Hebah Al Zamel, BSN, MSN, CPHQ, CIC, is a member of the Association for Professionals in Infection Control, a member of Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America, a member of the 

 Editorial Advisory Board, and an expert member of the Emirates Nursing Association. She worked as a nursing care policy consultant at Emirates Health Services, an infection control coordinator at King Abdullah University Hospital in the Quality Department, Infection Control Division, and an International Organization for Standardization-certified internal auditor. She is a trainer and expert on many topics concerning quality, patient safety, infection control, public health, and community health, especially in schools and health centers.

Hebah Al Zamel, BSN, MSN, CPHQ, CIC

Leadership is not simply about authority—it's about influence, inspiration, and creating a ripple effect of positive change. In the critical fields of infection control and quality management, where patient safety hangs in the balance, the qualities of a wise leader become indispensable. A true leader in this realm embodies emotional intelligence, strategic foresight, and an unwavering commitment to continuous improvement.

Empathy and Emotional Intelligence: The Core of Leadership

A wise leader doesn’t just manage processes—they manage people. Staff often resist infection control and quality protocols due to a lack of understanding or fear of change. A leader who listens attentively, empathizes with these concerns, and addresses them with compassion builds bridges instead of walls. For instance, introducing new sterilization procedures or safety measures can be daunting for a team. The leader fosters trust and gains their buy-in by engaging with staff in an open dialogue and providing context.

Strategic Vision: Seeing Beyond the Immediate

Leadership in infection control is not about putting out fires; it’s about preventing them. Tools like 

) allow leaders to identify trends, address deviations, and implement preventative measures before minor issues escalate into major problems. Imagine a situation where infection rates slightly rise—to the wise leader, it’s not just a statistic. It signals digging deeper, analyzing contributing factors, and developing a sustainable action plan.

In health care settings, friction is inevitable. A new policy or protocol may seem inconvenient to some, but a wise leader knows that confrontation is not the solution. Instead, they redirect energy toward collaboration, framing the issue around shared goals like patient safety and improved outcomes. They are adept at choosing their battles, knowing when to press forward and when to pause, ensuring the team’s unity remains intact.

Patience and Humility: Virtues of Long-Term Impact

In infection control, tangible results don’t always come quickly. This is where patience shines as a vital trait. A wise leader doesn’t lose focus when immediate results are elusive; instead, they remain dedicated to the process, trusting in the long-term vision. Humility is equally important—they acknowledge that leadership is not about having all the answers but creating a culture where questions lead to solutions and growth is a shared journey.

A leader sets the tone not by words alone but through action. In infection control and quality management, this means modeling the behavior they wish to see—adhering rigorously to protocols, being transparent in communication, and actively encouraging a culture of accountability and innovation. For example, during a review of sterilization procedures, a leader who dives into the details alongside their team demonstrates commitment and solidarity.

As leaders, it’s valuable to reflect on personal alignment with this leadership style. Do you see yourself embodying these traits—managing challenges with wisdom, fostering collaboration, and inspiring trust? If so, which aspects resonate most with your style? If not, are there alternative approaches you believe are more effective in your unique context? This self-awareness is the cornerstone of growth, helping continuously to refine your leadership journey.

At its core, wise leadership in infection control and quality management is about much more than operational efficiency. It’s about creating lasting transformation—building systems and cultures that outlast any individual’s tenure. Such leadership safeguards not only patients but also the morale and professional pride of the health care team.

Leadership is a path of discovery, growth, and adaptation. By combining emotional intelligence, strategic planning, and a genuine desire to inspire, a leader can leave a lasting legacy—not just in results but also in the hearts and minds of those they work with. In a field as vital as infection control, this type of leadership is not a luxury; it is a necessity that shapes the future of health care.

Articles

Discover how wise leadership in infection control transforms challenges into opportunities, fosters teamwork, and safeguards patient safety through emotional intelligence, strategic vision, and inspiring action.

The Art of Wise Leadership in Infection Control and Quality Management

Health care–associated infections (HAIs) continue to pose a significant challenge to patient safety in hospitals and health care facilities worldwide. Among the most common and severe HAIs are central line–associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs) and catheter-associated urinary tract infections(CAUTIs). These infections compromise patient outcomes, increase health care costs, and lead to longer hospital stays. Recent advancements in evidence-based practices, updated clinical guidelines, and technological innovations have shown promise in reducing the incidence of these life-threatening infections.

