Training the Next Generation of Wisconsin Nursing Home Infection Preventionists

Infection has been a long-standing problem in Wisconsin nursing homes. A shift towards providing more post-acute and rehabilitation care has increased only increased the frequency and complexity of the infections encountered in this setting. To address this problem, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has released revisions that require nursing homes to employ an Infection Control and Prevention Officer (ICPO) with additional infection prevention training that is in addition to their terminal professional degree. At present, less than half of Wisconsin nursing homes employ an ICPO who has received some formal infection prevention training and less than 5% employ an individual with certification in this field. Consequently, there is a desperate need to develop training resources that help individuals gain competency in nursing home core infection prevention tasks and responsibilities.

The Wisconsin Healthcare-Associated Infections in Long-Term Care (WI HAI in LTC) Coalition, which has broad representation from physicians, nurses, pharmacists, infection preventionists and public health who work in the long-term care field, was created in 2012 with the broad goal of improving the prevention and treatment of infections in Wisconsin nursing homes. The objectives of this proposal, which build upon the core mission of the WI HAI in LTC Coalition, are to: 1) develop a novice infection control and prevention certification training program for the State of Wisconsin; 2) disseminate this training program to Wisconsin NHs; and 3) identify strategies to sustain and build upon this training program after the conclusion of the current project period.