The Big Picture: Prevention of Health Care Acquired Infections

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According to a recent national survey, an estimated 722,000 health-care-acquired infections (HAI) occur in hospitals annually. Approximately 75,000 deaths occur yearly, with one out of every 25 patients developing an HAI during hospitalization. The estimated cost for these preventable injuries is $45 billion. If you develop an HAI, your risk for readmission increases to 27 days versus 59 days. This course will outline the problem and address global source control strategies used in preventing the invasion or halting the spread of microorganisms. This course content is applicable to nurses and other health care professionals who work with patients in acute care, rehabilitation, and long-term care settings.

Meet your instructor

Kathleen Vollman

Kathleen Vollman is a Critical Care Clinical Nurse Specialist, Educator, and Consultant. She has published and lectured nationally and internationally on a variety of topics, including pulmonary care, critical care, prevention of health-care-acquired injuries, work culture, and sepsis recognition and management. From 1989 to…

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Chapters & learning objectives

1. HAI’s: What is the Problem?

Clinicians must understand both the clinical and financial impact of health-care-acquired infections to foster the necessary will and resources to change practice. This session addresses the magnitude of the problem, how HAIs fit into the current reimbursement structure, and the interventions that can help save patients’ lives.

2. HAI Development: Understanding the Vectors of Infection

To successfully prevent health-care-acquired infections, clinicians must know how microorganisms are transmitted within a care setting, as well as how we screen and measure that transmission. With that knowledge, the caregiver can make the necessary changes in their practice and help to control the sources of infection.

3. Source Control Strategies 1: Hands and Environment

The hands of health care workers are lethal weapons. They are the number one source of transmission of microorganisms. With greater knowledge of the evidence-based practices to address hand hygiene and environmental cleanliness, the caregiver will be an active part of the solution versus a contributor to the problem.

4. Source Control Strategies 2: The Patient

The patient’s flora, as well as inserted devices, can serve as a portal to infection. Learning global source control measures to reduce microorganisms on the patient’s skin through evidence-based bathing is key to controlling bacterial load in the environment.

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Chasing Zero: Elimination of CLABSI

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Preventing Non-Ventilator Health Care Acquired Pneumonia

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Ventilator-Associated Events: Bigger than Just Preventing Pneumonia

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