HEALTHCARE-ASSOCIATED INFECTIONS (HAIs)
Healthcare-associated infections, or HAIs, are infections that people acquire while they are receiving treatment for another condition in a healthcare setting. HAIs can be acquired anywhere healthcare is delivered, including inpatient acute care hospitals, outpatient settings such as ambulatory surgical centers and end-stage renal disease centers, and long-term care facilities such as nursing homes and rehabilitation centers. HAIs may be caused by any infectious agent, including bacteria, fungi, and viruses, as well as other less common types of pathogens.
NDHCRI is leading a state-based initiative to reduce HAIs. Working closely with the state HAI Consortium and the North Dakota Hospital Association, this initiative is designed to address the following areas:
- Central Line Associated Blood Stream Infections (CLABSI)
- Catheter Associated Urinary Tract Infections (CAUTI)
- Clostridium Difficile (C. diff.)
- Surgical Site Infections (SSI)
NDHCRI will address these topics by organizing a statewide Learning and Action Network (LAN). This LAN will provide a unique learning environment designed to accommodate the needs and resource disparities of North Dakota's urban and rural hospitals.
For more information about this topic, please contact Jean Roland, RN, BSN, CPHQ, Quality Improvement Specialist, at NDHCRI.
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