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New Infection Prevention Guidance for Targeted MDROs in Outpatient Settings
Please review this new document providing guidance to healthcare providers to prevent transmission of targeted multidrug-resistant organisms in outpatient healthcare settings. Settings where this guidance applies include, but are not limited to, routine medical visits, emergency departments and urgent care clinics, laboratory testing sites, diagnostic imaging, colonoscopy and other outpatient procedures, urology clinics, wound care clinics, dialysis, dental offices, physical or occupational therapy centers, ambulatory surgical clinics, and pain management clinics.
Enhanced Barrier Precaution Resource for Skilled Nursing Facilities
A new Enhanced Barrier Precautions guidance document for Skilled Nursing Facilities is available now!
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Infection Prevention and Control |
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New IP Staff Organization!
Summer 2024 has been full of changes for the Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) Program. The most notable change is the reduction in staff. We merged Team A and Team B into one IPC team. Lisa Hannah leads this team of six Infection Preventionists: Katelyn Anderson, Kristin Bass, Rhodah Makayoto, Trent MacAllister and Vicki Larios. County assignments have also shifted. Please refer to the attached map for details. We are committed to providing excellent IPC support and resources in the form of Infection Control Assessments and Response (ICAR), Skills Demonstrations, and related educational resources. Melissa Feskin continues to be our ICAR Epidemiologist and REDCap point of contact for local health jurisdictions that use REDCap. We are also happy to announce that Bryan Sibrian is all trained up and has started doing outreach in collaboration with local health jurisdictions as appropriate.
Please email us if you have any questions AND to schedule your next ICAR!
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Antimicrobial Stewardship |
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Acute Care Stewardship Resources
Blood Culture Vial Conservation Guidance Document
BD Life Sciences is experiencing a temporary shortage of plastic blood culture vials from their supplier. This document, created by the WA DOH AMS team, provides guidance and practical recommendations to safely and effectively reduce the use of unneeded blood cultures.
New Study Showcasing Rapid Implementation of Blood Culture Stewardship
A medical center describes its approach to addressing a nationwide supply issue for blood culture bottles. Read the study to learn more!
Join the NHSN Antibiotic Use (AU) User’s Group
Acute Care Hospitals in Washington are invited to join DOH’s NHSN AU User's Group, which aims to support hospitals in utilizing their NHSN AU data effectively. Participants will gain valuable insights into generating reports in NHSN, analyzing and interpreting antimicrobial use data, and ultimately improving antimicrobial stewardship practices within their facilities. Facilities participating in the User’s Group are granted access to an interactive dashboard for benchmarking data against other hospitals, facilitating continuous quality improvement efforts. Register today!
Long-Term Care Stewardship Resources
Join the Skilled Nursing Facility Antimicrobial Stewardship (SNF AMS) Collaborative!
Enhance your antimicrobial stewardship expertise and skills through WA DOH’s SNF AMS Collaborative. The collaborative will run from September 2024 – May 2025, and will consist of monthly 45-min sessions. Each session will include a concise presentation, hands-on activities, and Q&A. Benefits of participation include improved antibiotic use and survey readiness. Earn a certificate upon completion, demonstrating your enhanced stewardship expertise. Learn more and register today!
Free Stewardship Resources for Consultant Pharmacists
WA DOH is offering to provide the American Society of Consultant Pharmacists' Antimicrobial Stewardship Toolkit for free to consultant pharmacists providing services at long-term care facilities in Washington State. The toolkit offers practical guidance for starting, growing, and maintaining an antimicrobial program, ensuring compliance with CMS Long-Term Care regulations. Learn more and register today!
Free Patient Communication CE for Nurses and Medical Assistants
This activity is designed to improve communication skills around antibiotic use to help avoid inappropriate prescribing. The activity offers free CE credits for both nurses and medical assistants and is based on the CDC’s 4-part Communication Strategy.
New Study Focused on Clinician Perspectives on Asymptomatic Bacteriuria
The aim of this study was to elicit clinicians’ perspectives to help reduce antibiotic prescribing for asymptomatic bacteriuria and improve a patient-centered educational brochure for older adults with urinary tract infections or asymptomatic bacteriuria.
