Position Statements

Position statements provide information and opinions from our professional staff about various topics related to infection control. These position statements deal with common questions or issues.

  • The Position Statements currently available to the DICON members are:
  • Changes in NHSN Surveillance Definitions and the APIC Toolkit for Public Reporting
  • Definitions for Community-Acquired, Healthcare-Associated, and Hospital-Acquired/Nosocomial Infections
  • DICON Statistics -- P-Values and Small Numbers Effect
  • Three Key Measures of Surgical Infection Prevention (SIP) Project
  • The Controversies and Use of Active Surveillance in Community Hospitals (as of 5-1-2008)
  • The Management of Health Care Workers with a Prior History of a Positive Tuberculin Skin Test
  • Update in Surveillance Methodology #1 -- Surgical Site Infection
  • Update in Surveillance Methodology #2 -- Healthcare-Acquired (Nosocomial) Infections
  • Risk of Pathogen Cross-Transmission with Surgical Marker Pens
  • Pros and Cons of MRSA Pre-Operative Screening Strategies in Surgical Patients
  • Update Definitions for Clinical Clostridium difficile Infection (CDI)
  • Update on Surveillance Definitions: Addition of "Indeterminate" Source of Infection Label
  • Graphing and Control Charts in DICON Surveillance Database: The "Why?" and the "How?"
  • DICON Surveillance Methods: How to Interpret a G-Chart
  • Optimal Selection of Site for Central Venous Catheters
  • Should a urine culture or a urinalysis routinely be obtained at the time of hospital admission or prior to routine urinary catheterization to prevent reimbursement penalties for CA-UTI?
  • Ultraviolet Light and Environmental Decontamination: A Primer and Perspective
  • Optimal Selection of Site for Central Venous Catheters
  • Should a urine culture or a urinalysis routinely be obtained at the time of hospital admission or prior to routine urinary catheterization to prevent reimbursement penalties for CA-UTI?
  • Ultraviolet Light and Environmental Decontamination: A Primer and Perspective
  • Potential Risks Associated with Platelet Rich Plasma Technology
  • Tdap Vaccination for Healthcare Workers (HCW)
  • What is the Preferred and Optimal Method to Diagnose Clostridium difficile infection (CDI)?
  • Infection Prevention in Laboratories where Pacemakers and Implantable Cardiac Devices are Inserted in Patients
  • Commentary: Safety and Infection Risk for Re-using Medicated Canisters between patients
  • Legionella Outbreaks Associated with Decorative Fountains
  • Vaginal Antisepsis Preparation Prior to Abdominal Hysterectomy Procedures
  • Home versus Facility Laundering of Surgical Scrub Clothing: A Critical Appraisal and Recommendations
  • Recommended Laboratory Methods to Detect Carbapenem-Resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) in Community Hospitals
  • DICON Commentary: Caring for patients with Suspected Ebola in Community Hosptials
  • Isolation Precautions for Multidrug-Resistant Gram-Negative Organisms - Updated 9/2014
  • Updating Hospital Policies Related to Humidity Monitoring in the Operating Room
  • Tips to Reduce Parental Nutrition Associated Candida spp. Bloodstream Infections
  • Does treating asymptomatic bacteriuria prior to joint surgery reduce the risk of surgical site infections?
  • DICON Commentary: Current controversy surrounding high-level disinfection of human papilloma virus (HPV)-contaminated medical devices 
  • Limiting Operating Room Traffic Likely Reduces the Risk of Surgical Site Infections
  • Chlorohexidine Gluconate Skin Antisepsis and Potential for Allergic Reactions
  • Disinfection of Surface Ultrasound Probes Used to Perform Percutaneous Procedures