from the editor
from the editor
New Infection Prevention Resources for Skilled Long-Term Care Facilities
Acknowledging the importance of implementing enhanced barrier precautions ( EBPs ) in long-term care facilities per recent Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services ( CMS ) requirements , last month the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology ( APIC ) and the American Association of Post-Acute Care Nursing ( AAPACN ) released a practice guidance tool and resource guide to help healthcare personnel comply .
In March 2024 , CMS issued new guidance for skilled nursing facilities on the use of EBP to help prevent infections . EBP involves the use of personal protective equipment ( PPE ), specifically gowns and gloves , during high-contact resident-care activities , such as assistance with bathing , dressing , or toileting . These measures are used specifically in the skilled long-term care setting to allow for flexibility in the care of residents while also minimizing the risk of transmission of multidrug-resistant organisms ( MDROs ).
The practice guidance tool outlines when EBP should be implemented for residents , provides infection control recommendations for routine care activities , and includes case study examples with a self-quiz to help reinforce learning . The resource guide provides a comprehensive list of infection control websites and references . Both tools are available free from the APIC website .
“ CMS estimates that more than half of all nursing home residents are colonized with an MDRO , and many go on to develop an infection and die ,” said AAPACN ’ s CNO Amy Stewart , MSN , RN , DNS-MT , QCP-MT , RAC- MT , RAC-MTA . “ Through our collaboration with APIC , we will be able to support nursing home staff in implementing these enhanced precautions and providing the safest care possible to our nation ’ s seniors .”
Devin Jopp , EdD , the CEO of APIC , noted that , “ Given that the CMS requirements are relatively new and there is some ambiguity regarding their implementation , we believe it is important to provide clarity for healthcare workers . The new tools from APIC and AAPACN are intended to assist healthcare professionals in carrying out the new EBP requirement , with the goal of safeguarding nursing home residents from infection .”
Links :
Implementing the use of Enhanced Barrier Precautions in Skilled Long- Term Care Nursing Facilities
Resources for Infection Preventionists in Long-Term Care Settings Until next month , bust those bugs !
Kelly M . Pyrek Editor & Publisher Kelly @ healthcarehygienemagazine . com healthcarehygienemagazine
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4 • www . healthcarehygienemagazine . com • jan-feb 2025