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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Infection Control Starts with your EVS Cart

It’s Not Just a Room Turnover: It’s Infection Prevention 

Did you know that patients admitted to rooms where the previous occupant had a multidrug-resistant organism (MDRO) face a higher risk of acquiring that same organism? Every day, environmental services (EVS) professionals work alongside frontline healthcare staff to reduce this risk and protect patients and residents. When we support EVS teams, we strengthen the entire infection prevention system.

What to Expect and How to Use It: With some EVS staff receiving as little as three days of training, and 83% learning on the job, education needs to be quick, practical, and built into their daily workflow.

  • Onboarding: Project Firstline Training Toolkit for Environmental Services (EVS) Staff – A comprehensive training plan that builds both the why and the how, helping EVS staff confidently step into their role as essential infection prevention team members.
  • New Refreshers: CDC EVS Microlearns – Quick, practical micro-learns covering key topics like contact time, when to change gloves, and maintaining clean and safe EVS carts, perfect for reinforcing skills in just a few minutes.
  • New Observation & Support: VDH Daily Room Cleaning Checklist – A simple, structured checklist to guide room cleaning from start to finish, helping standardize workflows and ensure no critical steps are missed.

Target Audience: Essential 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.

CDC: Considerations for Reducing Risk – Water in Healthcare Facilities (2/6/2026)
CDC
Any Practice Setting
Water Management
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Considerations for Reducing Risk: Water in Healthcare Facilities (February 6, 2026) CDC recommends establishing a water management program that identifies risk areas in a facility’s water system and implements controls to prevent harmful pathogens like Legionella. The program should be routinely monitored, documented, and adjusted to ensure it remains effective and responsive to changing conditions.
ASHRAE: Ventilation of Healthcare Facilities (2/16/2026)
Any Practice Setting
Air Quality
Ventilator
The American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE)  Ventilation of Healthcare Facilities (02/16/2026)   The 2025 edition of ANSI/ASHRAE/ASHE Standard 170 outlines minimum ventilation requirements for health care facilities, emphasizing compliance and best practices for HVAC system design.  Key updates include the option for natural ventilation, total outdoor air calculations for combined spaces, and clarified requirements for imaging and outpatient areas. 
CDC: Updated 2026 National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) Surveillance Protocols (January 2026)
CDC
Any Practice Setting
Department of Health
Surveillance
CDC updated the NHSN Patient Safety Component Manual, including Antimicrobial Use and Resistance (AUR) Module protocols and data definitions used for facility reporting. These updates include new documentation and reporting guidance, effective for 2026 surveillance. A summary of updates is available on the CDC website. 
APIC: New White Paper on Centralized Health-Associated Infection Surveillance Programs and Micro-Credential to Advance Centralized HAI Surveillance and Patient Safety (1/20/2026)
APIC
Any Practice Setting
Department of Health
Surveillance
This paper offers guidance and expert perspectives on implementing centralized surveillance programs for healthcare-associated infections (HAI) data within health systems, a key step toward more standardized HAI measurement and prevention. It emphasizes improving surveillance accuracy, data use, and patient safety. 
VDH: Clinician Letter: Respiratory Illness and Measles Updates for Virginia (1/21/2026)
VDH
Acute Care Hospital
Ambulatory (Outpatient) Care
Department of Health
Outbreak Investigation
Standard Precautions
Vaccination
The clinician letter reports that respiratory illness activity in Virginia has declined but influenza-related hospitalizations remain elevated, and clinicians should continue vaccination, testing, and prompt antiviral treatment for high-risk patients.   The letter also warns of ongoing measles cases and exposures in Virginia, urging clinicians to maintain a high index of suspicion, immediately isolate suspected cases, notify public health, and ensure staff and patients have documented MMR immunity.  
Carilion IPs Promote Health and Prevention at Hollins University

Carilion IPs Promote Health and Prevention at Hollins University

The Carilion Clinic Infection Prevention and Control team recently took part in an exceptional community outreach event at the annual Hollins University Student Health Fair on April 23, 2025, engaging directly with students and staff on important health topics.

Carilion’s Infection Preventionists (IPs) brought energy, expertise, and education to the event, delivering interactive presentations focused on:

  • Hand hygiene
  • Sun safety
  • Sexual health and STD prevention

In an inspiring show of mentorship and collaboration, the IP team was joined by a student intern who contributed a powerful perspective on mental health, especially as it relates to substance abuse and infectious diseases such as Hepatitis C.

Together, the team connected with the Hollins community, reinforcing the importance of everyday practices that protect personal and public health. Their efforts reflect the vital role IPs play not only in healthcare settings, but also in community outreach and education.

Thank you to the Carilion IP team for your commitment to health promotion and prevention. Your involvement in events like this strengthens the bridge between healthcare and the communities we serve!

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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