Table 1. Fundamental Elements of Accountability for
Healthcare-Associated Infection Prevention
Senior management is responsible for ensuring that the healthcare system supports
an infection prevention and control (IPC) program that effectively prevents
healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) and the transmission of epidemiologically
important pathogens.
Senior management is accountable for ensuring that an adequate number of
trained personnel are assigned to the IPC program and adequate staffing of other
departments that play a key role in HAI prevention (eg, environmental services).
Senior management is accountable for ensuring that healthcare personnel, including
licensed and nonlicensed personnel, are adequately trained and competent to
perform their job responsibilities.
Direct HCPs (such as physicians, nurses, aides, and therapists) and ancillary
personnel (such as environmental service and equipment processing personnel)
are responsible for ensuring that appropriate IPC practices are used at all times
(including hand hygiene, standard and isolation precautions, and cleaning and
disinfection of equipment and the environment).
Senior and unit leaders are responsible for holding personnel accountable for their
actions.
IPC leadership is responsible for ensuring that an active program to identify HAIs
is implemented, that HAI data are analyzed and regularly provided to those who
can use the information to improve the quality of care (eg, unit staff, clinicians, and
hospital administrators), and that evidence-based practices are incorporated into
the program.
Senior and unit leaders are accountable for ensuring that appropriate training and
educational programs to prevent HAIs are developed and provided to personnel,
patients, and families.
Personnel from the IPC program, the laboratory, and information technolog y
departments are responsible for ensuring that systems are in place to support the
surveillance program.
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