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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Wrap It Up: Infection Prevention Wound Care Resources

We’ve done the wrapping and you get to open the educational package! Whether you’re refreshing staff education, strengthening your wound care program, or looking for practical teaching tools, these free resources are ready to help you put infection prevention into practice.

What to Expect:

Wound Care Educational Handout: A colorful, easy-to-follow visual resource that highlights key infection prevention practices before, during, and after wound care.

TRAIN Virginia Wound Care Series: Start with “VDH: Wound Care Infection Risks and Your Infection Prevention Program” (Course ID 1127475) and continue through the full series exploring infection prevention principles, common infection transmission risks, and evidence-based practices through interactive scenarios and knowledge checks.

VDH Wound Care Infection Prevention and Control Guidance & Observation Tool: A ready-to-use observation checklist that you can use for audits, competency validation, and helps standardize wound care practices across your facility.

How to use it:

  • Observe before you educate. Use the observation tool to identify your team’s strengths and opportunities, then tailor education to the practices you actually see instead of guessing where knowledge gaps exist.
  • Make observations less intimidating. Use the checklist as a coaching tool rather than an audit, creating opportunities for real-time feedback and discussion.
  • Who else should be trained? Anyone who assists during wound care, including nursing assistants and other healthcare personnel who provide an extra set of hands, should understand infection prevention practices that help protect the patient.

Target Audience: Foundational & Intermediate IPC Education Level

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.

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.
VDH: Clinician Letter – Public Health Updates on Measles, Ebola Preparedness, and Travel-Associated Illnesses (6/03/2026)
VDH
Acute Care Hospital
Ambulatory (Outpatient) Care
Department of Health
Emergency Medical Services (EMS)
Pediatric / NICU
Emergency Preparedness & Operations
Vaccination
Clinician Letter: Public Health Updates on Measles, Ebola Preparedness, and Travel-Associated Illnesses (6/03/2026) This clinician letter provides updates on rising measles activity, Ebola preparedness, and travel-associated illnesses. Protect patients and staff by maintaining a high index of suspicion, assessing travel history, following infection control guidance, ensuring vaccination coverage, and promptly reporting suspected cases to your local health department.
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.

What’s In Your Water?

Hayley Andrews, an infection preventionist in the southwest region of Virginia, used her curious mind and a desire to educate others to help uncover environmental contamination that caused an illness in one of her patients.

Hayley’s facility admitted a patient with sepsis, and blood cultures grew Aeromonas hydrophila.  Because Hayley had never heard of this organism, she researched it and learned that it is typically a waterborne organism.  Hayley took this information to the nursing unit where the patient was located and the patient’s son heard her educating the nurses about Aeromonas.  He joined in and mentioned that his mom had a well and he was concerned that it may be contaminated.

The health department visited the home and tested the water. Sure enough, it was contaminated with Aeromonas and other organisms, and failed potability testing. The health department was able to get the patient an alternate, safe water source upon her discharge to prevent further infection until her well water could be remediated. 

Thank you, Hayley! Your diligence prevented this patient from getting sick again, and perhaps prevented other neighbors from a similar outcome! 

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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