Stop antigen testing in skilled nursing facilities, Nevada tells operators
By
Alicia Lasek
Oct 09, 2020
Nursing facilities in Nevada have been ordered to stop using COVID-19 rapid antigen tests due to apparent diagnostic inaccuracies. Health officials say they will gather more data before issuing updated...
Three years in, pandemic jabs keep coming
By
Jessica R. Towhey
Mar 10, 2023
Ahead of Saturday’s third anniversary of the pandemic’s official declaration, one infection preventionist who spent much of COVID’s first year on frontlines in multiple states reflected on the challenges...
How to do it … A stronger infection control approach
By
John Hall
Jan 31, 2024
In the wake of the biggest public health emergency in over a century, any edge these critical professionals can get is crucial for creating a stronger infection prevention program.
CDC: Prior infection plus vaccination tied to lower COVID-19 case rates
By
Alicia Lasek
Jan 20, 2022
A new public health study suggests not only that vaccination protects against developing severe illness, but that surviving a bout with COVID-19 prevents reinfection, investigators say.
Ecumen to market infection control tracking tool developed by employee
By
Alicia Lasek
Jun 29, 2021
Abxtracker software is designed specifically for use in the long-term care industry, and is aligned with CMS regulations. The technology can track COVID-19 and other viral, fungal or bacterial infections,...
Ask the care expert … about infection prevention resources for families
By
Sherrie Dornberger
Feb 01, 2024
As a new infection preventionist at our skilled care facility, what information should I be giving the families when someone is admitted to make them more aware of their own responsibilities with infection...
Testing beats symptom screening to identify COVID-19 infections in senior living: study
By
Alicia Lasek
May 21, 2020
Aggressive infection control using universal testing in a Seattle senior living community appeared to halt transmission and prevent an outbreak.
Learn how to combat Candida auris during Oct. 7 webinar
By
Kimberly Marselas
Sep 20, 2021
Candida auris may be one of the scariest, least-understood drug-resistant threats to nursing homes, but that doesn’t mean providers are helpless.
Safety means ‘seeing the virus’: Atria recounts rollout of 18,000 tests early in pandemic
By
Alicia Lasek
Jun 09, 2021
Finding a way to conduct COVID-19 testing among 31,000 residents and staff members across multiple states helped the senior living giant to “seal out” outbreaks and show that its communities were safe...
15% of nursing homes receive infection deficiencies every year, study shows
May 04, 2011
As many as 15% of U.S. nursing homes are issued citations for deficient infection control practices per year, a new study asserts.