CLABSIs: A Persistent Challenge in Critical Care

CLABSIs occur when pathogens enter the bloodstream through a central venous catheter or another access point, such as intra-arterial or peripheral intravenous catheters.

 These catheters are often essential for patients requiring long-term intravenous medication, fluids, or hemodynamic monitoring. However, their invasive nature places patients at heightened risk for infections. Despite a 13% decline in CLABSIs in 2023,

 they remain one of the most significant preventable HAIs in the US, with an estimated 41,000 cases reported annually, according to the CDC.

Evidence-Based Strategies for CLABSI Prevention

Implementing evidence-based strategies is crucial to reduce CLABSI infections and improving patient safety. Below are key measures to prevent CLABSI effectively:

CLABSI care bundles, introduced by the CDC and the Institute for Healthcare Improvement,

 outline evidence-based practices to reduce CLABSI risk.

Washing hands or using alcohol-based hand sanitizers before touching the central line is fundamental to preventing contamination.

Central line insertion must be performed using sterile barriers, including sterile gloves, drapes, and a mask for both the patient and the clinician. Ultrasound guidance during insertion has been shown to reduce complications.

The necessity of a central line should be reassessed daily, and unnecessary central lines should be promptly removed. Using chlorhexidine gluconate for skin antisepsis during insertion has also been shown to reduce infection rates.

• Central line dressing and site care: 

Daily dressing changes and
antimicrobial-impregnated dressings can reduce infection risk.

2. Antimicrobial catheters and access ports

Antimicrobial-impregnated central venous catheters have shown promise in preventing CLABSIs, particularly in high-risk patients such as those in intensive care units. The CDC’s latest guidance suggests that these catheters, although beneficial in high-risk populations, should be used judiciously due to cost and the risk of resistance.

Regular staff education on infection prevention strategies, including aseptic techniques and the correct use of central line bundles, is critical. The CDC’s 2023 guidelines emphasize training health care personnel to recognize infection risks early and intervene appropriately.

suggest that creating a dedicated team of nurses to assist with central line insertions can significantly reduce the risk of patients developing bloodstream infections. The 

, authored by infection preventionists at UNC Medical Center in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, showed that having a dedicated team led to a 47% reduction in the proportion of CLABSIs occurring within 7 days of line placement among patients in the prevention initiative.

The Role of Surveillance and Data-Driven Approaches

Surveillance systems, including real-time infection monitoring and feedback mechanisms, have been instrumental in reducing CLABSI rates. Hospitals and health care facilities that have integrated data tracking and outcome reporting into their infection control programs report significantly lower CLABSI rates.

 According to results of a 2024 study published in the

, facilities with active surveillance and feedback mechanisms had a 36% reduction in CLABSI incidence over 5 quarters.

“This project demonstrated the importance and impact of a dedicated CLABSI prevention nurse in CLABSI prevention, Sara Reese, PhD, an author of this study, said. “This role not only performed daily central line audits but also provided education to the nurses and a second set of hands for dressing changes and other line maintenance needs. A significant decrease in the CLABSI rate demonstrated the impact on patient safety.”

CAUTIs: Prevention Through Vigilance and Protocols

CAUTIs are another common form of HAI. They occur when bacteria enter the urinary tract via an indwelling urinary catheter.

 With approximately 500,000 cases annually in the US, CAUTI prevention is a priority for infection control teams. The CDC reports that nearly 80% of UTIs in hospitalized patients are associated with a catheter, making CAUTIs a significant target for intervention.

According to investigators of a study published in 

, “CAUTIs are also probably the most preventable HAIs; however, despite advances in diagnosis and treatment, CAUTIs continue to be a serious health care problem, accounting for up to 40% of hospital infections and 23% of infections in intensive care units (ICUs). CAUTIs have been shown to increase morbidity and mortality by 2.8-fold and the length of hospitalization by 1 to 3 days.”

Evidence-Based Strategies for CAUTI Prevention

Using evidence-based strategies is also vital for reducing CAUTI infections and continuously improving the safety of both patients and staff. Key measures to prevent CAUTIs include:

The first step in preventing CAUTIs is to minimize the use of indwelling urinary catheters. The CDC’s latest guidelines emphasize that catheters should only be used when necessary, such as for patients undergoing specific surgery or those with urinary retention due to neurological conditions.

