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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Promo image of 2026 Infection Prevention Educator Roadshow

Ready, Set, Educate! Infection Prevention Educator Roadshow 2026

Infection prevention education keeps healthcare staff on their toes. From emerging diseases to new multidrug-resistant organism (MDRO) challenges and changing guidance, training needs can shift fast. The 2026 Infection Prevention Educator Roadshow is here to help you stay ready with hands-on tools, fresh ideas, and practical strategies built for today’s ever-changing healthcare environment. 

More About the Roadshow 

  • Leave with practical educator supplies, resources, and fresh ideas to strengthen your training toolkit 
  • Connect with fellow infection preventionists, designated infection control officers, and health educators from across Virginia 
  • Explore real-world strategies that make infection prevention education more interactive, memorable, and effective  
  • Gain confidence teaching in fast-changing healthcare environments where flexibility matters more than ever 

For questions about this training resource, contact hai@vdh.virginia.gov. 

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.

APIC: New Toolkit to Address Problematic Manufacturer Instructions for Use for Non‑Critical Devices (5/08/2026)
APIC
Any Practice Setting
Department of Health
Quality Improvement
Regulatory Compliance
New Toolkit to Address Problematic Manufacturer Instructions for Use for Non‑Critical Devices: This toolkit provides practical strategies and resources to help healthcare professionals address problems with manufacturer instructions for use (IFUs) for non-critical medical devices. It supports infection preventionists in safely reprocessing devices when IFUs are unclear, incomplete, or difficult to follow.  *Access this resource with a free APIC account.
VDH Clinician Letter: Measles Outbreak in Buckingham County (5/13/2026)
VDH
Any Practice Setting
Department of Health
Outbreak Investigation
Measles Outbreak in Buckingham County: Outlines key case details, emphasizes prompt public health notification, reminds healthcare workers to watch for measles symptoms to prevent spread, and encourages providers to promote MMR vaccination and check immunization status.
CDC: Core Elements of Hospital Diagnostic Excellence (DxEx) (February 4, 2026)
CDC
Acute Care Hospital
Acute Care Rehabilitation or Long-Term Care Acute Hospital (LTACH)
Assisted Living Facility (ALF)
Department of Health
Hospice and Palliative Care
Nursing Home / Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF)
Core Elements of Hospital Diagnostic Excellence (DxEx) (February 4, 2026) The Diagnostic excellence (DxEx) provides guidance to implement actionable strategies within hospitals to enhance diagnostic accuracy through improved diagnostic reasoning, testing methodologies, and communication processes, ultimately elevating patient safety standards. It encourages the implementation of systematic approaches and evidence-based practices for improving diagnostic processes, ultimately aiming to reduce errors and increase patient safety across healthcare settings.
CDC: Clostridioides difficile Infection (CDI) Surveillance (March 19, 2026)
CDC
Any Practice Setting
Department of Health
Surveillance
Clostridioides difficile Infection (CDI) Surveillance (March 19, 2026) The guidance on Clostridioides difficile (C. diff) emphasizes the importance of implementing prevention strategies, including appropriate antibiotic use, enhanced infection control practices, and patient education to reduce the incidence of C. diff infections in healthcare settings. It highlights the role of the Emerging Infections Program (EIP) in monitoring C. diff cases, promoting research on infection trends, and improving response efforts to effectively manage outbreaks and improve patient care.
VDH: Clinician Letter – Updates on Virginia Department of Health Vaccine Recommendations (2/19/2026)
VDH
Department of Health
Pediatric / NICU
Vaccination
Clinician Letter: Updates on Virginia Department of Health Vaccine Recommendations (2/19/2026) The clinician letter reports that Virginia recommends continued use of the American Academy of Pediatrics 2026 immunization schedule despite recent federal changes, emphasizing that current vaccine guidance should remain grounded in established scientific evidence and clinical best practices. The letter also states that there are no changes to Virginia school immunization requirements and urges clinicians to continue offering recommended vaccines and use clinical judgment in shared decision-making with patients and families.

Infection Prevention Made Fun: Creative Ideas for Staff Involvement

This month we are celebrating Reenaba Chudasama and her great infection prevention education at Jones & Cabacoy Veterans Care Center (JCVCC), part of the Department of Veterans Services. Reenaba attended the VDH Infection Prevention Educator Roadshow and loved the creative ideas for education that were shared there. She used some of these ideas at her long-term care and skilled nursing facility to get the frontline staff engaged in activities involving infection prevention and control. Here are some of the fun activities they did:

  • “Did You Clean Your Hands”: Staff used GloGerm to assess the quality of their hand washing skills. Once they successfully removed the GloGerm, they had 30 seconds to fill up a bottle of hand sanitizer and kept however much they were able to fill as a reward.
  • “Magic of Memes”: Staff created infection prevention memes and posted them on their communication channels.
  • “Who Let the Bug Out”: Staff dressed up in germ costumes and paraded around the facility, asking staff members and residents how they would handle them.
  • “Basket-Call” game: Staff were presented with simulated dirty linen, regular trash, and regulated medical waste and had to dispose of it correctly in given time.
  • “Cause it’s Everyone’s Business”: Each department made a two-to-five-minute video showing how their department contributes to infection prevention. The facility’s maintenance department did one about plumbing and how they help reduce waterborne diseases!
  • “Golden Pen Award”: Award given for the best infection prevention notes and nursing assessment. The winner got a shout out on the facility’s communication channel.

🌟Awesome job, Reenaba, for all the ways that you’ve inspired your staff to take an active role in infection prevention!

📢Let the VIPTA Cheers for Peers team know if you decide to follow Reenaba’s lead and try out some of these fun infection prevention education activities in your workplace!

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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