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Right now, the Biden Administration is considering a minimum staffing requirement for nursing homes. We expect the plan will largely focus on front-line nurse ratios but will not directly address gaps in infection control. We have watched as years of government reports have sounded the alarm about infection control lapses in nursing homes, but there has been little action taken to address the issue. The Government Accountability Office found that, from 2013 to 2017, 82 percent of all inspected nursing homes had an infection prevention and control (IPC) deficiency, including a lack of regular handwashing, that was identified through Medicare and Medicaid surveys. 

Whatever action the Administration takes, it will be important for infection preventionists (IPs) to get the resources, training, and support they need to keep residents safe. On average, nursing homes have 1/3 of an FTE designated to cover IPC responsibilities. As noted by the CMS-funded Mitre Corporation Report, "This position is traditionally assigned to a supervisor, nursing manager, or provider as an added (rather than a core) responsibility, yielding insufficient response to the demands of the current pandemic."

Additionally, staff assigned to oversee IPC do not have expertise in the specialized role of an infection preventionist. In fact, less than 40 percent of facilities were shown to have an IP with specialized training. To have successful programs in these facilities, IPs must be given the time and resources to be successful. It is clear IPC is not a priority and policymakers must do more to ensure IPC is the standard of care and not a luxury.  

While the Administration is in the final stages of taking action, there is still time to have an impact. APIC is undertaking an all-out push to get policymakers to make infection control a priority in nursing homes.

Take a moment to email your Members of Congress and the President encouraging them to build strong, sustainable infection prevention and control programs in nursing homes

Learn More. Infection Prevention and Control in Nursing Homes - APIC