During a performance improvement process, which outcome indicator should a nurse track to decrease health care-associated infections?

Tracking client data that indicates a decreased rate of infection is crucial in a performance improvement process aimed at reducing healthcare-associated infections (HAIs). This outcome indicator directly reflects the effectiveness of interventions implemented, such as improved hand hygiene practices, staff education, or environmental changes within the healthcare setting. When a nurse monitors and reports a decrease in infection rates, it provides concrete evidence that the strategies are working and leads to a better understanding of how to sustain or further improve these outcomes.

Focusing solely on compliance with hand hygiene (the first option) is important, but it is an indirect measure. Compliance can be high, yet infection rates may not show improvement if other contributing factors are not addressed. Thus, while hand hygiene is a critical element in preventing HAIs, the ultimate goal is to see a reduction in actual infection rates.

The total number of medication errors and patient satisfaction scores do not directly measure the infection control practices and are not specific indicators for evaluating the effectiveness of interventions designed to reduce HAIs. Instead, they serve as relevant metrics within broader performance assessments but do not provide the focused insight needed for tracking the specific goal of decreasing infections. Concentrating on the direct relationship between infection rates and performance improvement strategies provides the most valuable feedback for healthcare improvement efforts.