7_HPS_keyTerms

NHSN Healthcare Personnel Safety Component
Key Terms

Key Terms
Key term

Definition

Antiviral
medications for
influenza

Drugs used to treat or to prevent influenza infections, not necessarily to treat the
symptoms of influenza (e.g., analgesics)

Adverse reaction to
influenza vaccine

A reaction experienced by the HCW that is attributable to the influenza vaccine. The
Vaccine Information Statement defines a reaction as “Any unusual condition, such as
high fever or behavior changes.” Typically, adverse reactions to vaccines are only
known when the HCW notifies you (i.e., passive surveillance) rather than you following
up after the vaccination (i.e., active surveillance).

Bite

A human bite sustained by an HCW from a patient, other HCW, or visitor.

Bloodborne
pathogens

Pathogenic microorganisms that may be present in human blood and can cause disease
in humans. These pathogens include, but are not limited to hepatitis B virus (HBV),
hepatitis C virus (HCV) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).

CDC Location

A CDC-defined designation given to a patient care area housing patients who have
similar disease conditions or who are receiving care for similar medical or surgical
specialties. Each facility location that is monitored is “mapped” to one CDC Location.
The specific CDC Location code is determined by the type of patients cared for in that
area according to the 80% Rule. That is, if 80% of patients are of a certain type (e.g.,
pediatric patients with orthopedic problems) then that area is designated as that type of
location (in this case, an Inpatient Pediatric Orthopedic Ward). Work locations must be
mapped to a CDC location. For CDC locations, see
http://www.cdc.gov/nhsn/PDFs/pscManual/15LocationsDescriptions_current.pdf

CDC (occupation)
Code

A CDC-defined designation for each occupation type in a facility. A facility occupation
is “mapped” to one CDC Code. See Chapter 7 of protocol for list of occupations.

Contractor

Individual facilities may have differing classifications of work status. According to the
Bureau of Labor Statistics, workers with no explicit or implicit contract for a long-term
employment arrangement, such as temporary or term positions, are considered
contingent or contract workers. Facilities should use their own definition of a
contractor.

Declined influenza
vaccination due to
medical
contraindications

If the HCW has severe allergy to chicken eggs or other vaccine components or has
developed Guillain-Barre´ syndrome within 6 weeks of getting an influenza vaccine.
For all other reasons, please select Declined Due to Personal Reasons.

Device

Any of the following devices (hollow-bore needle, suture needle, glass, plastic, other
solid sharps, and non-sharp safety devices) used at the healthcare facility.

Direct patient care

Hands on, face-to-face contact with patients for the purpose of diagnosis, treatment and
monitoring.

Last Updated August 26, 2009

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NHSN Healthcare Personnel Safety Component
Key Terms

Key term

Definition

Float

A work location for HCP who do not work at least 75% of the time in a single location.
For example, a radiology technician who spends most of his/her time performing
portable x-rays throughout the facility.

Full Time
Equivalent (FTE)

HCP whose regularly scheduled workweek is 35 hours or more. To calculate the
number of FTE’s add the number of FTEs to ½ the number of part-time HCP (e.g., 2
part-time HCWs = 1 FTE).

Healthcare
personnel (HCP)

The entire population of healthcare workers working in healthcare settings. HCP might
include (but are not limited to) physicians, nurses, nursing assistants, therapists,
technicians, emergency medical service personnel, dental personnel, pharmacists,
laboratory personnel, autopsy personnel, students and trainees, contractual staff not
employed by the healthcare facility, and persons (e.g., clerical, dietary, housekeeping,
maintenance, and volunteers) not directly involved in patient care but potentially
exposed to infectious agents that can be transmitted to and from HCP. It includes
students, trainees, and volunteers.

Healthcare worker
(HCW)

A person who works in the facility, whether paid or unpaid, who has the potential for
exposure to infectious materials, including body substances, contaminated medical
supplies and equipment, contaminated environmental surfaces, or contaminated air.
Healthcare worker is the singular form of healthcare personnel.

Hollow-bore needle

Needle (e.g., hypodermic needle, phlebotomy needle) with a lumen through which
material (e.g., medication, blood) can flow.

Location

The patient care area to which an HCW is assigned while working in the healthcare
facility. See also CDC Location for how locations are defined.

Mucous membrane
exposure

Contact of mucous membrane (e.g.., eyes, nose, or mouth) with the fluids, tissues, or
specimens listed on the blood and body fluids exposure form.

Non-intact skin

Areas of the skin that have been opened by cuts, abrasions, dermatitis, chapped skin,
etc.

Non-intact skinexposure

Contact of non-intact skin with the fluids, tissues, or specimens listed under
Occupational Exposure

Non-Responder to
Hepatitis B vaccine

An HCW, who has received two series of hepatitis B vaccine, is serotested within 2
months after the last dose of vaccine and does not have anti-HBs ≥10 mIU/mL.

Non-seasonal
influenza vaccine

A vaccine for additional/novel influenza virus strains (e.g., 2009 H1N1) not included in
the seasonal influenza vaccine which may or may not be available on an annual basis.

Occupational
exposure

Contact with blood, visibly bloody fluids, and other body fluids (i.e., semen, vaginal
secretions, cerebrospinal fluid, synovial fluid, pleural fluid, peritoneal fluid, pericardial
fluid, and amniotic fluid, tissues, and laboratory specimens that contain concentrated
virus) to which Standard Precautions apply and during the performance of a healthcare
worker’s duties. Modes of exposure include percutaneous injuries, mucous membrane
exposures, non-intact skin exposures, and bites.

Last Updated August 26, 2009

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NHSN Healthcare Personnel Safety Component
Key Terms

Key term

Definition

Part Time
Equivalent (PTE)

HCP whose regularly scheduled workweek is less than 35 hours. Two PTEs equal 1
FTE.

Percutaneous injury

An exposure event occurring when a needle or other sharp object penetrates the skin.
For percutaneous injuries with a needle or sharp object that was not in contact with
blood or other body fluids prior to exposure, collection of data is optional. Facilities are
not required to collect data that involve intact skin or exposures to body fluids to which
contact precautions do not apply unless they are visibly bloody. However, facilities that
routinely collect data on such exposures may enter this information into the system.

Safety device

Includes any safety device (e.g., needless IV systems, blunted surgical needles, selfsheathing needles) used at the healthcare facility.

Seasonal influenza
vaccine

A vaccine for seasonal influenza virus strains that is offered on an annual basis.

Severe adverse
reaction to antiviral
medication use for
influenza
chemoprophylaxis
or treatment

Adverse reactions severe enough to affect daily activities and/or result in the
discontinuation of the antiviral medication.

Sharp

Any object that can penetrate the skin including, but not limited to, needles, scalpels,
broken glass, broken capillary tubes, and exposed ends of dental wires.

Sharps Injury

An exposure event occurring when any sharp penetrates the skin

Solid Sharp

A sharp (e.g., suture needle, scalpel) that does not have a lumen through which material
can flow.

Vaccination season

A 12-month period starting from September 1, 2xxx to the start of the next traditional
influenza season (i.e., August 31 of the following year).

Vaccinator

The person who administers a vaccine to the HCW.

Work location

A HCW’s current permanent work location. This refers to physical work location rather
than to department assignment.

Last Updated August 26, 2009

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