Nursing homes serve as spaces of safety and solace for older individuals in need of specialized care and assistance. However, nursing homes can be places where infections can proliferate at fast rates. According to a 2012 study, more than 2 million infections a year abound in nursing homes on average every year. During the pandemic, Covid-19 pandemic cases surged in nursing homes as well, with 75% infection rates that led to health complications and even deaths.

To counter infection-prompted illnesses, nursing homes and home care facilities must have a solid infection control program that involves constant surveillance, risk assessment, and training. Infection control checklists are important in keeping nursing homes safe and compliant with state and federal regulations.

But what should be included in an infection control checklist? Our article tackles what standard precautions are and provides a detailed look at important infection control strategies and techniques for nursing homes to keep patients and healthcare workers safe and protected.

Infection control checklist for nursing homes

In our previous article, we discussed what an infection is, how it spreads in what is called a chain of infection, and the two tiers of infection control precautions. In this article, we’ll focus on standard precaution strategies.

Hand hygiene
✅	If hands are visibly soiled, are exposed to spore-forming organisms, or immediately after using the restroom, employees must wash them with soap and water.
✅	To wash hands properly, wet hands, apply soap, rub all surfaces for 40 to 60 seconds, rinse with warm water, and dry thoroughly.
✅	Hands should be dried with paper towels.
✅	A paper towel should be used to turn a water faucet on and off.
✅	Before washing your hands, remove jewelry from fingers and arms and push up long uniform sleeves above your wrists and watch.
✅	Keep nails short.
✅	Hands should be washed: ·   Before and after eating, using the bathroom, handling contact lenses, and applying cosmetics. ·   Before and after working with patients ·   At the beginning and end of each patient care procedure ·   Immediately after contact with blood or other potentially infectious materials. ·   Before and after wearing gloves or other PPE. ·   When a glove rips or tears. ·   After disposing infectious or potentially infectious waste.

 

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
✅	Wear clean gloves when in contact with blood, body fluids, secretions, excretions, mucous membranes, and nonintact skin.
✅	Gloves should be changed between tasks and procedures on the same patient after contact with potentially infectious material.
✅	Gloves should be removed before touching uncontaminated surfaces and areas and before going to another patient. Hands should be washed after glove disposal.
✅	The eyes, nose, and mouth should be protected by wearing a surgical or procedure mask and face shield or goggles when doing procedures that will expose you to splashes or sprays of blood, body fluids, secretions, and excretions.
✅	Clean, non-sterile, and fluid-resistant gowns should be worn to protect the skin from contact with blood, body fluids, secretions, and excretions.
✅	Soiled goggles, masks, and gowns should be removed as soon as possible.

 

Respiratory hygiene
✅	When sneezing or coughing, cover your nose and mouth with a tissue or mask.
✅	Dispose of used tissues and masks in a trash bin. Wash hands or sanitize hands with an alcohol-based rub as soon as possible after.
✅	Wear proper PPE when collecting sputum or specimen.
✅	Nursing homes must have visual alerts and reminders instructing visitors and patients with respiratory symptoms to follow respiratory hygiene.
✅	Make alcohol-based rubs, tissues, and masks available in common areas.
✅	Avoid touching your face after touching contaminated surfaces.

 

Disposal of sharps, needlesticks, and syringes
✅	Practice proper precautions when using, disposing, and cleaning needles and other sharp objects.
✅	Needles must not be bent, recapped, broken, or manipulated by hand.
✅	Sharps must be placed in puncture-resistant containers for disposal. Ensure that these containers are properly sealed prior to disposal.