Infection Prevention Patient Tracer
Patient _____________________________________ MR _______________________ Adm. Date _________
Dx ________________________________________ Unit ___________________ Date __________________
Participants ________________________________________________________________________________
Tracer Questions
What do you do to prevent the spread of
hospital associated infections?
How did you know that this patient had an
infection?
How do you communicate the infection to other
depts like transport, phlebotomy, x-ray, etc.?
How does Infection Prevention know about the
infection?
How do doctors know about the infection?
What is the role of the pharmacy when an
antibiotic is ordered?
Who can put patients on isolation?
How do you know what kind of isolation to
use?
How is it documented?
Describe what happens when a patient is put on
isolation.
What needs to happen if a patient is on
Airborne isolation?
How do you know the room really is negative?
When does this need to be documented?
How are patients and visitors educated about
isolation?
What patient teaching needs to be documented?
What did you do to protect yourself from
infection by this patient?
What measures do you take to prevent
ventilator associated pneumonia?
How do we prevent surgical site infections?
Do you see much MRSA?
Do you isolate MRSA patients?
What do you do differently for a pt. w C. diff?
How do you know the pt. has C. diff?
Do you know what infections the IP nurse
tracks?
Answers
Hand hygiene, clean environment &
equipment, precautions
Micro report, MDRO list, dx.,
Admission Assess, Eclypsis header
Sign, enter into computer, verbal
report, hall pass
Daily print-out of census, rounds,
meet with charge nurses, micro repts
Report, Eclypsis header
Check allergies, compatibilities etc.
Check culture rept sensitivites
Nursing, physician
Policy, IP nurse, reference guide
Daily flow sheet, Eclypsis header
Sign, cart from CSP, pt. teach
Neg. pressure room w log to verify
negative, N95 mask,
Check box just outside the room &
log ; Maint. does routine checking
Daily on log by nursing only when a
pt needing neg. air is in the room.
By nsg & MD, Carenotes, IP nurse if
needed
Hand hygiene, correct use of PPE,
infection specific, preventing device
infections (foley, IV etc)
Hand hygiene, personal protective
equipment; environment/equip clean
Bundle - ↑ HOB, mouthcare, PU &
DVT prophylax, ↓ sedation, closed
suction
Correct antibiotic 1 hr cut & DC in 24
hrs, no razor, hand hyg.
normothermia,
Varies by unit
Yes – to prevent spread to
compromised pts.
Wash hands w soap & water; bleach
clean room
Yellow “Wash hands w soap” sign
SSI, C diff, MRSA, VRE, VAP, BSI,
CR-BSI, CCU CAUTI
Correct
Incorrect
Tracer Questions
Do you get information about infections pts. on
your unit got during their stay?
When do blood glucose monitors get cleaned?
When does shared pt care equipment (VS
machines, WOWs, etc) get cleaned?
What is the most frequent hospital acquired
infection on your unit?
What improvements have you made to reduce
the spread of infections?
Where do you keep sterile supplies?
How do you know they’re sterile?
Where can you eat and drink on your unit?
Why can’t you eat/ drink in patient care areas?
Answers
Posted in conference room, hospital
rate on e-mail
After each use w sani-cloth wipe
When visibly dirty, after use in
precaution room, daily
C. diff or MRSA on most units
SSI in SDC
Alcohol foam, signage, cleanliness,
bundles, etc.
Clean utility room
Intact package, tape
Break room, conference room
Bloodborne Pathogen standard
Correct
Incorrect
Correct
Incorrect
Clinical and Non Clinical Areas
Tracer Questions
When do you clean your hands?
What can be stored under sinks?
When are linen carts to be
covered?
Answers
When dirty, after bathroom, before eat, before &
after patient contact, after removing gloves, before
prep/give meds
Plastic containers – clearly marked, cleaning
solutions, non patient items, NO PAPER
At all times. To ↓ soil/contamination. Nothing on
top of cart.
Inspection
Paper or patient care items stored under sinks.
No ___ Yes ___ Where __________________________
Original shipping boxes.
No ___ Yes ___ Where __________________________
Storage shelves with open bottom shelf
No ___ Yes ___ Where __________________________
Boxes/supplies on floor
No ___ Yes ___ Where __________________________
Clean and dirty supplies separate
Yes ___ No ___ Where __________________________
Linen cart covered.
Yes ___ No ___ Where __________________________
Linen/pillows on top of linen cart
No ___ Yes ___ Where __________________________
Staff food and drink in patient care areas
No ___ Yes ___ Where __________________________
Patient food refrigerators clean
Yes ___ No ___ Where __________________________
Patient food refrigerator temp log complete
Yes ___ No ___ Where __________________________
Kitchen clean
Yes ___ No ___ Where __________________________
Med refrigerator clean
Yes ___ No ___ Where __________________________
Med room, bins, counters clean.
Yes ___ No ___ Where __________________________
Windows closed
Yes ___ No ___ Where __________________________
Overfull sharp boxes
No ___ Yes ___ Where __________________________
Stained ceiling tiles
No ___ Yes ___ Where __________________________
Other: ___________________________________________________________________________________
Action Plan:
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Comments
Reviewers ________________________________________________________________________________