National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN)
Getting Started Checklist
Preparing to Use NHSN
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Designate a Facility Administrator for NHSN
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Determine what your facility will report to NHSN (e.g. CLABSI)
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Determine which locations/units in the facility will report to NHSN (e.g. ICUs)
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Identify staff that will enter data into NHSN
Getting Started: Facility Administrator
The Facility Administrator is the only person that can enroll a facility and complete NHSN enrollment. He/she also may
add/delete users, add/delete locations, submit the monthly reporting plan.
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Read NHSN Facility Administrator Enrollment Guide:
http://www.cdc.gov/nhsn/PDFs/FacilityAdminEnrollmentGuideCurrent.pdf
 You must use the same email address throughout the NHSN enrollment process. This includes
application for a digital certificate.
 NOTE: To ensure that information sent by email is not blocked by your organization’s anti-spam program,
please contact your IT department and request that they specifically allow [email protected] and
[email protected] to get through.
Facility Enrollment
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1. Complete the required NHSN training
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Training consists of viewing slide sets.
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Required training sessions by CDC (for Hospital Inpatient Quality Reporting Program):
CDC recommends including all staff that will enter data into NHSN.
NHSN Training Slide Sets:
http://www.cdc.gov/nhsn/training.html
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Overview of NHSN
Date completed: _________________
http://www.cdc.gov/nhsn/PDFs/slides/NHSN_Overview_hybrid_set.pdf
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NHSN Enrollment
Date completed: _________________
http://www.cdc.gov/nhsn/PDFs/slides/NHSN_Enrollment.pdf
Facility Start-up
Date completed: _________________
http://www.cdc.gov/nhsn/PDFs/slides/NHSN_Getting_Started.pdf
CLABSI Protocols
http://www.cdc.gov/nhsn/PDFs/slides/CLABSI.pdf
National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN)
Getting Started Checklist
Date completed: _________________
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2. Review and accept rules of behavior & register your facility
http://nhsn.cdc.gov/RegistrationForm/index.jsp
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Be prepared to provide the date you completed NHSN training and your facility’s identifier
 You will need your facility’s CMS Provider ID# (may also be called HCFA or Medicare#) or AHA
ID#. VA hospitals will need their VA Station Code.
Wait for email from CDC/NHSN that has information about applying for digital certificate
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3. Obtain your digital certificate & complete forms
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In order to begin the NHSN enrollment process, you will need to obtain and install a digital certificate onto
your computer
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If you have a digital certificate from CDC for another application, you do not need to register for another
one
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After you register your facility (Step 2), NHSN will send you an email with the website and password
needed to apply for the digital certificate
 Follow the digital ID enrollment link in the CDC email you received in response to your NHSN
registration and complete the enrollment information
 Create a password (“challenge phrase”)
Wait for email from CDC/NSHN with digital certificate installation instructions

Installation of the digital certificate will likely require assistance from IT staff (refer to pages 7-25 of the
NHSN User Start-up Guide http://www.cdc.gov/nhsn/PDFs/UserStartupGuideCurrent.pdf)
 Request that IT staff at your facility install the digital certificate and create a backup copy
 Complete required enrollment forms (for Patient Safety Component):
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Facility Contact Information (form also located at link below)
http://www.cdc.gov/nhsn/forms/57.101_FacConInf_BLANK.pdf
Annual Facility Survey (form also located at link below)
http://www.cdc.gov/nhsn/forms/57.103_PSHospSurv_BLANK.pdf
4. Complete enrollment forms online
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After the digital certificate is installed, log into NHSN using Internet Explorer at: https://sdn.cdc.gov
Click on “NHSN Enrollment” under “My Applications” in the upper left corner
Click “Enroll a Facility”
 Enter the information from the Facility Contact Information and Annual Facility Survey forms
 You must complete this in one online session; you cannot save incomplete data.
