improving antibiotic prescribing involves implementing effective strategies to modify prescribing practices to align them with evidence-based recommendations for diagnosis and management. This report provides a framework for antibiotic stewardship for outpatient clinicians and facilities that routinely provide antibiotic treatment. Establishing effective antibiotic stewardship interventions can protect patients and improve clinical outcomes in outpatient health care settings.

CDC Hand Hygiene in Healthcare Settings

The CDC website provides information about hand hygiene in healthcare settings.

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.

CDC Infection Control Assessment Tools(2)

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.

CDC Interactive Hand Washing Resource

This interactive 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

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Website

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provides a number of infection checklists and dialysis audit tools.

Clean Hands Save Lives! - Network 17

This educational flyer offers simple guidance on how staff and patients can practice infection prevention through good hand hygiene.

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.

Guide to Infection Prevention for Outpatient Settings: Minimum Expectations for Safe Care

The CDC website provides a summary guide of infection prevention recommendations for outpatient (ambulatory care) settings. 

Guidelines for the Prevention of Intravascular Catheter-Related Infections

This Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) document provides guidelines for the prevention of intravascular catheter-related infections.

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. 

Hand Hygiene Pledge - Patients - Network 17

Hand hygiene pledge for patients.

Hand Hygiene Saves Lives Brochure

This brochure provides information about how hand hygiene can saves lives.

Hand Hygiene: Why, How, and When

This World Health Organization fact sheet provides information about why it is important to practice good hand hygiene.

Healthcare-Associated Infection LANs

Infection and Exposure Control Audit Tool

This tool is an observation tool to help facilities monitor infection control processes.

Infection Control Barriers Questionnaire

This observation questionnaire helps identify barriers to inflection control.

Infection Prevention and Monitoring in the Dialysis Setting

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

Infection Prevention and Monitoring in the Dialysis Setting(2)

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.

Patient Vaccination Refusal Form - Network 17

This form, available in English and Spanish, can be used to asses why patients are choosing not to be vaccinated.

QIAs

End stage renal disease (ESRD) quality improvement activities (QIAs) are designed to assist dialysis facilities and transplant centers to achieve optimal clinical outcomes and experience of care for all dialysis and kidney transplant patients. Network 15’s QIAs are focused on enhancing the...

Reducing Long-Term Catheter (LTC) Use

The goals of the Network 7 LTC QIA are to:

• Achieve a 2 percentage point improvement facilities with LTC >20%.
• Promote patient, family, and caregiver engagement within the facilities.
• Achieve 100% facility completion rate for National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) training.
• Engage focus facilities in Health Information Exchanges (HIEs).

Reducing Rates of Bloodstream Infections QIA

Following are links to tools that will assist you in achieving your BSI reduction goals: Quality Assessment and Performance Improvement (QAPI) Resources Network 7—2020 BSI Quality Improvement Orientation (QIA) Webinar (PDF) Network 17—2020 BSI Quality Improvement Orientation (QIA)...

Stop! Sticker: Antibiotic Order

Use this sticker to help ensure necessary and appropriate orders for antibiotics.

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.

Washing Your Access - Network 17

This document offers tips for washing your vascular access, as well as infection signs and symptoms to be aware of.

Your 5 Moments for Hand Hygiene Poster

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