With 5 residents having central venous catheters (CVCs) for 100 catheter-days and 2 CLABSIs, what is the CLABSI rate per 1,000 catheter-days?

To calculate the CLABSI (Central Line-Associated Bloodstream Infection) rate per 1,000 catheter-days, you need to use the formula:

[ \text{CLABSI Rate} = \left( \frac{\text{Number of CLABSIs}}{\text{Total catheter-days}} \right) \times 1000

]

In this scenario, there are 2 CLABSIs and a total of 100 catheter-days. Plugging these numbers into the formula gives:

[ \text{CLABSI Rate} = \left( \frac{2}{100} \right) \times 1000 = 20 ]

Thus, the CLABSI rate is 20 per 1,000 catheter-days, making the correct choice 20 CLABSI per 1,000 catheter-days. This figure is crucial for healthcare facilities to monitor infection rates and ensure they maintain low infection rates associated with the use of central venous catheters. It allows for benchmarking against national standards and helps guide infection prevention efforts.