 Routine use of catheters for convenience, such as monitoring urine output, should be avoided.

2. Proper catheter insertion and maintenance

Once catheterization is deemed necessary, proper insertion techniques are critical. The CDC recommends using a sterile technique during insertion and ensuring that the catheter is placed using the smallest size possible for the clinical situation.

 also recommend maintaining a closed drainage system to avoid contamination, securing the catheter to prevent movement or pulling, and assessing catheter necessity daily. Ensuring the catheter is not obstructed, and the drainage system is always correctly positioned below the patient’s bladder can help minimize infection risks.

Research has demonstrated that antimicrobial-coated catheters may significantly reduce the incidence of CAUTIs in specific high-risk patient populations.

 The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality

 highlights antimicrobial-coated catheters as part of its infection prevention recommendations, particularly for patients who require long-term catheterization.

Another critical component of preventing CAUTIs is educating patients on the risks associated with urinary catheters and the signs and symptoms of infection. Encouraging patients to voice concerns or discomfort can help detect infections early. A study by Mangal, et al, highlights the importance of CAUTI prevention.

As CLABSIs and CAUTIs remain significant concerns in health care settings, evidence-based practices are critical for reducing their incidence and improving patient safety. Health care facilities can significantly reduce common and preventable infections by following updated CDC and WHO guidelines, utilizing infection prevention bundles, and adopting new technologies.

Collaboration, education, and surveillance will continue to be the pillars of successful infection control programs. Health care organizations must stay current with the latest research and guidelines to protect patients and provide high-quality, safe care in today’s health care environments.

Hayes J, Miller M. CLABSI culprits in critical care: looking beyond the expected portal of entry

https://www.infectioncontroltoday.com/view/clabsi-culprits-critical-care-looking-beyond-expected-portal-entry

. November 25, 2024. Accessed January 2, 2025. 

https://www.cdc.gov/healthcare-associated-infections/php/data/progress-report.html

Central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSI). Johns 

https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/patient-safety/infection-prevention#:~:text=The%20Centers%20for%20Disease%20Control,central%20lines%20in%20U.S.%20hospitals

Gupta P, Thomas M, Patel A, et al. Bundle approach used to achieve zero central line-associated bloodstream infections in an adult coronary intensive care unit. 

 2021;10(1):e001200. doi:10.1136/bmjoq-2020-001200

Wassil SK, Crill CM, Phelps SJ. Antimicrobial impregnated catheters in the prevention of catheter-related bloodstream infection in hospitalized patients. 

 2007;12(2):77-90. doi:10.5863/1551-6776-12.2.77

Deng Z, Qin J, Sun H, Xv F, Ma Y. Effectiveness of impregnated central venous catheters on catheter-related bloodstream infection in pediatrics. 

. 2022;10:795019. doi:10.3389/fped.2022.795019

Intravascular catheter-related infection (BSI) prevention guidelines. 

. April 12, 2024. Accessed January 2, 2025. 

https://www.cdc.gov/infection-control/hcp/intravascular-catheter-related-infection/index.html

Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs). 

https://www.cdc.gov/healthcare-associated-infections/index.html

Reducing CLABSIs: 47% impact with trained nurse observers and catheter insertion teams. 

https://www.infectioncontroltoday.com/view/reducing-clabsis-47-impact-trained-nurse-observers-catheter-insertion-teams

Rosenthal VD, Memish ZA, Shweta F, Bearman G, Lutwick LI. Preventing central line-associated bloodstream infections: a position paper of the International Society for Infectious Diseases, 2024 update. 

Int J Infect Dis. 2025;150:107290. doi:10.1016/j.ijid.2024.107290

Latif A, Ali W, Haleem S, et al. Implementation and long-term efficacy of a multifaceted intervention to reduce central line-associated bloodstream infections in intensive care units of a low-middle-income country. 

. 2024;52(7):819-826. doi:10.1016/j.ajic.2024.02.001

Buetti N, Marschall J, Drees M, et al. Strategies to prevent central line-associated bloodstream infections in acute-care hospitals: 2022 update

l. 2022;43(5):553-569. doi:10.1017/ice.2022.87

Star KE, Lindsey K, Reese SM, et al. Reducing central line-associated bloodstream infection with a dedicated CLABSI prevention registered nurse role. 

 2024;52(6):659-663. doi:10.1016/j.ajic.2023.11.021

Catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTI). 

