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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Short Training Videos from Virginia Infection Prevention Training Center (VIPTC)

VIPTC developed a series of infection prevention and control (IPC) educational videos for healthcare workers.  

  • Short videos (3-6 minutes in length) 
  • Fun and visually engaging for a fresh take on IPC topics 

Ways to Share this Resource

  • Great nuggets to drop into quick meetings, huddles, emails, or trainings 
  • Perfect for sharing during International Infection Prevention Week (October 15-21) 

Target Audience: Foundational to Intermediate IPC Education Levels 

Videos

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.

CMS Fiscal Year 2027 Acute Care Hospital and Long-Term Care Hospital (LTCH) Prospective Payment System Final Rule: CMS-1849-F (8/04/2026)
CMS
Acute Care Hospital
Acute Care Rehabilitation or Long-Term Care Acute Hospital (LTACH)
Quality Improvement
CMS updated Medicare payment and quality requirements for hospitals and LTCHs. The Hospital-Acquired Condition Reduction Program (HACRP) will continue. Hospitals with the poorest performance on hospital-acquired conditions may lose 1% of Medicare fee-for-service payment.
CMS Fiscal Year 2027 Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF) Prospective Payment System Final Rule: (7/31/2026)
CMS
Nursing Home / Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF)
Quality Improvement
CMS will remove two COVID-19 vaccination measures from the SNF Quality Reporting Program beginning in FY 2028.SNFs will no longer report COVID-19 vaccination coverage for healthcare workers or whether residents are up to date through this program. Facilities should still follow current CDC vaccination guidance and CMS infection control requirements.
Surveillance for Candida auris — United States, 2022–2024 (07/02/2026)
CDC
Acute Care Hospital
Acute Care Rehabilitation or Long-Term Care Acute Hospital (LTACH)
Department of Health
Nursing Home / Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF)
Surveillance
CDC reported continued growth of Candida auris in U.S. healthcare settings from 2022–2024. Clinical cases increased from 2,882 to 6,197, and screening cases increased from 6,226 to 12,432. CDC emphasizes continued C. auris screening of high-risk patients, appropriate Transmission-Based Precautions, use of disinfectants effective against C. auris, communication of C. auris status during transfers, antifungal susceptibility testing, and strong coordination between healthcare facilities and public health to limit further transmission.

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...

Effective Partnerships, Safe Communities

Old Dominion Rehabilitation and Nursing demonstrated exceptional commitment to resident and community safety during recent healthcare-associated infection and multidrug-resistant organism outbreak responses. Andrea Hart, Infection Preventionist and Sheila Clements, Director of Nursing, provided strong, effective leadership, working seamlessly with local and regional health departments to quickly address infection control gaps, implement public health guidance, and strengthen prevention practices.  

Transparent communication and a collaborative mindset were key to the facility’s success, enabling timely, coordinated, and highly effective outbreak containment. This partnership also fostered lasting improvements in infection prevention that extend well beyond the immediate responses.  

The VDH Eastern Region Infection Preventionist worked closely with the facility and commended its leadership for their professionalism, adaptability, and dedication to safety. Through consistent communication, on-site and remote support, and shared problem-solving, the team implemented evidence-based interventions and piloted new tools to enhance outbreak readiness.  

The success of these outbreak responses underscores the power of strong partnerships between long-term care facilities and public health teams. Old Dominion Rehabilitation and Nursing’s collaborative approach exemplifies excellence in long-term care leadership and a shared commitment to protecting residents, staff, and the community. 

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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