2104 - Long Term Care Infection Prevention Capacity Building

Session Description: The importance of resident and patient safety, as a shared responsibility across the continuum of healthcare, is known. However, the resources, education, support and enforcement of dedicated infection preventionists (IPs) across healthcare continue to be a challenge. The necessity of full-time, dedicated IPs is becoming more recognized and mandated at the state level. For example, in 2021, California Assembly bill 1585 became law requiring Skilled Nursing Facilities (SNF) to have a dedicated, full-time IP qualified by education, training, clinical or healthcare experience, or certification and to have completed specialized training in infection prevention and control (IPC).

In 2021, a local Association for Professionals in Infection Control (APIC) chapter developed a SNF, long-term care (LTC) committee led by two elected SNF and LTC IPs. The committee provides monthly education, separate from the education provided to the entire chapter. The SNF, LTC education is given by LTC IPs for LTC IPs in an effort to also discuss the unique challenges presented in the LTC world. Educational and membership awards were developed and offered to enhance opportunities for the LTC IPs to increase their engagement, skill building, leadership and participation in the local APIC chapter and within the LTC community. Further, the local APIC chapter began a pilot mentorship program open to all interested with few limitations. The majority of mentees in the first cohort were LTC SNF IPs. Mentorship program expectations include meeting monthly, goal setting, and discussion around key topics including cluster and outbreak investigations, cleaning and disinfection, and hand hygiene among others. The pilot program provides proposed topics but remains semi-structured to allow for flexibility in topics covered during the conversations.

The purpose of this presentation is to explain and encourage the development of strategies to build IPC capacity through engaging LTC IPs within local communities and local APIC chapters.