During the annual review of the infection prevention risk assessment, central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs) were monitored only in the critical care and step-down units. What type of surveillance describes this approach?

• A. Targeted surveillance
• B. Passive surveillance
• C. Active surveillance
• D. Sentinel surveillance

Answer: (A)

Targeted surveillance focuses data collection on specific settings or groups that are high risk or of particular interest. In this case, CLABSI monitoring is limited to the critical care and step-down units, which are areas with the highest likelihood of central line infections due to invasive devices. By concentrating surveillance there, the program efficiently uses resources to track where the risk is greatest and to evaluate improvements in those key areas.

This approach differs from passive surveillance, which relies on routine reporting without active data collection; from active surveillance, which would involve proactive data gathering across all units; and from sentinel surveillance, which uses selected sites to represent broader trends. Here, the emphasis is on focusing on high-risk locations rather than attempting hospital-wide, continuous data collection or using sites chosen strictly to reflect overall rates.