Infection Prevention

Facts you need to know

Infection prevention and control is a crucial component in any health care setting. Infection control measures can be as simple as handwashing or as sophisticated as high-level disinfection of surgical instruments. Implementing infection control measures can help prevent the spread and transmission on disease in health care settings and the community.
Nursing home residents are at a high risk for developing infections. Their health conditions can weaken their general state of health and make them more susceptible to infection. Residents can also develop infections due to the carelessness of caregivers. The type of infections that are caught within the facility are called nosocomial infections.
Some basic infection prevention measures include: handwashing, wearing protecting such as gloves and masks, and helping residents to protect themselves.
It is estimated that there are 1.6 to 3.8 million facility-acquired infections yearly in nursing homes. Pneumonia and wound, respiratory, and urinary tract infections are the most common infections in nursing home resident. For more information, see the Don't Cause Infections Nursing Assistant Educator.