Health Care-Associated Infections

Reporting Health Care-Associated Infections

Reporting Concerns about Infection Control in Medical Facilities

Early reporting of concerns about infection control in medical facilities can help prevent outbreaks of health care-associated infections.

Infection Prevention in Outpatient Settings

Infection Prevention in Long-Term Care Settings

  • Best Practices and Good Ideas: A Handbook for Infection Control in Nursing Homes (PDF). A resource for infection preventionists and other nursing home staff to provide a quick review of CDC-recommended best practices for infection control in nursing homes along with implementation resources for infection prevention and control programs. This handbook also includes creative approaches to getting things done that come directly from our nursing home colleagues in NYC.
  • The CDC's Long-term Care website provides links to infection control guidance and resources for clinicians, infection prevention coordinators, and residents of long-term care facilities

Hospital-Acquired Infections

Hospital-acquired infections are overseen by the New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH). For more information, please visit the NYSDOH Hospital-Acquired Infection website.

Safe Injection Practices

Safe injection practices prevent the spread of bloodborne pathogens.

  • Needles and syringes should be used only once. They should never be used for more than one patient. Never use a previously-used needle or syringe to access a medication vial, and never leave a needle or spike in a medication vial for easy access of syringes.
  • Single-dose vials and IV bags are to be used for only one patient. They should never be shared among multiple patients.
  • Use single-dose vials whenever possible.
  • If multi-dose vials must be used for more than one patient, draw up medication in a clean central location, away from patient care areas.
  • Never use a saline bag for multiple patients.
  • Helpful Links:

Safe Glucose Monitoring

Safe Food Practices in Health Care Settings

  • Hospitals serve food to vulnerable populations at high risk for complications from foodborne illnesses. Outbreaks of listeriosis and other foodborne illness have occurred.
    • For example, pregnant women, the elderly, and patients immunocompromised from chemotherapy are especially at risk for Listeria.
  • Infection control practitioners should be aware of the risks of foodborne illness among hospitalized patients and should consider implementing food service policies to minimize patients' exposure to foodborne pathogens.
  • Helpful Links:

Publications Describing Health Care-Associated Hepatitis B and C Outbreaks in NYC

Preventing Transmission from Health Care Personnel Infected with Bloodborne Pathogens

Publications Describing Non-Hepatitis Health Care-Associated Outbreaks in NYC

Resources for Clinicians Affected by Substance Abuse