It can be said that the greatest pitfall for the infection control practitioner lies in the realm of problem solving'; however, responding to potential problems is intrinsic to the role of the infection control practitioner. Potential problems are presented to the infection control practitioner not only by his or her employees and supervisors, but also from medical and other hospital staff. Not only do potential problems come from a variety of sources, but their significance may vary from unimportant to critical. In some cases, problems are minor and require little action. In other cases, problems represent critical emergencies and necessitate immediate and aggressive responses. Whether the infection control practitioner works in a small patient care unit or a large university hospital, correct assessment and response to a potential problem is a crucial aspect of effective management.

In most cases when a problem is presented, there is agreement by both presenter and infection control practitioner that a problem exists. For example, a patient may have methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infection. In other cases, while there is agreement that a problem exists, there may not be agreement on the importance of the problem. For example, what is seen by the infection control practitioner as a serious problem may be seen by a physician as a minor problem.