 April 12, 2024. Accessed January 2, 2025. 

https://www.cdc.gov/infection-control/hcp/cauti/index.html

Gupta P, Thomas M, Mathews L, et al. Reducing catheter-associated urinary tract infections in the cardiac intensive care unit with a coordinated strategy and nursing staff empowerment. 

 2023;12(2):e002214. doi:10.1136/bmjoq-2022-002214

Kanti SPY, Csóka I, Jójárt-Laczkovich O, Adalbert L. Recent advances in antimicrobial coatings and material modification strategies for preventing urinary catheter-associated complications. 

 2022;10(10):2580. doi:10.3390/biomedicines10102580

Moussa A, Ahmed E, Ismail M, et al. The silver-coated silicone catheters significantly reduced the incidence of CAUTI compared to the uncoated catheters. 

. 2022;11(11):6822-6829. doi:10.4103/jfmpc.jfmpc_1179_22. Available from: 

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9599887/

Jacob JT, DiazGranados CA, Levinson J, et al. Preventing catheter-associated urinary tract infections: a national analysis of patient safety practices. 

. 2023;51(1):15-21. doi:10.1016/j.ajic.2022.10.007. Available from: 

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36289841/

Summary of recommendations: catheter-associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI) prevention. CDC. Updated October 2022. Accessed April 16, 2025. 

https://www.cdc.gov/infection-control/hcp/cauti/summary-of-recommendations.html

Toolkit for reducing catheter-associated urinary tract infections in hospital units: implementation guide. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. Accessed January 2, 2025. 

https://www.ahrq.gov/hai/cauti-tools/guides/implguide-pt3.html

Mangal S, Pho A, Arcia A, Carter E. Patient and Family Engagement in Catheter-Associated Urinary Tract Infection (CAUTI) Prevention: A Systematic Review. Jt Comm 

. 2021 Sep;47(9):591-603. doi: 10.1016/j.jcjq.2021.05.009. Epub 2021 May 31. PMID: 34215555; PMCID: PMC8506981.

Health care–associated infections like CLABSIs and CAUTIs threaten patient safety. Learn evidence-based strategies, new technologies, and prevention protocols to reduce these infections and improve outcomes.








The Latest on CLABSIs and CAUTIs: Evidence-Based Approaches for Infection Prevention 

Male doctor washes his hands before a surgery operation before entering an operating room.

Prince Sultan Cardiac Center (PSCC) in Qasim is a renowned health care facility specializing in cardiology and cardiac surgery. As with any leading health care institution, ensuring high hygiene standards is crucial, particularly in preventing health care-acquired infections. Hand hygiene is one of the most fundamental and effective measures to control infections. Here’s how PSCC Qasim handles hand hygiene within its facility:

PSCC Qasim has a comprehensive hand hygiene policy that aligns with international standards and guidelines, including those from the World Health Organization (WHO) and the CDC. The policy outlines when, how, and why hand hygiene should be performed. This includes guidelines on handwashing with soap and water and using alcohol-based hand sanitizers.

A cornerstone of PSCC’s hand hygiene approach is its staff's education and continuous training. All health care workers, including doctors, nurses, technicians, and support staff, undergo rigorous training on the importance of hand hygiene, the correct techniques, and the critical moments for hand hygiene in patient care. Training sessions are conducted regularly to keep the staff updated on best practices and new developments in infection control.

Prince Sultan Cardiac Center in Qasim, The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

PSCC Qasim employs a robust system to monitor hand hygiene adherence among its staff. This includes direct observation by trained infection control personnel, as well as the use of electronic monitoring systems that can track hand hygiene events in real time. Feedback from these monitoring activities is provided to the staff to encourage adherence to hand hygiene protocols and identify areas for improvement.

Ensuring that hand hygiene products are readily accessible is another key aspect of PSCC Qasim’s strategy. The facility is equipped with numerous handwashing stations and dispensers for alcohol-based hand sanitizers strategically placed throughout the hospital, including patient rooms, operating theaters, and high-traffic areas. These dispensers are regularly stocked and maintained to ensure they are always operational.

PSCC Qasim also emphasizes the role of patients and visitors in maintaining hand hygiene. Educational materials, such as brochures and posters, are distributed and displayed throughout the facility to inform patients and visitors about the importance of hand hygiene and encourage them to practice it. Hand sanitizer dispensers are placed at entrances and other key locations to make it easy for visitors to clean their hands upon entering and leaving the hospital.

