Critical care units provide an opportunistic setting for healthcare-acquired infections (HAIs). The prevalence of invasive procedures and devices, disease-related and therapy-induced immunosuppression, comorbidities, immobility, impaired nutrition status, and advanced age are among the risk factors that predispose critical care patients to a higher risk for HAIs versus the general hospital population. Preventing HAIs in the critical care population is dependent on the timely implementation of Transmission-Based Precautions, strict adherence to Standard Precautions (including hand hygiene and routine cleaning and low-level disinfection), appropriate care and maintenance of patient care devices, use of care bundles, and antimicrobial stewardship. Surveillance for HAIs is another important element of an infection prevention and control program in the critical care unit as it helps identify trends in infections and device use, and facilitates comparisons to facility, state, and national benchmarks.