|
UPCOMING WEBINARS AND
TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES
The CDC’s upcoming Antimicrobial Resistance Exchange, Vaccines: A Critical Tool in the Fight Against Antimicrobial Resistance, will be held Tuesday, August 29 at 10:00 a.m. EST. Hear how CDC and partners are committed to driving innovation to develop and deploy vaccines to help prevent the emergence and spread of antimicrobial resistance. Visit the registration page for more information and to register for the event.
The 2023 OSAP Tribal Infection Control Boot Camp will be an in-person event hosted at the Hilton in Vancouver, WA, September 19 through 21. This event is a fast-paced educational course specifically tailored for Tribal healthcare participants who are:
- Practicing in a multidisciplinary healthcare delivery center.
- New to infection prevention and safety who are seeking an introductory understanding.
- Want to build on, apply, or enhance existing knowledge.
Funding Opportunity for Tribes and Tribal Organizations
The National Indian Health Board (NIHB) is accepting applications for two funding opportunities that can assist Tribes and Tribal organizations to scale up and strengthen their local response and preparedness for infectious disease outbreaks and future pandemics. Application deadline is August 16.
Health Disparities in Hemodialysis-Associated Staphylococcus aureus Bloodstream Infections
This NEW free CE from the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report and Medscape discusses the risk factors of hemodialysis-associated Staphylococcus aureus bloodstream infections in the setting of end-stage kidney disease.
|
|
 Candida Auris
Candida auris (C. auris) has been identified in Washington with local transmission suspected.
C. auris is a fungus that can cause life-threatening infections in patients with serious medical problems in hospitals and nursing homes. First identified in 2009 in Asia and in the United States in 2015, C. auris is the first fungal pathogen to be declared a public health threat. C. auris is highly transmissible, hard for laboratories to identify, often multidrug resistant, requires special cleaning products, and is hard to control in a healthcare outbreak. Strict adherence to routine healthcare infection prevention activities is effective in preventing spread of C. auris in healthcare facilities.
|
Resources
Reporting
Infection Preventionists
Celebrate National Immunization Awareness Month
August is National Immunization Awareness Month (NIAM), an annual observance that celebrates the efforts to protect people against vaccine-preventable diseases. NIAM is a great opportunity to remind your communities about getting caught up on healthcare appointments and routine vaccinations. Research shows that healthcare providers remain the most trusted source of vaccine information for parents and patients.
Visit the DOH COVID-19 Vaccine Information page for more COVID-19 vaccine-specific resources. Let’s work together all month to encourage people to stay up to date on routine vaccinations.
DOH shared some updated COVID-19 vaccine resources last week during the monthly Vaccine Partner Call. DOH will continue to update and create new resources as more information becomes available regarding COVID-19 vaccines in the fall. View the updated resources below and register for the next Partner Call happening September 5, from 9:00 to 10:30 a.m. PST.
 Strengthening Infection Control: Collaborative Training by King County Public Health and HAI/AR
The HAI/AR team recently had the opportunity to collaborate with Public Health Seattle King County Public Health (PHSKC) in designing an infection control training event for staff members at a post-acute care facility. The collective goal for this session was to provide education and hands-on activities for all staff members to promote infection prevention practices throughout the facility. PHSKC representatives designed activity stations that focused on environmental cleaning and how to be an infection prevention (IP) champion, while DOH representatives planned an activity that encompassed transmission-based precautions, hand hygiene, and personal protective equipment (PPE) donning and doffing.
The training began with a brief, 15-minute oral presentation that provided an overview of multiple infection prevention topics including education regarding Candida auris, the emerging multi-drug resistant organism (MDRO). After this presentation, attendees were divided into three smaller groups and assigned to an activity station. The groups rotated every 20-minutes until they completed all activity stations.
|
DOH staff members led an activity that included transmission-based precaution practice scenarios, as well as an activity where participants donned PPE, applied a powdered luminescent germ simulator to their PPE, and then doffed PPE. Once the PPE was removed, participants went into a dark room where DOH staff used a blacklight to detect any powdered germ simulator that had been transmitted onto their skin or clothing. This fun, hands-on activity was not only engaging for the staff, but also revealing in demonstrating the importance of selecting appropriate, well-fitting PPE.
|
PHSKC representatives hosted two activity stations: one focused on environmental cleaning and the other discussed steps towards being an infection prevention champion. When participants visited the environmental cleaning station, they played a game of “Who Cleans What?” where staff members were given a piece of patient care equipment and asked who was responsible for cleaning that item. This was an excellent demonstration on the importance of clear roles and communication within infection prevention practices. The infection prevention champion station was an interactive brainstorming session where participants could respond to questions about possible improvements, facilitators, and barriers to successful infection prevention at their facility. Participants could answer these questions anonymously on their personal cell phones, and then discuss as a group.
