- Email: [email protected]
Maryland Long Term Care Facility Infection Prevention and Control Resources and Practices: A Five Year Reassessment
www.ajicjournal.org Vol. 37 No. 5
E155
Presentation Number: 17-195
Maryland Long Term Care Facility Infection Prevention and Control Resources and Practices: A Five Year Reassessment Brenda J. Roup, PhD, RN, CIC, Nurse Consultant in Infection Control; Joseph Scaletta, MPH, CIC, Infection Control Epidemiologist, Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, Baltimore, MD Issue: In January 2003, the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DHMH) assessed the state of infection prevention and control resources and practices in all long term care (LTC) facilities in the State (N 5 248) through a mailed survey that was self-administered.1 A low response rate of 39% from LTC facilities revealed that only 8.9% of those who responded employed a trained infection control professional (ICP) who managed the facility infection prevention and control program. Project: From 2003 - 2008, DHMH partnered with long term care industry stakeholders and spearheaded educational, regulatory, and financial initiatives to improve this situation. These initiatives included (1) establishment of a three day basic Infection Control Institute, (2) introduction of a revised DHMH regulation that required a trained ICP in each long term care facility, and (3) inclusion of infection prevention and control criteria into the DHMH Medicare/Medicaid Pay-for-Performance Initiative. In January 2008, the same survey instrument was again mailed to all long term care facilities in the State (N 5 238). Additionally, unpublished data from the DHMH Division of Outbreaks was examined to determine the effect of these initiatives on LTC facility outbreak response and management. Results: The total response rate was 53.4%, with 127 of 238 facilities responding. In this survey, 111 of the 127 responses (81%) indicated that the facility employed a trained ICP who managed the infection prevention and control program. The unpublished data from the Division of Outbreaks indicated that LTC facilities with a trained ICP recognized and reported outbreaks to the local health departments on average two days sooner than facilities without a trained ICP, thus resulting in less cases of disease. Lessons Learned: This follow-up survey of infection prevention and control resources and practices in Maryland LTC facilities indicates a large increase in facilities with trained ICPs who manage the infection prevention and control program and who recognize and control outbreaks sooner than facilities without a trained ICP. DHMH will continue to pursue these initiatives to further increase the presence of infection prevention and control programs in LTC facilities in Maryland. 1 Roup, B, Roche, J, Pass, M. Infection control program disparities between acute and long term care facilities in Maryland. American Journal of Infection Control, 34 (3), 122-127.
Presentation Number: 17-196
Personal Hygiene Education and Training for Elementary Aged Students in a Large Urban School District Setting: They can do it Themselves Myrtle Allison Green, RN. BSN, BS, MBA, Communicable Disease Coordinator, City of Dallas Fire-Rescue, Dallas, Texas, TX Issue: Working as a school nurse in an urban elementary school setting, one of the major causes for concern is the continuous spread of infectious disease, due to poor personal hygiene and lack of personal hygiene education of the student population. Gathered in a closed environment, the multi-cultural, multi-racial student body continues to cross contaminate their classmates and faculty members. Project: The ‘‘I Can Do It Myself’’ Personal Hygiene Program was developed in 2004 as a pilot program to educate the whole student body about the importance of personal hygiene in the fight against infectious diseases and illness. With the approval of the district’s Health Service Administration, the four year project was implemented. The program divided the student body by gender and by various age groups. The course was an interactive program which included personal hygiene, self care from head to toe, gender specific, and age specific. The course was offered in Spanish and in English on an annual basis for four years.
E155
Presentation Number: 17-195
Maryland Long Term Care Facility Infection Prevention and Control Resources and Practices: A Five Year Reassessment Brenda J. Roup, PhD, RN, CIC, Nurse Consultant in Infection Control; Joseph Scaletta, MPH, CIC, Infection Control Epidemiologist, Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, Baltimore, MD Issue: In January 2003, the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DHMH) assessed the state of infection prevention and control resources and practices in all long term care (LTC) facilities in the State (N 5 248) through a mailed survey that was self-administered.1 A low response rate of 39% from LTC facilities revealed that only 8.9% of those who responded employed a trained infection control professional (ICP) who managed the facility infection prevention and control program. Project: From 2003 - 2008, DHMH partnered with long term care industry stakeholders and spearheaded educational, regulatory, and financial initiatives to improve this situation. These initiatives included (1) establishment of a three day basic Infection Control Institute, (2) introduction of a revised DHMH regulation that required a trained ICP in each long term care facility, and (3) inclusion of infection prevention and control criteria into the DHMH Medicare/Medicaid Pay-for-Performance Initiative. In January 2008, the same survey instrument was again mailed to all long term care facilities in the State (N 5 238). Additionally, unpublished data from the DHMH Division of Outbreaks was examined to determine the effect of these initiatives on LTC facility outbreak response and management. Results: The total response rate was 53.4%, with 127 of 238 facilities responding. In this survey, 111 of the 127 responses (81%) indicated that the facility employed a trained ICP who managed the infection prevention and control program. The unpublished data from the Division of Outbreaks indicated that LTC facilities with a trained ICP recognized and reported outbreaks to the local health departments on average two days sooner than facilities without a trained ICP, thus resulting in less cases of disease. Lessons Learned: This follow-up survey of infection prevention and control resources and practices in Maryland LTC facilities indicates a large increase in facilities with trained ICPs who manage the infection prevention and control program and who recognize and control outbreaks sooner than facilities without a trained ICP. DHMH will continue to pursue these initiatives to further increase the presence of infection prevention and control programs in LTC facilities in Maryland. 1 Roup, B, Roche, J, Pass, M. Infection control program disparities between acute and long term care facilities in Maryland. American Journal of Infection Control, 34 (3), 122-127.
Presentation Number: 17-196
Personal Hygiene Education and Training for Elementary Aged Students in a Large Urban School District Setting: They can do it Themselves Myrtle Allison Green, RN. BSN, BS, MBA, Communicable Disease Coordinator, City of Dallas Fire-Rescue, Dallas, Texas, TX Issue: Working as a school nurse in an urban elementary school setting, one of the major causes for concern is the continuous spread of infectious disease, due to poor personal hygiene and lack of personal hygiene education of the student population. Gathered in a closed environment, the multi-cultural, multi-racial student body continues to cross contaminate their classmates and faculty members. Project: The ‘‘I Can Do It Myself’’ Personal Hygiene Program was developed in 2004 as a pilot program to educate the whole student body about the importance of personal hygiene in the fight against infectious diseases and illness. With the approval of the district’s Health Service Administration, the four year project was implemented. The program divided the student body by gender and by various age groups. The course was an interactive program which included personal hygiene, self care from head to toe, gender specific, and age specific. The course was offered in Spanish and in English on an annual basis for four years.