The purpose of this document is to clearly define healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) in the surrounding world. As well as identifying who is at risk and how people in healthcare can reduce those risks. As well as how this could save the healthcare industry money and prevent deaths from these infections. Providing better quality of patient care and preventing unnecessary contamination. HAIs, or also called healthcare-associated infections (HAIs), are produced by viral, bacterial, fungal and parasitic pathogens (Cataldo et al., 2013). This is an infection that did not exist when the patient first arrived at the hospital. However, it develops over the course of management of the patient's original diagnosis. There are also cases in which the infection develops only days after the patient has been discharged (Collin, 2008). Anyone receiving care in a healthcare setting has the possibility of contracting a HAI. However, as with everything, there are some factors that increase a person's risk, these factors are intrinsic and extrinsic. The factors are very different, because HAIs can affect anyone, from newborns to people in the terminal stage of life. Intrinsic risk factors are problems that already existed in the patient. When pertaining to HAIs, these include; age, lifestyle, use of medications and whether the person has an acute or chronic illness. A person's age is an important factor because at birth a person is relatively immunocompromised and with age the immune system becomes dysfunctional. If a person is overweight and smokes, this can put them at risk because smoking can interfere with the healing process and being overweight can make cleansing difficult. Finally, the drugs in... middle of the sheet... 3rd ed., vol. 3, p 1661-1664). Detriot: Gale, Cengage Learning. Retrieved from http://go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CCX2760400524&v=2.1&u=plysc_main&it=r&p=GVRL&sw=w&asid=d1c7ab3fcaaae65791c55cfe42d7cfecCollins, A.S. (2008). Chapter 41 – Prevention of healthcare-associated infections. In H. RG (Ed.), Patient safety and quality: An evidence-based nursing manual. Rockville (MD): Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. Retrieved from http://www-ncbi-nlm-nih-gov.libproxy.plymouth.edu/books/NBK2683Giuliano, K.K., Kleinpell, R.M., Munro C.L. (2008). Chapter 42 – Targeting healthcare-associated infections: evidence-based strategies. In H. RG (Ed.), Patient safety and quality: An evidence-based nursing manual. Rockville (MD): Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. Retrieved from http://wwwncbi-nlm-nih-gov.libproxy.plymouth.ed/books/NBK2632