As the pandemic wanes, providers are seeing more clearly the need to prevent and prepare for everyday and emergent infectious threats.
Following the massive “Mega Rule” that solidified their role in nursing homes, infection preventionists had become instrumental in implementing antibiotic stewardship programs and were laying the groundwork for sweeping patient-worker safety educational programs.
But in March 2020, much of that work paused, followed by massive casualties due to COVID-19. While the industry found itself empowered to help prevent infections, it was still largely ill-prepared for the speed and volume of this new virus.
Still, infection preventionists picked up new skills in the early days of the pandemic and played pivotal roles in sourcing personal protective equipment and providing updated information on infection-prevention protocols.
All of that work has better defined the role, according to Evelyn Cook, associate director of the Statewide Program for Infection Control and Epidemiology at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
“We should remember that there is no silver bullet that will address all the challenges that LTC facilities continue to face,” she said. “Having a full-time infection preventionist is really only the first step in developing robust infection prevention programs.”
That said, Cook has asserted nursing homes were never designed for pandemic care, and yet were “expected to provide the same compliance as acute care, without having the infrastructure to do so.”
But recognition of the challenge is growing. In March, editors at Infection Control Today said that COVID has underscored a need for even more infection preventionists in the years to come.
Going forward, Cook believes most facilities will have to come up with innovative ways of recruiting and retaining infection preventionists that will redefine their roles in light of the current workforce upheaval.
“Facilities that approach this as an opportunity instead of a punishment will notice an improvement in their care and services, and be better able to support residents and staff,” she added. “Because of the pandemic, facilities will be much better prepared to adhere to the never-ending regulatory guidance and regulations.”
