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Infection Control Programs in Twelve North Carolina Extended Care Facilities

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2015

Loraine E. Price*
Affiliation:
Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Felix A. Sarubbi Jr.
Affiliation:
Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
William A. Rutala
Affiliation:
Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
*
Division of Infectious Diseases, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, 547 Clinical Sciences Building 229H, Chapel Hill, NC 27514

Abstract

To assess the scope of infection control programs in extended care facilities, 1-day surveys were conducted in 12 North Carolina facilities over an 8-month period using a standardized questionnaire. All 12 facilities had a designated infection control practitioner (ICP), although none had attended an infection control education course. Eleven had an Infection Control Committee of which 8 (73%) met regularly. The Director of Nurses generally (58%) was the ICP and spent about 2 hr/wk on infection control. Ten (83%) facilities conducted infection surveillance among residents but did not accurately compute nosocomial infection rates. Eleven (92%) facilities had employee health programs that included preemployment and annual tuberculosis screening. None had a comprehensive resident health program. Infection control aspects of patient care practices often varied from facility to facility. Nosocomial infection surveillance among 336 residents in 9 facilities using modified CDC criteria revealed an overall prevalence rate of 5.4%. Additional infections were suspected but not included because of limitations of laboratory data and chart documentation.

Type
Original Articles
Copyright
Copyright © The Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America 1985

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