An analysis of ICAR recommendations for long-term care facilities in Alabama

Matthew Fifolt; Natalie Baker; R Wade Menefee 3rd; Elena Kidd; Lisa C McCormick

doi:10.1016/j.ajic.2024.05.001

An analysis of ICAR recommendations for long-term care facilities in Alabama

Am J Infect Control. 2024 Aug;52(8):974-976. doi: 10.1016/j.ajic.2024.05.001. Epub 2024 May 9.

Authors

Matthew Fifolt¹, Natalie Baker², R Wade Menefee 3rd³, Elena Kidd⁴, Lisa C McCormick⁵

Affiliations

¹ Department of Health Policy and Organization, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL. Electronic address: mfifolt@uab.edu.
² Department of Nursing Acute, Chronic and Continuing Care and Infection Preventionist Supervisor, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL.
³ Alabama Nursing Home and Long-Term Care Strike Team, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL.
⁴ Office of Public Health Practice, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL.
⁵ School of Public Health, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL; Department of Health Policy and Organization, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL.

PMID: 38734237
DOI: 10.1016/j.ajic.2024.05.001

Abstract

The Alabama Long-Term Care Strike Team was established in 2022 to help long-term care facilities build and maintain infection prevention and control (IPC) systems. Infection preventionists use CDC's Infection Control Assessment and Response (ICAR) tools to provide IPC-specific recommendations. Analysis of ICAR recommendations identified the 3 greatest training needs in Alabama: source control, hand hygiene, and environmental cleaning. The ICAR provides a standardized and objective way to monitor and mitigate IPC risk.

Keywords: Alabama Regional Center for Infection Prevention and Control; American Rescue Plan of 2021 (H.R. 1319); Infection prevention and control (IPC); Long-term care strike team.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Alabama
Cross Infection / prevention & control
Hand Hygiene / standards
Humans
Infection Control* / methods
Infection Control* / standards
Long-Term Care* / standards