Infection prevention and control is essential for safe, high-quality care in long-term care settings. Effective IPC practices prevent the spread of infections, protecting vulnerable residents/clients from serious health risks. Given that residents/clients in these settings often have underlying health conditions or weakened immune systems, maintaining robust IPC practices is crucial to their safety and well-being.
While core IPC practices – such as hand hygiene, use of personal protective equipment, environmental cleaning, and vaccination – are consistent across settings, specific requirements differ by setting type. LTC providers should stay up to date on federal and state regulations to ensure compliance and safety.
General Infection Prevention and Control Guidelines
Nationally recognized standards from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:
- Infection Control Basics
- Standard Precautions for All Patient Care
- Transmission-Based Precautions
- Respiratory Protection Program Requirements in Long-Term Care Settings
COVID-19 and Emerging Infectious Diseases
- Updated CDC Respiratory Virus Guidance for Long-Term Care Providers and Reporting
- CDC: Communal Setting Guidance: How to Protect Yourself and Others
- DOH: Respiratory Protection Program for Long-Term Care Facilities
Candida auris (C. auris)
- CDC: About C. auris
- CDC: Infection Control Guidance: Candida auris
- DOH: Candida auris
- Dear Administrator/Provider/Superintendent Letter: Notification to Providers of Important Candida Auris Information
- Dear Administrator/Provider/Superintendent Letter: Timely, Impartial, & Accurate Admission Decision Making – Multidrug-Resistant Organism Candida Auris
Setting-Specific Resources
- Adult Family Homes
- Nursing Homes
Training Tools and Resources
- WA Project Firstline: Project Firstline is a nationwide project supported by CDC and the Washington State Department of Health to provide frontline healthcare workers with infection prevention and control education.
- CDC Train Nursing Home Infection Preventionist Training: This course trains those responsible for IPC programs to effectively implement their programs and ensure staff follow recommended practices. It covers core IPC topics and details strategies to prevent pathogen transmission, reduce healthcare-associated infections and combat antibiotic resistance.
Links to Key Agencies
- CDC
- Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS)
- Washington State Department of Health (DOH)
- Local Health Jurisdictions
Contact us:
For questions or more information, please email:
Jamie Ford, RCS Infection Prevention and Control Specialist at jamie.ford1@dshs.wa.gov