ICCS Infection Prevention & Infection Control Newsletter: August 2020
This issue covers some of the most significant news and guidance from August. Topics include new mandates for long-term care, resumption of CMS surveys, research on masks, PPE shortfalls, lessons from New Zealand, and outpatient antibiotic stewardship.
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Special Report: COVID-19 Update: States Rolling Out Mandates for Long-Term Care Facilities — As states work to proceed with reopening plans, some are introducing COVID-19 mandates for long-term care facilities. Expect the number of states enforcing such new requirements to increase going forward.
NJ Resumption of Services in All Long-Term Care Facilities Include Infection Control Requirements — Resumption of services in all New Jersey long-term care facilities, assisted living residences, comprehensive personal care homes, residential healthcare facilities, and dementia care homes include infection prevention and control requirements. Failure to comply may lead to loss of new Medicaid funding.
CMS to Resume Routine Inspections of All Provider and Suppliers — CMS announced it was resuming routine inspections for all Medicare- and Medicaid-certified providers and suppliers while also issuing updated enforcement guidance to the states.
Navigating Ongoing COVID-19 Challenges: A Perspective From the Front Lines of Infection Prevention — Read this contribution from ICCS Founder Phenelle Segal, RN, CIC, FAPIC, to the August issue of Healthcare Hygiene magazine.
Nursing Homes Now Required to Test All Staff Members for COVID-19 — This new rule from CMS took effect immediately.
Researchers Create Mask Filtration Effectiveness Hierarchy — Reused, sterilized N95 masks and expired N95 masks retain their effectiveness at protecting healthcare workers from COVID-19.
New Database Shows More Than 20% of Nursing Homes Still Report Staff, PPE Shortages — This study revealed an alarming trend, with the authors noting, "Having a shortage of any type of staff affects every aspect of clinical care, whereas a shortage of any PPE element can break infection control protocols."
Rutgers Finds Faster Way to Decontaminate N95 Masks — Studies determined that using vaporized hydrogen peroxide provides a more rapid approach to N95 mask decontamination.
Impact of COVID-19 on Traditional Healthcare-Associated Infection Prevention Efforts — As the authors state, "Significant infection prevention resource diversion is occurring to help manage the outbreak at the health-system level, which will predictably impact HAI surveillance and prevention efforts."
Q&A: Lessons From the COVID Frontlines … of New Zealand — This interview with the clinical leader of the infection control team for New Zealand's hospital task force when the country first dealt with COVID-19 discusses lessons the U.S. might learn from New Zealand's experience and how the role of infection prevention and infection preventionists will never be the same.
Study Suggests Streamlining Fewer Infection-Control Measures to Reduce C Diff — Daily cleaning with sporicidal products was identified as the most cost-effective single infection control strategy to reduce Clostridioides difficile in hospitals.
National Survey Reveals Barriers to Outpatient Antibiotic Stewardship Efforts — A national survey of primary care physicians on antibiotic resistance, inappropriate antibiotic prescribing, and stewardship interventions revealed that physicians don't recognize their own inappropriate prescribing and are skeptical of some stewardship strategies, among other findings.
Healthcare Business Leaders on the Short- and Long-Term Effects of COVID-19 — ICCS's Phenelle Segal shared her thoughts on how COVID-19 will likely affect ICCS for an article in SalientValue, published by merger and acquisition advisory firm VERTESS.
ICCS Company News: ICCS Seeks Long-Term Care Infection Preventionists — ICCS is expanding its team and looking for U.S.-based, long-term care infection preventionists who have earned the CIC credential, have at least five years of LTC experience, and hold an RN degree.
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