The facility has a dedicated infection control team that oversees and implements hand hygiene protocols. This team conducts regular audits, provides training, and stays updated with the latest guidelines and research. They play a crucial role in maintaining a culture of safety and hygiene within the hospital.

PSCC Qasim frequently conducts hand hygiene campaigns to reinforce the importance of this practice among healthcare workers, patients, and visitors. These campaigns may include activities like hand hygiene fairs, competitions, and demonstrations to actively engage staff and the community.

In keeping with modern advancements, PSCC Qasim leverages technology to enhance its hand hygiene practices. This includes using automated hand hygiene monitoring systems that provide real-time data and feedback and UV light systems to check the effectiveness of handwashing techniques during training sessions.

The center is committed to continuously improving hand hygiene practices through research and quality improvement initiatives. Regular studies are conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of hand hygiene interventions, and the findings are used to refine and enhance the existing protocols. This commitment to research ensures that PSCC Qasim remains at the forefront of infection control practices.

Prince Sultan Cardiac Center in Qasim handles hand hygiene with a multifaceted approach that includes comprehensive policies, continuous education and training, monitoring and feedback systems, accessibility of hygiene products, patient and visitor engagement, a dedicated infection control team, regular campaigns, technological innovations, and a commitment to research and continuous improvement. These efforts collectively ensure a high standard of hand hygiene, crucial for preventing infections and ensuring patient safety in a cardiac care setting.

Hebah al Zamel, MSN, CIC, CPHQ, an infection preventionist in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and a member of ICT's Editorial Advisory Board, describes how hand hygiene is handled in Prince Sultan Cardiac Center in Qasim. 

 Hand Hygiene Adherence in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia: Safety Is Universal

Gloved hands handing off a surgical tool.

Surgical site infection (SSI) surveillance

 is a process of monitoring and reporting infections that occur after surgery in the part of the body where the surgery occurred. It helps hospitals track patient outcomes and review or change their practices to prevent further infections. SSI surveillance is an essential component of infection prevention and control in health care settings. It helps monitor the incidence and impact of SSIs, identify risk factors and gaps in practice, and evaluate the effectiveness of interventions.

CDC’s National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) Outpatient Procedure Component,⁷ which provides protocols, data collection forms, and analysis resources for SSI surveillance in outpatient procedure component settings in the US.

The World Health Organization’s global guidelines for the prevention of SSIs, which provide surveillance forms for perioperative and postoperative data collection, as well as a hand hygiene observation form.⁸

CDC’s NHSN Patient Safety Component,⁸ which provides data collection forms and instructions for SSI surveillance in acute care hospitals in the US.

SSI surveillance requires accurate and timely data collection and reporting. Facilities must conduct routine and periodic data quality checks to ensure consistency, completeness, and reliability of reported data to the National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN).

 Data quality tools can help facilities conduct routine and periodic data quality assessments and improve their data quality practices.

Employing electronic screening algorithms that automatically identify potential SSI cases from various data sources can help reduce the workload and bias of manual chart review and increase the sensitivity and specificity of SSI detection. It is crucial to regularly validate and update electronic screening algorithms to ensure their performance and validity.

This article provides global guidelines for preventing surgical site infection (SSI) and implementation tools and surveillance forms.³ The article provides a list of 29 recommendations on various topics, such as preoperative measures, intraoperative measures, postoperative measures, antimicrobial prophylaxis, and surveillance. The article also provides links to the full guidelines, the implementation manual, web appendices, and 


Reliability and validity of multicenter surveillance of SSI after colorectal surgery:9This article reports a study investigating the reliability and validity of SSI surveillance after colorectal surgery in the Netherlands.




Expert commentary on the challenges and opportunities for SSI prevention and control in Asia-Pacific:¹⁰This article discusses the challenges and opportunities for SSI prevention and control in Asia-Pacific, such as the diversity of health systems, resources, and practices.

Validating Surgical Site Infection Surveillance

CDC recommends using the NHSN Patient Safety Component

 to monitor and report data on health care–associated infections, including SSIs. This system provides standardized definitions, protocols, forms, and tools for SSI surveillance. It also allows for comparison and benchmarking among hospitals. CDC also offers guidelines and resources for preventing and controlling SSIs.

