I work in Long-term care and I see a lot of surveillance happening. Examples are daily monitoring for signs and symptoms, tracking infections.
Targeted Surveillance is what we just started seeing a lot more of in the last couple weeks. It is focused monitoring based on high-risk areas. We have a few respiratory infections happening right now.
This then moves us to Outbreak Surveillance because we have increases in illnesses occurring .
We are now seeing an increase in Environmental Surveillance as well. This includes hand hygiene audits, compliance with cleaning and disinfecting equipment, and sterilization.

Also Staff health and immunization surveillance has also been increased. All employees have to hand in proof of immunizations (covid and flu shot) and when a unit goes on outbreak, management ensures everyone working on the unit is up to date. Otherwise, the staff member is asked to leave.

I feel that the daily monitoring surveillance is most important. It allows us to take necessary precautions before an outbreak is declared. Catching it in the early stages could help avoid larger outbreaks.

I work in a hospital and currently observe a lot of independent surveillance. For example, the nurses conduct their own rounds on their patients each shift, ensure vital signs are checked, and follow up on abnormal vital signs. Temperature checks are important as they are key indicators of whether a patient might have an infection. Generally, in the hospital where I work, when temperatures are high in patients (along with other factors), we notify the doctor and the IPAC team so they can perform bloodwork and collect swabs. Most patients on my unit are part of the vulnerable population, and our interdisciplinary team is very proactive in infection surveillance.
I believe that these patient rounds and vital sign checks are really important forms of surveillance at my workplace, as patients’ health statuses can change rapidly. Having a baseline at the start of each shift is crucial, especially for effective communication with the team.

At my current workplace, I also observe many forms of surveillance used to prevent and control infections. One of the most common forms is daily symptom monitoring, such as checking for fever, cough, GI symptoms, or new skin issues. Staff also track infection trends, such as increases in UTIs, respiratory infections, or GI illnesses, which helps identify early patterns before they escalate.

As an RPN, I pay close attention not only to vital signs, but also to acute changes in behaviour, especially in older adults. Even something like increased confusion, agitation, or sudden withdrawal can be an early sign of infection such as a UTI or respiratory illness. Recognizing these subtle changes is an important part of surveillance and can help trigger early intervention.

We also have environmental surveillance, including hand hygiene audits, equipment-cleaning checks, and routine observations of staff compliance with PPE and cleaning protocols. Staff health surveillance is also ongoing, particularly during respiratory season, when proof of vaccination and symptom screening are monitored more closely.

In my opinion, the most important form of surveillance is consistent daily monitoring, because early detection helps prevent small issues from becoming outbreaks. Catching symptoms or behavioural changes early allows the care team to act quickly, protect other residents, and maintain a safe environment for both patients and staff.

Surveillance in my place of employment involves keeping an eye on infection rates, hand hygiene compliance, cleaning procedures, and reporting any symptoms or events. These continuous inspections aid in early danger identification and the upkeep of a secure atmosphere. Since it immediately stops the spread of sickness, monitoring infection trends and hand cleanliness is the most crucial surveillance. Patients’ and employees’ safety is therefore guaranteed.