Last week I discussed the key components of an Infection Prevention Program.  This week I am going to talk about finding infections, more commonly referred to as surveillance.  The key to surveillance is consistency.  You need to find a published set of definitions for  hospital acquired infections and use the same criteria every single time.  This is the only way you can effectively monitor for changes and make comparisons.  The most common types of definitions are NHSN(National Healthcare Safety Network) and McGeer Criteria.  Here are some key points about performing surveillance:

Review microbiology reports, re-admission diagnoses, repeat surgery diagnoses, and history & physical reports
Review medical record to determine if the criteria are met
Get a second opinion if you are unsure about criteria
Calculate HAI rates using surveillance data
Establish or adopt benchmarks for HAI data
Report data to IP Commmittee
Share trends with leaders and frontline staff

It's important to watch for changes.  The NHSN definitions are reviewed and updated every year in January.  If others are helping you complete surveillance, make sure that the person is following the criteria consistently so that you data is accurate.  It's also important to present your definitions to the Infection Prevention Committee. If you don't have a committee, I recorded a podcast about developing one.
Speaking of surveillance, you can get my surveillance plan along with the other essential Infection Prevention Program documents here.
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