title: Infection control programs in twelve North Carolina extended care facilities.
abstract: To assess the scope of infection control programs in extended care facilities, 1-day surveys were conducted in 12 North Carolina facilities over an 8-month period using a standardized questionnaire. All 12 facilities had a designated infection control practitioner (ICP), although none had attended an infection control education course. Eleven had an Infection Control Committee of which 8 (73%) met regularly. The Director of Nurses generally (58%) was the ICP and spent about 2 hr/wk on infection control. Ten (83%) facilities conducted infection surveillance among residents but did not accurately compute nosocomial infection rates. Eleven (92%) facilities had employee health programs that included preemployment and annual tuberculosis screening. None had a comprehensive resident health program. Infection control aspects of patient care practices often varied from facility to facility. Nosocomial infection surveillance among 336 residents in 9 facilities using modified CDC criteria revealed an overall prevalence rate of 5.4%. Additional infections were suspected but not included because of limitations of laboratory data and chart documentation.
mesh_terms: D003428:Cross Infection / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D004032:Diet; D006796:Household Work; D006801:Humans; D006875:Hydrotherapy; D017053:Infection Control; D009786:Occupational Health Services; D010356:Patient Isolation; D012866:Skilled Nursing Facilities