Nursing Home / Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF) Archives

Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America (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 management of shared medical equipment, toys, common spaces, visitors, breastfeeding, skin-to-skin contact, and caregiver-child interactions.

Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS)

CDC: Core Elements of Hospital Diagnostic Excellence (DxEx) (February 4, 2026)

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.

Infection Prevention Quick Guide-Enhanced Barrier Precautions

The Infection Prevention Quick Guide for Enhanced Barrier Precautions is a checklist developed by the Virginia Department of Health (VDH). It is a step-by-step review of infection prevention and control activities regarding the use of Enhanced Barrier Precautions in Nursing Homes.

IPC Foundation Level

English

Print Resources

Checklist

QR Codes

Clinical/Direct Healthcare Personnel

Infection Preventionist

Nursing Home/Skilled Nursing Facility

Cleaning & Disinfection

Enhanced Barrier Precautions

Hand Hygiene

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

Standard Precautions

Wound Care

Multidrug Resistant Organisms (MDRO)

Bed Bugs: Quick Guide for Nursing Home IPs

The infection prevention quick guide for bed bugs is a resource that provides key concepts to alleviate a bed bug infestation in a nursing home. The quick guide includes a checklist of actions to take, templates for communication to residents and staff and additional resources and contacts to help mitigate the problem.

IPC Foundational Level

English

Print Resources

Checklist

Infection Preventionist

Nursing Home / Skilled Nursing Facility

Assisted Living Facility

Behavioral Health Facilities

Cleaning & Disinfection

Physical Environment / Environment of Care (EOC)

Outbreak Investigation

Bed Bugs

AHRQ: Toolkit for Improving Skin Care and MDRO Prevention in Long-Term Care Settings

Toolkit for Improving Skin Care and Multidrug-Resistant Organism (MDRO) Prevention in Long-Term Care Settings 
- Clinical topics in the toolkit center around four key strategies to protect skin and prevent infection: (1) Keep skin clean and safe; (2) Reduce MDRO transmission; (3) Use antibiotics wisely; and (4) Clean high-touch surfaces. 
- The toolkit also includes “teachable moments.” These documents use real-world healthcare scenarios to reinforce concepts related to skin care and infection prevention.

SHEA: Multisociety Guidance for Infection Prevention and Control in Nursing Homes (10/20/2025)

SHEA/APIC: Multisociety Guidance for Infection Prevention and Control in Nursing Homes (10/28/2025)

This guidance document updates the 2008 SHEA/Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC) guideline: Infection Prevention and Control in the Long-Term Care Facility and is intended to assist nursing homes in the United States in defining and implementing their infection prevention and control (IPC) programs and practices.
Recommendations and implementation suggestions address IPC leadership, staffing, and resources, healthcare personnel and residents‘ adherence to precautions and effective hand hygiene, outbreak preparedness, training, occupational health, cleaning and disinfection in the care environment, and the involvement of IPC in the facility.

APIC: Guide to Preventing Cather-Associated Bloodstream Infections in Adults (7/29/2025)

CMS: Proposed Rules for Prospective Payment Systems and Quality Reporting Programs (4/30/2025)

CMS published proposed rules for prospective payment systems and quality reporting programs for multiple healthcare facility types.
- FY2026 Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment Systems for Acute Care Hospitals and the Long-Term Care Hospital Prospective Payment System - Proposed Rule (4/30/2025)
- FY2026 Prospective Payment System for Skilled Nursing Facilities and Updates to the Quality Reporting Program – Proposed Rule (4/30/2025)
- FY2026 Inpatient Rehabilitation Facility Prospective Payment System and Quality Reporting Program - Proposed Rule (4/30/2025)
- FY2026 Inpatient Psychiatric Facilities Prospective Payment System - Proposed Rule (4/30/2025)
- Content within these proposals applicable to infection prevention and control includes technical updates to National Healthcare Safety Network healthcare-associated infection measures, removal of COVID-19 healthcare personnel vaccination reporting measures, and removal of health equity measures.