Outpatient Stewardship Resources
Penicillin Allergy Delabeling Resources for Pediatrics
Developed in partnership with Seattle Children’s, this patient education handout explains why it is important to have penicillin allergies assessed in children. Access this resource in English and Spanish.
Breakpoints Podcast Episode #102: Oh, The Places Stewardship Will Go!
In this episode, the stewardship team’s Dr. Erica Stohs discusses antimicrobial stewardship practices at transitions of care and in the outpatient setting with 3 other experts.
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Race and Ethnicity Data Reported to NHSN
When completing mandated reporting of healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) to the National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN), hospitals enter data on the infection event and the patient with the infection. Some patient-level fields include race and ethnicity, which have been optional fields. Since these fields are optional, most facilities do not enter these data, limiting our understanding of how race and ethnicity are related to HAIs. However, starting in 2025, Race, Ethnicity and Language (REaL) Data will be required fields across all NHSN components and facility types. More information regarding the REaL reporting requirement is available on Page 3 of the NHSN 2024 Quarter 1 Newsletter.
In anticipation of the new reporting requirements, the data below shows the percentage of HAI events reported to NHSN in the Patient Safety Component that contain Race or Ethnicity data. This includes all CMS required HAI events reported to NHSN:
- central line-associated bloodstream infection (CLABSI)
- catheter-associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI)
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difficile infection (CDI) or methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) Laboratory-Identified (LabID) event (community- and healthcare-onset LabID events are included.)
- surgical site infection (SSI)
- COLO (following colon surgeries)
- HYST (following abdominal hysterectomies)
The included data are from acute care hospitals, critical access hospitals, long-term acute care hospitals, and inpatient rehabilitation facilities in Washington State.
Percentage of Events Reported to NHSN with Race or Ethnicity Data
 Since January 2023, 9,352 HAI events have been reported to NHSN. Of the 87 facilities included in this analysis, only 26 (30%) have reported any race or ethnicity data. The pie graphs above show the percentage of events with race (left) or ethnicity (right) reported. Overall, 353 (3.77%) of events have race reported and 283 (3.03%) events have ethnicity reported. only 240 (2.57%) events with data for both race and ethnicity. There is much work to be done before this reporting becomes a requirement in 2025.
The updated race and ethnicity fields, with a larger and more standardized list of race categories and ethnic groups, is expected to be available within NHSN in Fall 2024. We encourage facilities begin to look into how they will collect and report race and ethnicity data to prepare for the required reporting changes starting in 2025.
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Don’t Forget!
Project Firstline offers several training and education opportunities to help you out during onboarding, annual training, and continuing education! See how one of the following programs can help you out today!
Interactive online training modules: Available for CE/CNEs at no cost! Topics range from hand hygiene, respiratory droplets, to enhanced barrier precautions.
Text Messages: Short, weekly text messages on important infection prevention topics. Text “JoinWAIPC” to 59309.
Podcasts: Short podcast episodes ranging from basic infection prevention topics to IP in different settings to an antimicrobial stewardship mini-series.
Go to our website for more WA Project Firstline information and resources!
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Occupational Health Support Schedule Changes
The Occupational Health Team will be hosting an information table at the upcoming Adult Family Home Council Conference in Tulalip, September 26-27, 2024. Stop by and say hi!
The Occupational Health Team consultation support for respiratory protection programs continues in a limited capacity. Join us twice a month for our Lunch & Learn webinars on the first and third Wednesday of every month from 12pm to 12:30pm. Visit our Respiratory Protection Program Guidance Classes website for topics.
Register for our Lunch and Learn!
Visit our website for more information or send us an email!
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National Healthcare and Safety Network (NHSN) |
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Bimonthly NHSN User Group for Hospitals
Join us for the NHSN Hospital User Group calls. We will host these calls every other month. Please register in advance for this call series. Upcoming meetings are as follows.
Please reach out to the NHSN Epi Team if you have any questions or have topic ideas for any of the calls.
Monthly Long-Term Care NHSN User Group
You are invited to register for the monthly NHSN skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) forum to share and, collaborate, improve reporting accuracy, and increase user knowledge. Calls are scheduled for the second Thursday of the month, 11:00 a.m. –noon. Upcoming meetings are as follows:
- October 10, 2024
- November 14, 2024
- December 12, 2024
Please reach out to the NHSN Epi Team for more information.