The format of this event allowed facility staff members to personally connect with their county and state infection control representatives, as well as ask questions while actively practicing essential infection prevention skills. Many staff members reported that they enjoyed this event and that they walked away from these activities with a clearer understanding of the importance of infection control. The HAI/AR team is looking forward to further collaborations with local health jurisdiction representatives and applying this event format in future projects.
|
 General Updates:
-
Antimicrobial Stewardship Website Update
- We are pleased to share our updated website! New subpages are available specifically for nursing homes, acute care facilities, outpatient settings, dental clinics, and NHSN antibiotic use and resistance (AUR) resources.
-
NHSN AUR Implementation FAQ
 |
|
The CDC and the Health Resources and Services Administration’s Federal Office of Rural Health Policy are co-hosting a webinar. Speakers will describe requirements for meeting the Antimicrobial Use and Resistance (AUR) Measure within the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Promoting Interoperability Program and using the National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) Antimicrobial Use (AU) data for action in critical access hospitals. |
Educational Opportunities:
-
Antimicrobial Stewardship of Urinary Tract Infections in the Long-Term Care Setting Educational Series
- The Washington Department of Health in collaboration with the University of Washington and the Washington State Society for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine are hosting a webinar series with free continuing education credits for physicians and pharmacists.
-
Antimicrobial Stewardship ECHO Educational Series
- The Utah Department of Health and Human Services in collaboration with Project ECHO is hosting a webinar series on Antimicrobial Stewardship. The target audience for this series is nursing home medical directors, clinicians, nurses, infection preventionists and pharmacists. CME credits will be available.
- Sessions are every third Wednesday, noon – 1:00 p.m. MST.
-
Save the Date! NHSN AU Option: Using Data for Action in Critical Access Hospitals
Clinical Pearls:
-
New Clinical Infectious Diseases Article: Antibiotic Myths for the Infectious Diseases Clinician
- Antimicrobial use is commonly informed by past practices instead of evidence, with “pearls” propagated over time.
-
This article examines eight common antibiotic myths.
-
Updated Guidance on the Treatment of Antimicrobial Resistant Gram-Negative Infections
-
This guidance document from the Infectious Diseases Society of America provides recommendations for the treatment of infectious caused by multi-drug resistant organisms.
-
Medical Providers’ Frequently Asked Questions About Urinary Tract Infections (UTI): Evidence for Safe Management of Suspected UTIs
-
This document is designed to provide an evidence-based perspective on some common concerns that factor into antibiotic prescribing for asymptomatic bacteriuria.
Reminders:
-
NHSN Antibiotic Use and Resistance (AUR) Module Reporting Requirement for Hospitals
- CDC's National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) Antimicrobial Use and Resistance (AUR) Module is the primary surveillance system for tracking antimicrobial use in all US hospitals.
- All hospitals will be required by Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to be in “Active Engagement” in NHSN AUR module starting in 2024. We put together a Frequently Asked Questions document to help you get started.
-
Getting Started with the NHSN AUR Module Office to Hours
- You are invited to join: Getting Started with the AUR Module Office Hours. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email about joining the meeting.
- These office hours will now be hosted quarterly.
- These office hours are to assist facilities who are either not yet reporting into the NHSN AUR module, or who are just getting started and would like to learn the very basics of the module. The format will be a five-to-ten-minute presentation on a feature of NHSN AUR, followed by time for questions.
-
NHSN Antimicrobial Use (AU) Module Reporting Funding Opportunity for Hospitals
- To help offset the cost of implementing reporting to the NHSN-AU module, the Department of Health is offering $5,000 financial reimbursement to hospitals that start reporting to the NHSN-AU module between August 1, 2022, and March 1, 2024.
 The National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) Patient Safety Component Annual Facility Survey collects facility-level HAI reporting practices during the prior calendar year. Each year, all facilities enrolled in the NHSN Patient Safety Component must complete a survey that includes questions about facility characteristics, laboratory, infection control, newborn care, antibiotic stewardship, sepsis practices, and water management. This survey helps understand current practices in healthcare settings and tailor outreach.
