Infection Control
Published on January 14, 2016
The law requires that nursing homes must have an organized infection control program that prevents diseases and infections from developing and spreading. This means that nursing homes must:
- Investigate, control and prevent infections in the facility;
- Screen residents and employees for tuberculosis;
- Decide what procedures should be applied to an individual resident;
- Isolate residents only to the degree needed to isolate infecting organisms, using the least restrictive method possible;
- Require staff members to wash their hands after each direct contact with a resident;
- Prohibit employees who have communicable diseases or infected skin conditions from having direct contact with residents or their food;
- Handle, store, process and transport linens in a way that prevents the spread of infections;
- Clean and disinfect contaminated articles and surfaces; and
- Maintain a record of infections and corrective actions.
- Report to local and state health official cases of communicable disease and outbreaks of infectious or parasitic diseases or infestation.