Antibiotic Resistance

CAUTI

CLABSI

C. diff

CRE

Hepatitis B

Hepatitis C

MRSA

Norovirus

SSI

VRE

VISA

VRSA

VAP

N.C. HAI Prevention Program

 

Healthcare-Associated Infections (HAIs)

Information for Individuals & Families

To help patients and their families better understand HAIs and how to protect themselves, these resources provide information on the risks and best prevention practices to look for in a healthcare setting for several types of infections.

• Alerts & Hot Topics
• Disease Prevention & Guidance
• Support Services
• Tools & Websites

Alerts & Hot Topics

• Latest Reports on Healthcare-Associated Infections in North Carolina
• Additions to the Reportable Conditions List (10A NCAC 41A .0101)
  • Carbapenemase-producing carbapenem resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CP-CRE) and Candida auris (C. auris) were added to the NC Reportable Disease and Conditions administrative code rule (10A NCAC 41A .0101), effective October 1, 2018. Resources related to reporting and responding to these conditions can be found in the Communicable Disease Manual.

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Disease Prevention & Guidance

• Basic Prevention Measures
• CDC: Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) Infection: Patient FAQs
• Common Types of HAIs:
  • Catheter-associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI)
  • Central line-associated bloodstream infection (CLABSI)
  • Clostridium difficile (C diff.)
  • Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)
  • Surgical site infection (SSI)
  • Vancomycin-intermediate Staphylococcus aureus (VISA)
  • Vancomycin-resistant Enterococci (VRE)
  • Vancomycin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (VRSA)
  • Ventilator-associated Pneumonia (VAP)
• Glossary of HAI Terms & Acronyms
• Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC): Top Ten Ways to Prevent Infection in the New Year
• CDC: Healthcare-Associated Infections - Information for patients and healthcare personnel.
• CDC: Patient Safety – Ten Things You Can Do to Be a Safe Patient
• CDC: Prevention & Control of MRSA and other Bacterial Skin Infections
• HAI Watch: Patient's Guide to Hand Hygiene - Developed with support from Kimberly-Clark and HAI Watch partners.
• The Joint Commission: Speak Up: Five Things You Can Do to Prevent Infection (PDF) - The Joint Commission is a nonprofit organization that evaluates health care quality and safety.
• Journal of the American Medical Association: Wound Infections
• Institute for Healthcare Improvement: Patient Safety
• One and Only Campaign - North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services has joined the Safe Injection Practices Coalition (SIPC) One and Only Campaign to raise awareness among patients and healthcare providers about safe injection practices.
• Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America: Patient Guides on Healthcare-Associated Infections - Frequently asked questions and answers about common HAIs. Includes CDC-approved patient guides for common HAIs.

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Support Services

• HAIs in North Carolina: Quarterly Reports for Healthcare Consumers (Facts & Figures)
• File a Home Health or Health Care Complaint: The North Carolina Division of Health Service Regulation is available to receive complaints regarding the care and services provided to patients/residents/consumers by health care facilities/agencies/homes licensed by the Division.
• Local Health Departments by County : Contact your local health department for information on services, programs and groups in your community.
• Medicare.gov Resource Locator : Compare the quality of hospitals, dialysis centers and nursing homes in your area and get information on healthcare professionals.

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Tools & Websites

• CDC: Hand Hygiene in Healthcare Settings
• HHS: "Partnering to Heal: Teaming Up Against HAIs" - Free online interactive video simulation training for families, healthcare professionals, and healthcare students on working together to reduce infection risks. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, in collaboration with APIC (Association for Professionals in Infection Control).
• CDC Vital Signs: Making Healthcare Safer - Stopping C. difficile Infections (March 2012) - Includes fact sheet and audio podcast.

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