The figures below show facility characteristics data from the 2022 Annual Survey for 89 acute care hospitals (ACHs, represented in red and orange) and critical access hospitals (CAHs, represented in blues) in Washington. These data help understand the landscape of healthcare facilities in Washington.
Figure 1 breaks down the proportion of facilities that are a part of a larger corporation and those that are independently operated. Most facilities in Washington are a part of a larger corporation.
 Figure 2 shows the number of facilities in different bed size categories. CAHs are smaller, and, thus, all CAHs fall into the smallest two categories with fewer than 50 beds. Larger hospitals with more beds are more likely to be a part of a corporation.
|
|
  State Department of Health to provide frontline healthcare workers with infection prevention and control education.
Reduce the Spread of Infection - Become an Infection Control Superhero with the Washington State Project Firstline Learning Modules
Washington Project Firstline has a series of online, interactive training modules on basic infection prevention and control practices. The educational, informative, and fun modules take approximately 20-minutes each to complete. Staff who complete all six modules will earn two contact-hours of continuing education credits through WA DSHS and Continuing Nursing Education at the University of Washington School of Nursing.
The six-module series is based on CDC Project Firstline contend and focuses on the following:
- Infection Control
- How Germs Can Spread on Surfaces
- How Germs Can Spread via Respiratory Droplets
|
- Proper Hand Hygiene
- Proper Use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
- Cleaning and Disinfection
|
Modules are available at firstline.nwcphp.org, and are offered in English and Spanish.
We encourage you to print the attached flyer and post it in your breakroom for your staff.
Washington Project Firstline Promotional Flyer
Facility Program: Frontline Infection Prevention Champion
 |
|
Become a Frontline Infection Prevention Champion Facility!
Steps:
- Request a Facility Code
- Have your staff members enter Facility Code in user profile.
- Notify staff to complete all six modules – they will receive two (free) contact hours of CEs/CNEs.
Once 90% of your staff complete all six training modules, you will be recognized as a Frontline Infection Prevention Champion facility.
|
Are you unsure how close you are to 90%? Email Project Firstline to verify.
You will receive a certificate and recognition on Washington Project Firstline webpage. Most importantly, your staff will be trained in infection prevention!
Infection Prevention Education at your Fingertips!
This new resource can help better engage your team in infection prevention! Sign up to receive free Washington Project Firstline text messages! Receive timely infection prevention updates over your phone, wherever you are, including access to:
|
• Infection prevention fast facts to help raise awareness and keep engaged with infection control topics.
• Short, informative infection control training videos from the CDC.
• Tips and tools for developing staff’s foundational infection prevention knowledge.
|
|
|
 |
Sign up today! Text "JoinWAIPC" to 59309 or hover over the QR code to receive free text updates from the Washington Project Firstline. Don't forget to remind your healthcare friends, family, and coworkers/staff to sign up!
|
|
 What is a Respiratory Protection Program?
A Respiratory Protection Program (RPP) is a set of rules and regulations enforced by the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries (L&I). These rules and regulations are in place to keep workers from becoming sick or injured because of workplace exposures to hazards. One significant hazard comes from viruses that spread through the air when a sick or contagious person coughs, talks or sneezes. Read more about how viruses spread through the air are a respiratory hazard.
 |
|
|
New! Online Lunch & Learn sessions for LTC facilities. DOH will host monthly, 30-minute sessions on topics about the respiratory protection program.
|
|
Sessions start promptly at noon.
|
August 16 - Tips for Finding the Correct N95 for People's Faces
September 20 - Tips for Employee Respirator Training
October 18 - Tips for Doing Your Own Fit Tests
|
|
 |
Sign up for Fit Test Training
Available dates will be listed on the sign-up form. All the prerequisite work must be completed prior to the Virtual Fit Test Training session. It is our expectation that you will attend the training session prepared and will come with questions.
August Date
September Dates
If you have additional questions, please feel free to email us at
HAI-fitTest@doh.wa.gov.
Quarterly NHSN User Group for Hospitals
*Calls are facilitated through TEAMS*
Please contact Sandy Ng for a TEAMS invitation
Next session is October 10, 10:30 – 11:30 a.m.
This is monthly forum for NHSN skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) to share and collaborate, improve reporting accuracy, and increase user knowledge.
Please contact Paula Parsons for more information
Calls scheduled for the second Thursday of the month, 11:00 a.m. – noon.
