Quick Observation Tools (QUOTs) for Infection Prevention

Easy -to-use checklists to assess infection prevention for hospitals and ambulatory care facilities.

To be used by:

  • Infection Preventionists
  • Healthcare professionals whose primary responsibilities are at specific assessment locations.

Use to:

  • Establish a baseline
    Collect observations over several days or week.
  • Maintain performance
    Periodically ensure continued vigilance and detect problems.
  • Performance improvement
    In the event performance falls below expectations.
  • Targeted/Risk-based monitoring
    If a problem such as healthcare-associated infections occurs or increases unexpectedly.

These QUOTS for infection prevention and control are the result of a partnership between CDC and Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc (APIC)

APIC information on QUOTS:

Individual Tools

Ambulatory Settings

Device-Associated Infections

High-Level Disinfection

Medication Areas

NICU

Standard Precautions

Transmission-Based Precautions (Isolation Rooms)

Visitor Areas

Tool Suites
Ambulatory-Care-Suite (9 checklists)
  • Hand Hygiene Provision of Supplies
  • Personal Protective Equipment Provision
  • Area Exterior to Contact Isolation Rooms
  • Area Exterior to Airborne Infection Isolation Rooms
  • Needlestick Prevention and Care of Laundry
  • Centralized Medication Area
  • Cough Courtesy: Waiting Room
  • Vaccine Storage Areas
  • Point of Care TestingAmbulatory-Care-Suite pdf icon[PDF - 18 pages]

Critical-Access-Hospitals-Suite (12 checklists)
  • Central Venous Catheter
  • Urinary Catheters
  • Hand Hygiene Provision of Supplies
  • Personal Protective Equipment Provision
  • Area Exterior to Contact Isolation Rooms
  • Area Exterior to Airborne Infection Isolation Rooms
  • Needlestick Prevention and Care of Laundry
  • Centralized Medication Area
  • Portable Medication Systems
  • Visitor Areas
  • Dirty Area
  • Clean Area  Critical-Access-Hospitals-Suite pdf icon[PDF - 25 pages]

Device-Associated-Infections-Suite (4 checklists)

High-Level-Disinfection-Suite (3 checklists)

Intensive-Care-Unit-Suite (11 checklists)
  • Central Venous Catheter
  • Urinary Catheters
  • Ventilators
  • Hand Hygiene Provision of Supplies
  • Personal Protective Equipment Provision
  • Area Exterior to Contact Isolation Rooms
  • Area Exterior to Airborne Infection Isolation Rooms
  • Needlestick Prevention and Care of Laundry
  • Centralized Medication Area
  • Portable Medication Systems
  • Visitor Areas  Intensive-Care-Unit-Suite pdf icon[PDF - 22 pages]

Medical-Surgical-Acute-Care-Suite (12 checklists)
  • Central Venous Catheter
  • Urinary Catheters
  • Hand Hygiene
  • Provision of Supplies
  • Personal Protective Equipment Provision
  • Area Exterior to Contact Isolation Rooms
  • Area Exterior to Airborne Infection Isolation Rooms
  • Needlestick Prevention and Care of Laundry
  • Centralized Medication Area
  • Portable Medication Systems
  • Visitor Areas  Medical-Surgical-Acute-Care-Suite pdf icon[PDF - 20 pages]

Medication-Areas-Suite (3 checklists)

Neonatal-Intensive-Care-Unit-Suite (9 checklists)
  • Central Venous Catheter
  • Hand Hygiene Provision of Supplies
  • Personal Protective Equipment Provision
  • Area Exterior to Contact Isolation Rooms
  • Needlestick Prevention and Care of Laundry
  • Centralized Medication Area
  • Isolettes/basinets
  • Nutritional Preparation Area
  • Visitor Areas  Neonatal-Intensive-Care-Unit-Suite pdf icon[PDF - 8 pages]

Post-Anesthesia-Care-Unit-Suite (5 checklists)

Standard Precautions Suite (4 checklists)

Transmission-Based-Precautions-Suite (2 checklists)

All Infection Prevention QUOTs (19 checklists)
  • Central Venous Catheter
  • Urinary Catheters
  • Ventilators
  • Hand Hygiene Provision of Supplies
  • Personal Protective Equipment Provision
  • Area Exterior to Contact Isolation Rooms
  • Area Exterior to Airborne Infection Isolation Rooms
  • Needlestick Prevention and Care of Laundry
  • Centralized Medication Area
  • Portable Medication Systems
  • Neonatal Central Venous Catheter
  • Isolettes/basinets
  • Nutritional Preparation Area
  • Visitor Areas
  • Dirty Area
  • Clean Area
  • Cough Courtesy: Waiting Room
  • Vaccine Storage Areas
  • Point of Care Testing  All Infection Prevention QUOTs pdf icon[PDF - 39 pages]