NHSN Support Services for SNFs
For a more comprehensive list of NHSN support options the HAI Epi Team can provide to skilled nursing facilities, see the NHSN Support and Technical Assistance for Skilled Nursing Facilities flyer.
NHSN Reporting Updates and Trainings
LTCF Respiratory Pathogens Module
This webinar includes updates to Resident Data Collection Form and Up to Date Definition for Weekly COVID-19 Vaccination Data Reporting of Healthcare Personnel and Residents. Make sure to register in advance!
When: September 24, 2024, 10:00am PT
Please see the website to register for replay trainings in October!
CDC's July 2024 NHSN Virtual Post-Acute Care Training is available online
You can now access the recorded trainings for the Virtual Post-Acute Care Training for Long-term Care Component, Dialysis Component, and Healthcare Personnel Safety (Healthcare Personnel Vaccination) Surveillance and Analytics. By registering, you can access the videos and slides from the 3 days of training.
More information is available on the Post-Acute Care (PAC) Training website.
NHSN Epidemiology Email
The NHSN Epidemiology Team has a dedicated inbox. Please email the EPI team for any NHSN related questions, issues, or concerns. This will allow our team to respond to your message in a timely manner.
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Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC) |
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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.
APIC Podcasts:
AJIC Monthly Podcast
New Episode:
Recent Episodes:
Tune in the first Thursday of each month for new episodes.
APIC Monthly 5 Second Rule Podcast
Recent Episodes:
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Nursing Home EPP Series: Safeguarding Health: The Imperative of Infection Control in Emergency Preparedness
This review informs facilities about key infection control measures to safeguard residents and staff during emergencies. Given the high-risk population, including elderly residents and those with chronic conditions, effective infection control can prevent outbreaks, reduce morbidity and mortality, and ensure overall safety and well-being.
WA DOH Influenza Update for Week 32 now available!
The weekly summary is available.
State Summary
- Influenza-like illness activity was minimal during week 32.
- To date, 130 lab-confirmed influenza deaths have been reported for the 2023-2024 season.
- To date, 91 influenza-like illness outbreaks in long term care facilities have been reported for the 2023-2024 season.
- During week 32, 0.7 percent of visits among Influenza-like Illness Network (ILINet) participants were for influenza-like illness, which was below the baseline of 1.9 percent.
- During week 32, 1.5 percent of specimens tested by WHO and NREVSS collaborating laboratories in Washington were positive for influenza.
- Influenza A and Influenza B were reported to the ILINet surveillance system during week 32.
The Washington State Department of Health Influenza Update reports will be produced monthly for weeks 21-39 this summer and will resume a weekly reporting cadence beginning on week 40 this fall.
Historic influenza reports
DOH creates influenza reports for healthcare providers and public health including:
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 Training opportunity for Adult Family Home Providers and Resident Managers
Home and Community Services (HCS) has created a series of voluntary trainings for Adult Family Home Providers who work with Medicaid-eligible clients. The trainings are presented by a panel of HCS Subject Matter Experts and will offer information, resources, and support. The free courses will be available each quarter on different subjects of interest and will offer Continuing Education Units (CEUs)*.
Registration is now open!
HCS Overview for AFH Providers – Rates, Payments, and Provider Opportunities (2 CEUs):
• Overview of Rates and Payments
• Overview of Specialized Services (Provider Opportunities)
• Community Integration
• Out of Home Respite
• Private Duty Nursing
• Expanded Community Services
• Specialized Behavior Supports
• Meaningful Day
There are two options available for registration. Select the date and time that is most convenient for your schedule:
Register for Tuesday, October 8 (1 p.m. – 3:15 p.m.)
Register for Thursday, October 10 (9 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.)
Email us if you have questions or ideas for future courses!
 2024 Respiratory Virus Season Updates for Long-Term Care Providers
Long term care facility residents are often at high risk of respiratory infections and severe disease due to respiratory viruses. A combination of interventions can protect residents and staff health during respiratory virus season. CDC’s Division of Healthcare Quality Promotion (DHQP) will host a webinar on Monday, September 16th, 2024 at 1:00 pm EDT to provide an overview of the latest respiratory virus vaccination recommendations, testing and treatment guidance, and infection prevention strategies.
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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 have not yet subscribed, you can use the button below.
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