CBIC Healthcare-Associated Infections Flashcards

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) healthcare-associated infections are primarily transmitted by which route?

Answer: Direct contact and contaminated hands of healthcare workers

MRSA is predominantly transmitted through direct contact, especially via transiently contaminated hands of healthcare workers.

Which NHSN HAI module would an infection preventionist use to report deep incisional surgical site infections?

Answer: Procedure-Associated (PA) module

SSIs are reported in the NHSN Procedure-Associated (PA) module, which links infections to specific operative procedures.

What is the standardized infection ratio (SIR) value that indicates a facility's observed infections equal its predicted (expected) infections?

Answer: 1.0

An SIR of 1.0 means the observed number of infections equals the predicted number based on national baseline data.

Which HAI is associated with the highest attributable mortality in critically ill patients?

Answer: CLABSI

CLABSIs carry the highest attributable mortality among the major HAI types, with estimates ranging from 12–25% in some ICU populations.

Which practice is recommended to reduce the risk of SSIs related to hair removal at the surgical site?

Answer: Clipping hair with electric clippers immediately before the procedure

Electric clippers used immediately before surgery cause less skin trauma than razors and are associated with lower SSI rates.

Which federal agency collects and analyzes HAI data through the National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN)?

Answer: CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)

NHSN is operated by the CDC's Division of Healthcare Quality Promotion and is the nation's most widely used HAI tracking system.