Upcoming dates:
September 14
October 12
|
|
Best Practice Spotlight
Dedication and Resilience: Life Care Center’s Commitment to Safety and Care in Port Orchard
Port Orchard, WA – In the scenic Kitsap Peninsula town of Port Orchard, Life Care Center of Port Orchard (LCCPO) emerges as a shining example of dedication to infection prevention and resident safety. As the world continues to grapple with the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, LCCPO stands tall as a beacon of excellence, unwavering in its commitment to safeguarding the wellbeing of its residents and staff.
|
A nationwide tuberculosis outbreak linked to a viable bone allograft product contaminated with Mycobacterium tuberculosis was identified in June 2021. Our subsequent investigation identified 73 healthcare personnel with new latent tuberculosis infection following exposure to the contaminated product, product recipients, surgical instruments, or medical waste.
 |
|
Tuberculosis (TB) was called “phthisis” in ancient Greece, “tabes” in ancient Rome, and “schachepheth” in ancient Hebrew. In the 1700s, TB was called “the white plague” due to the paleness of the patients. TB was commonly called “consumption” in the 1800s even after Schonlein named it tuberculosis. During this time, TB was also called the “Captain of all these men of death.” |
We describe the investigation of a nosocomial outbreak of rapidly growing mycobacteria (RGM) infections and the results of mitigation efforts after eight years. A cluster of RGM cases in a Kentucky hospital in 2013 prompted an investigation into RGM surgical site infections following joint replacement surgery. A case-control study was conducted to identify risk factors.
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) created a set of Infection Control Assessment and Response (ICAR) tools in 2016, however, the tools are not comprehensive nor regularly updated. The Indiana Department of Health’s (IDOH) Infection Preventionist (IP) team modified the long-term care (LTC) tool with questions related to infection control practices not addressed by the CDC tool to complete more thorough assessments of infection prevention programs in Indiana.
Little is known about infection prevention and control (IPC) program gaps subsequent to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Infection Prevention and Control Assessment and Response (ICAR) tool is used to assess gaps in IPC programs. The ICAR tool was used to assess 36 critical access hospitals (CAHs) between 2015-2017 and six CAHs in 2022. For analysis the same 80 best practice recommendations (BPRs) across 11 IPC domains were analyzed between the two time periods. Responses were either recorded as yes (suggesting best practice is in place), no, or in-progress. The IPC gaps (defined as a percentage of no and in-progress responses to a BPR) were compared.
|
|
  Puget Sound Chapter
The Puget Sound Region APIC chapter meets on the fourth Thursday of every month from noon to 2:00 p.m.
- We review important legislative updates, IPC news, and educational opportunities.
- Journal club and round table discussions keep IPs up-to-date on recent activity in the IPC field, as well as connect with local IPs.
Register in advance for meetings. Links to registration sites can be found on our social media and website a few weeks prior.
 Standard Precautions in Adult Family Homes
We are pleased to announce the availability of a new standard precautions document specifically tailored to adult family homes. This comprehensive resource offers quick guidance, references, and valuable resources pertaining to standard precautions and infection prevention.
SHEA/IDSA/APIC Implementing strategies to prevent infections in acute-care settings: 2022 Update – This document introduces and explains common implementation concepts and frameworks relevant to healthcare epidemiology and infection prevention and control, and can serve as a stand-alone guide or be paired with the “SHEA/IDSA/APIC Compendium of Strategies to Prevent Healthcare-Associated Infections in Acute Care Hospitals: 2022 Updates,” which contains technical implementation guidance for specific healthcare-associated infections.
CORHA’s Principles and Practices for Outbreak Response: New chapters relating to HAI/AR outbreak detection, reporting, investigation, and control are available in CORHA’s Principles and Practices for Outbreak Response. This resource provides guidance for public health professionals, healthcare workers, and other stakeholders to respond to various infections, pathogens, and associated risk factors related to HAI/AR outbreaks. Chapter 6: Laboratory Best Practices and Chapter 8: Notification and Communication are now available.
- The new Burkholderia cepacia webpage features key resources for preventing and responding to B. cepacia in healthcare settings, additional guidance, and useful information.
A letter to Nursing Home Administrators is now available online regarding the following topic:
You are subscribed to Healthcare-Associated Infections and Antimicrobial Resistance (HAI&AR) Newsletter for Washington State Department of Health. This information has recently been updated, and is now available.
 If you aren't already signed up for the Healthcare Associated Infections and Antibiotic Resistance newsletter, please visit the Department of Health's email subscribers page here.
|
|
|
|
|
