CMS-CDC Fundamentals of COVID-19 Prevention for Nursing Home

The global COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the vital role of infection prevention, particularly in nursing homes. A dedicated infection preventionist role within long-term care (LTC) settings is now a regulatory mandate. However, infection prevention personnel and supplies are strained due to the demands of COVID-19 control and mitigation.

The Bizzell Group (Bizzell) partnered with CMS and the Quality Improvement Organization (QIO) Program to develop an on-demand Nursing Home Training series to help address challenges impacting these facilities. The CMS-CDC Fundamentals of COVID-19 Prevention for Nursing Home Management include a series of 13 topics that provide information to local long-term care (LTC) teams on how to manage the COVID-19 pandemic while protecting vulnerable nursing home residents and promoting patient safety.
The 13 topics include:
Establishing an Infection Prevention Program in a Nursing Home, with an Emphasis on COVID-19
Is Your Nursing Home Ready to Handle the Demands of the COVID-19 Pandemic? Assessing Readiness: Advice from the CDC
COVID-19 Surveillance to Enable Early Detection and Response to Outbreaks: National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) Mandatory Data Collection
COVID-19 Testing
Cohorting Strategies
Cleaning Environmental Surfaces and Shared Equipment
Creating a COVID-19 Recovery Center
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Strategies for COVID-19 Care
Accepting New Patients During an Active Pandemic: Considerations for Both Transfers from Hospitals and Admissions from the Community
Telehealth in Nursing Homes
Transparency: Resident and Family Notification. Department of Health and Other Notifications
Clinical Care: Managing COVID-Positive Residents
Managing Staffing Challenges
While the trainings were delivered as a live broadcast, recordings are currently available to both healthcare providers and the general public via the QIOProgram.org website.