CDC Offers NHSN Validation Guidance for CLABSIs in ICUs

Today, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released the National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) Validation Guidance and Toolkit for Central Line-Associated Bloodstream Infection (CLABSI) in ICUs.

This toolkit is designed for infection preventionists and quality professionals at healthcare facilities that report to NHSN, state health department personnel (and/or their agents), and facilities to validate 2012 data on central-line associated bloodstream infections. Facilities that report data to NHSN may find the toolkit useful for assuring accurate data in any year.

NHSN is the nations most widely used healthcare-associated infection tracking system. NHSN provides facilities, states, regions, and the nation with data needed to identify problem areas, measure progress of prevention efforts, and ultimately eliminate healthcare-associated infections. The quality of NHSN data is important for surveillance, reimbursement, quality improvement, research and public reporting of healthcare-associated infections.

For more information about the National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) visit the CDCs newly revised NHSN website at: http://www.cdc.gov/nhsn/