Virginia Infection Prevention & Control Training Alliance (VIPTA)

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VIPTA is a statewide infection prevention and control education collaborative, led by the Virginia Healthcare-Associated Infections Advisory Group.  Through partnership, VIPTA curates IPC resources for Virginia’s healthcare, congregate care, and public health settings.

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Image of lifeguard in chair with water along the bottom. Text states: Staying Safe in the SPLASH ZONE.

New Resource is making a SPLASH!

Virginia Infection Prevention and Control Training Center (VIPTC) released their first animated video, and it is focused on the risky “splash zone” around healthcare water sources.

Staying Safe in the Splash Zone (3:30)

Target Audience: Essentials IPC education level

Ways to Share These Resources:

  • This quick video, only three and a half minutes long, is perfect to add to facility orientation and to include in annual infection prevention and control updates.
  • You can pair this video with a rounding checklist or splash zone reminder sign that is available from Health Quality Innovation:

Guidance & Regulation Updates

VIPTA members track guidance and regulation resources to share source documents that guide infection prevention and control practices for public health staff and clinical and non-clinical healthcare personnel.

The date of the regulation or guidance update is included in each post.  Please check linked content to be sure it is the most up to date and recommended practice.

Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America (SHEA)
SHEA
Acute Care Hospital
Nursing Home / Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF)
Pediatric / NICU
Infection Prevention and Control of Candida auris in Pediatric Settings (6/23/2026) The guidance recommends identifying at-risk pediatric patients through targeted screening, using appropriate isolation and room-placement precautions, and coordinating closely with infection prevention and public health partners when Candida auris is suspected or confirmed. It also emphasizes prevention through meticulous hand hygiene, effective environmental cleaning and disinfection, and careful management of shared medical equipment, toys, common spaces, visitors, breastfeeding, skin-to-skin contact, and caregiver-child interactions.
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) 
CMS
Nursing Home / Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF)
Regulatory Compliance
CMS QSO-26-14-NH Memo: Nursing Home Risk-Based Survey National Implementation (7/16/2026) CMS will implement a nationwide risk-based survey process beginning September 8, 2026. Qualifying high-performing nursing homes may receive streamlined recertification surveys, allowing survey resources to be focused on facilities and complaints that present greater risks to resident health and safety.
VDH: Clinician Letter – Measles Outbreak Expansion and Back-to-School Immunizations (6/26/2026)
VDH
Acute Care Hospital
Ambulatory (Outpatient) Care
Department of Health
Emergency Medical Services (EMS)
Pediatric / NICU
Emergency Preparedness & Operations
Vaccination
Clinician Letter: Measles Outbreak Expansion and Back-to-School Immunizations (6/26/2026) The Virginia Department of Health announced that the Buckingham County measles outbreak has expanded to Cumberland County. Review the expanded outbreak vaccination recommendations, encourage patients to stay up to date on immunizations before the school year, and immediately report suspected or confirmed measles cases to your local health department.

Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America (SHEA)

SHEA

Infection Prevention and Control of Candida auris in Pediatric Settings (6/23/2026) The guidance recommends identifying at-risk pediatric patients through targeted screening, using appropriate isolation and room-placement precautions, and coordinating closely with infection prevention and public health partners when Candida auris is suspected or confirmed. It also emphasizes prevention through meticulous hand hygiene, effective environmental cleaning and disinfection, and careful...

UVA Health Cheers for Peers

Bug Busters!

This month, we are featuring the UVA Health Infection Prevention and Control (IP&C) team and their Bug Busters program!

Attending the IP Roadshow with Ginger Vanhoozer from the Virginia Department of Health (VDH) inspired Julianna Felsher, Jim Hovanec, Ann Sidebottom, and Fati Craighead to bring fun infection prevention and control education to acute care at UVA Health University Medical Center in Charlottesville, Virginia.

In August 2024, the IP&C team launched a mobile poster board initiative to deliver timely, engaging education across units. The cart (with candy, of course!) features rotating content on key topics like catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs), central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs), and other relevant infection prevention efforts. Each section is updated monthly, with educational materials attached via Velcro® for easy customization. The team spends about 30 minutes per unit, giving staff the flexibility to engage around their clinical duties. Creative themes–such as December’s festive “Grinch Busters”–help draw attention and boost participation.

Bug Busters has been very well received by the staff who have commented on how much they love the colorfulness of the board, the informal setting, and of course, the candy! The casual nature of education encourages staff to ask questions that they may not have realized they even had. They have even had departments such as wound care ask how they can create their own education programs just like this one.

Thank you to the UVA Health IP&C team for sharing your program with us and helping our readers find creative ways to bring education to the masses!

IPC Education & Training Library

Search the VIPTA library of curated infection prevention and control (IPC) education and training resources. The IPC Education & Training Resource Library includes state and national resources related to healthcare-associated infections, antimicrobial resistance and/or IPC. Visit the VIPTA FAQ page to learn more about VIPTA library content.

 

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