Wait for email from CDC/NHSN that confirms enrollment
National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN)
Getting Started Checklist
Page 2 of 4
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5. Print, sign, and return Consent Form to NHSN
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CDC/NHSN will include a consent form (“Agreement to Participate and Consent”) requiring a signature
from a hospital administrator
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It may be useful to provide information about the Agreement to the hospital administrator that will be
signing the form. A FAQ document is available here: http://www.cdc.gov/nhsn/PDFs/QA-NewFacilities.pdf
Obtain signature from Primary Contact for the facility
Obtain signature from hospital administrator
Send the signed document to CDC by fax or mail:
 Fax: send attention to NHSN Administrator at 404-929-0131
 Mail the original document to: NHSN Administrator, MS A-24,
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
1600 Clifton Road, NE
Atlanta, GA 30333.
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Once the document is received, CDC will activate your facility and notify you that you may access the
NHSN Reporting tool (within 1-2 weeks).
Set Up Your Facility for NHSN
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Log into NHSN using Internet Explorer at: https://sdn.cdc.gov
Click on “NHSN Reporting ” under “My Applications” in the upper left corner
 Facility Administrator adds users (users must complete NHSN training)
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From “Manage Users” on the navigation bar on left side, select “Add”
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From “Facility” on the navigation bar on left side, select “Locations”
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From “Facility” on the navigation bar on left side, select “Surgeons”
Enter data for the user
Assign basic set of Patient Safety rights (rights can be customized)
Once a user is added, NHSN will send an email to him/her regarding:
 Rules of behavior
 Instructions on obtaining and installing digital certificate
Add facility locations
Enter a code and label for each location that will be reporting
http://www.cdc.gov/nhsn/PDFs/pscManual/15LocationsDescriptions_current.pdf
Add surgeons (for SSI, if desired – this is not required)
For each surgeon tracked, enter alphanumeric code of your choice, then add name
Monthly Reporting Plan
The monthly reporting plan lets NHSN know which infections/events and locations you are including in surveillance.
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Complete the monthly reporting plan for the first month that you will collect data
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From “Plan” on the navigation bar on left side, select “Add”
 Choose month and year first
 Add rows until all infections/events are entered
 Click “Save” (After the first month entered, you can click “Copy from the Previous Month.” This
feature copies your plan from the previous month so you don’t have to re-enter your plan.)
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Instructions:
http://www.cdc.gov/nhsn/PDFs/pscManual/14_Tables_of_Instructions.pdf#page=3
National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN)
Getting Started Checklist
Page 3 of 4
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For CLABSI:
http://www.cdc.gov/nhsn/forms/57.106_PSReportPlan_BLANK.pdf
Additional Resources to Help Get Started
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NHSN Training and Enrollment Requirements for the Hospital Inpatient Quality Reporting Program
http://www.cdc.gov/nhsn/cms-ipps-rule_training.html
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Commonly used forms in NHSN:
http://www.cdc.gov/nhsn/PatientSafety.html
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Data Entry, Import, and Customization
http://www.cdc.gov/nhsn/wc_dataEntery_imprt_cost.html
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Introduction to NHSN Analysis: Learning the Terminology
http://www.cdc.gov/nhsn/wc_Analysis_Intro.html
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NHSN Analysis Basics: Quick Tips Guide
http://www.cdc.gov/nhsn/PDFs/AnalysisBasics.pdf
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NHSN Patient Safety Component Manual:
http://www.cdc.gov/nhsn/TOC_PSCManual.html
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Guidelines and procedures for monitoring CLABSI:
http://www.cdc.gov/nhsn/PDFs/pscManual/4PSC_CLABScurrent.pdf
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CDC/NHSN Surveillance Definition of Healthcare-Associated Infection and Criteria for Specific Types of
Infections in the Acute Care Setting:
http://www.cdc.gov/nhsn/PDFs/pscManual/17pscNosInfDef_current.pdf
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Essential elements for surveillance of HAI and succinct descriptions of methodology used by NHSN:
http://www.cdc.gov/nhsn/PDFS/OutlineForHAISurveillance.pdf
National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN)
Getting Started Checklist
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