Virginia Infection Prevention & Control Training Alliance (VIPTA)

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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Hand Hygiene with Florence Nightingale. Image of woman emerging from photo frame.

May 5th is World Hand Hygiene Day

Mark your calendars because May 5th is no ordinary day—it’s World Hand Hygiene Day! It’s time to roll up our sleeves and celebrate the power of clean hands in keeping us all healthy. We know it’s not always easy to find the right tools to keep those hands squeaky clean. Fear not, because we’ve got your back with an exciting bundle of resources that’ll make hand hygiene a breeze!

🛠️ Toolkit: APIC Toolkit for Patient Hand Hygiene

  • About this resource: This toolkit is an all-encompassing resource designed to empower healthcare professionals like you to champion hand hygiene practices among patients and residents.
  • Target Audience: Foundational IPC education

📽️ Video: Virginia Infection Prevention Training Center – Hand Hygiene with Florence Nightingale

  • About this resource: Get ready to be entertained and educated when Florence Nightingale comes to life to tell a memorable and short story on how to perform hand hygiene and why it matters in healthcare.
  • Target Audience: Foundational IPC education level

💻 Technology: Speedy Audit

So, gear up, spread the word, and let’s make this World Hand Hygiene Day the cleanest one yet!

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: Reporting Adverse Events in Children Following Exposure to THC and CBD Containing Products (4/24/2024)
VDH
Acute Care Hospital
Ambulatory (Outpatient) Care
Department of Health
Pediatric / NICU
Surveillance
VDH: Increase in Meningococcal Disease: Ongoing Statewide Outbreak and Local Detections of a Separate Antibiotic Resistant Strain (4/11/2024)
VDH
Any Practice Setting
Department of Health
Emergency Preparedness & Operations
Outbreak Investigation
Surveillance
CMS Proposed Rule: Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment Systems for Acute Care Hospitals and the Long-Term Care Hospital Prospective Payment System and Policy Changes and Fiscal Year 2025 Rates (4/10/2024)
CMS
Acute Care Hospital
Nursing Home / Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF)
Regulatory Compliance
Mpox waste management guidance updated (4/5/2024)
CDC
Acute Care Hospital
Department of Health
Emergency Preparedness & Operations
Guide to the Utilization of the Microbiology Laboratory for Diagnosis of Infectious Diseases: 2024 Update by the Infectious Diseases Society of America and the American Society for Microbiology (3/2024)
IDSA
Acute Care Hospital
Ambulatory (Outpatient) Care
Antimicrobial & Diagnostic Stewardship
Regulatory Compliance
Surveillance

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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