Infection Guidelines

After 17 years with the same practice, physicians and researchers have changed APIC and SHEA’s instructions for the best way to prevent infection and control staffing and preparedness in nursing homes, according to Healio.

The updated IPC program is expected to be better tailored to modern nursing homes and their residents, which have both evolved over recent years. The changes to both residents and facilities are due, in part, to the recent pandemic that exposed many shortcomings in the original infection-prevention plan.

The new guidelines were created to be more thoughtful and specific to various situations and scenarios and further advise nursing homes of how they can be more involved in the entire “health care eco-system.” Further updates are expected to be implemented as new evidence is accumulated.

These updates, along with the infection prevention leaders located within each nursing home, should improve facilities’ ability to respond to infection, protecting more lives in the future. Notably, the updates work to reduce nursing homes’ use of antibiotics and drug-resistant pathogens, as this can directly harm resident wellbeing.

The new IPC guidelines also instruct nursing homes of where they can find help when it’s needed, encouraging them to find support instead of fighting the battle alone.