Nursing homes were an early epicenter of the pandemic, as they were especially vulnerable to viral respiratory transmission due to chronic state Medicaid underfunding that kept infrastructure aged and...
CDC releases HAI Data: How are we doing?
By
Jacie Volkman, MPH, CIC
Jul 16, 2014
For many years, healthcare institutions have been focused on different ways to decrease HAIs, as federal reimbursement initiatives loomed. So, what does this report card tell us? We’ve come a long...
CMS adds enhanced barrier precautions to infection control guidance
By
Kimberly Marselas
Mar 22, 2024
Nursing homes must begin to use enhanced barrier precautions to prevent broader transmission of multidrug-resistant organisms and to help protect patients with chronic wounds and indwelling devices, the...
New nursing home staffing headache? CMS and GAO agree new requirements needed for infection preventionists
By
Joe Bush
Sep 15, 2022
First came the federal requirement that every nursing home must have an infection control preventionist on staff. Now, a government watchdog says that minimum training requirements should be established...
Most nursing home visits banned as part of federal COVID-19 strategy
By
James M. Berklan
Mar 15, 2020
Exceptions include healthcare workers, surveyors and those in compassionate care situations.
CDC: Reduce citations with these antibiotic stewardship tools
By
Danielle Brown
Oct 05, 2021
Long-term care providers constantly being cited for lapses in antibiotic stewardship should adopt antibiotic-use protocols to improve adherence to federal infection control guidelines, according to a new...
Ask the nursing expert … about infection prevention
By
Angel McGarrity-Davis, RN, CDONA, NHA
Mar 01, 2014
What are some of the things we can do to prevent infections?
Coronavirus survives hours in air, 3 days on surfaces, study finds
By
Alicia Lasek
Mar 13, 2020
The virus may live long enough in the environment to find a new host at a later time, say investigators.
MRSA often lurks in groin
By
Elizabeth Newman
Sep 01, 2014
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus colonization is common in groin and rectal areas, especially in men, new research shows.
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.