According to CDC and the World Health Organization, validating SSI surveillance is essential because it helps to detect the problem’s magnitude and assess the impact of any prevention or improvement intervention.

 It also enables accurate comparison of infection rates across different settings and provides feedback to surgeons and other health care workers.

SSI surveillance can be validated using standardized definitions, data collection forms, and reporting procedures. It can also involve comparing the surveillance data with other sources of information, such as patient records, laboratory results, or postdischarge surveys. Additionally, it can include conducting a proactive risk assessment to identify and prioritize areas for improvement.

More tools and information are available, as follows:

A tool kit for data quality checks for reporting facilities by CDC.

 This tool kit provides guidance for data quality activities suggested to be conducted annually, quarterly/monthly, and routinely by health care facilities to ensure that data reported to NHSN are accurate. The data quality components and tools are specific to 7 health care–associated metrics, including SSI.

 This guideline provides evidence-based strategies for SSI prevention and surveillance. It also defines the criteria and methods for SSI detection and reporting.

A study on validation of semiautomated SSI surveillance using electronic screening algorithms.

 This study verified the validity of a semiautomated SSI surveillance system using screening algorithms in 38 categories of surgery.

One benefit of SSI surveillance is to prevent SSIs by providing feedback to surgeons and other health care workers on their performance and adherence to evidence-based guidelines. It also helps to improve patient outcomes and safety by reducing morbidity, mortality, and costs associated with SSIs. Finally, it helps to compare infection rates across different settings and identify areas for improvement or best practices.

You can use automated SSI surveillance methods using electronic data sources, such as pharmacy records, administrative claims, electronic health records, or natural language processing. The advantages of automated methods include reducing the workload and cost of manual data collection and validation.

 They can also improve the sensitivity and timeliness of detecting SSIs, especially after discharge. They can facilitate the standardized and consistent application of surveillance definitions and criteria.

They can enable large-scale and cross-institutional surveillance and benchmarking. 

However, the challenges of SSI surveillance are not inconsequential. They include the following:

Constraints on human resources, such as lack of trained staff, high workload, and high turnover

Lack of adequate policies and procedures, such as standardized definitions, data collection forms, reporting systems, and feedback mechanisms

Lack of a strong safety culture, such as low awareness, motivation, or adherence among surgeons and other health care workers

Limitations in funding and other resources, such as lack of equipment, supplies, infrastructure, or technology

Environmental and geographic challenges, such as climate, humidity, pollution, or distance

Cultural diversity, such as different languages, beliefs, or practices among patients and providers

Poor patient awareness and responsibility, such as lack of education, empowerment, or engagement in infection prevention

Automated SSI surveillance methods also have limitations. They include the following:

They may have lower specificity or positive predictive value than manual methods, resulting in false-positive cases or overestimation of infection rates.

They may miss some cases of infection that are not captured by electronic data sources, such as those diagnosed after discharge or in other facilities.

They may require complex data integration and validation processes, especially when using multiple data sources or different electronic health record systems.

They may not capture critical clinical or contextual information available in manual methods, such as wound characteristics, microbiology results, or antibiotic use.

Surgical site infection. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. September 28, 2021. Accessed May 3, 2023.  

Annual surveys, locations & monthly reporting plans. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. March 23, 2023. Accessed May 3, 2023. https://www.cdc.gov/nhsn/psc/locations.html

Surgical site infections. World Health Organization. November 4, 2016. Accessed May 3, 2023. 

https://www.who.int/teams/integrated-health-services/infection-prevention-control/surgical-site-infection

Toolkit for data quality checks for reporting facilities. National Healthcare Safety Network. April 2021. Accessed May 3, 2023. 

https://www.cdc.gov/nhsn/pdfs/validation/2021/2021-nhsn-iv-for-facilities-508.pdf

Surgical site infection event (SSI). National Healthcare Safety Network. January 2023. Accessed May 3, 2023. 

https://www.cdc.gov/nhsn/pdfs/pscmanual/9pscssicurrent.pdf

Cho SY, Chung DR, Choi JR, et al. Validation of semiautomated surgical site infection surveillance using electronic screening algorithms in 38 surgery categories. 

. 2018;39(8):931-935. doi:10.1017/ice.2018.116

SSI surveillance tracks infections that occur after surgery in the area where it was performed. How can facilities help prevent these infections?