Microbiology
Which of the following best defines a healthcare-associated infection (HAI) and correctly captures its clinical significance in the United States?
Convert the statistic '1 in 31 hospital patients acquire an HAI' into a percentage to two significant figures. Which value is most accurate?
A clinic expects 5,000 inpatient admissions next year. Using the lesson's overall HAI rate (~3%), estimate how many HAIs the clinic should anticipate and would therefore plan to monitor.
An infection control program implements measures that reduce the overall HAI rate from 3.0% to 2.4% (a 20% relative reduction). For a hospital with 8,000 admissions in a year, how many infections are prevented by this intervention? Show calculations.
Consider the Venn diagram concept: microbes/environment, chain of infection, and a compromised host must overlap for an HAI to occur. Which targeted intervention best disrupts all three components simultaneously, and why?
