INFECTION CONTROL POLICY STATEMENT

 

POLICY STATEMENT:

The Division of Veterans Healthcare Services requires each of the New Jersey Veterans Memorial Homes to establish an Infection Prevention and Control Program, conducted by an Infection Control Committee responsible to review all infection control policies and procedures, periodically review infection control surveillance data, and formulate recommendations to the administrator regarding infection control activities.

PURPOSE:

This policy/procedure shall serve to ensure that each of the New Jersey Veterans Memorial Homes establish an active Infection Prevention and Control Program responsible for the review of all infection prevention and control policies and procedures, periodically review infection control surveillance data, and formulate recommendations to the administrator.

PROCEDURE:

A. New Jersey Veterans Memorial Homes

  1. The New Jersey Veterans Memorial Homes shall establish an Infection Control Committee (cross refer to Policy and Procedure 13-02-003 in this manual), which shall include representatives of at least administration, nursing, medical, dietary, housekeeping/environmental services, and pharmacy staff who, under the direction of a qualified Infection Control Coordinator [8:39-19.1(b)], shall develop and implement an Infection Control Program comprised of the following:
  a. An authority statement for the Infection Control Practitioner and Physician member to implement immediate control measures deemed necessary to prevent and control infections.
  i. The Infection Control Practitioner and Physician member of the Infection Control Committee have the authority to immediately institute any appropriate control measures or studies where there are any indications of risks from infections to residents or personnel.
 

b. An Infection Control Committee is responsible to review infection surveillance practices and establish policies and procedures for identifying, controlling, and monitoring infections and staff performance.

c. Establishment of the classifications and sites of Nosocomial Infections, and monitor these areas on a routine basis, i.e., Urinary Tract Infections, Respiratory Infections, Gastrointestinal, Skin and Subcutaneous Infections.

d. An “Employee Health Program”, monitoring the employee pre- and post-employment. This includes any blood borne exposure incidents.

e. Monitor the resident immunization and screening programs, and provide follow-up with the Department of Health and Senior Services regarding all reportable diseases.

f. Environmental surveillance for the areas of resident living space, equipment used in providing resident care, laundry services, and dietary services.

g. The development, implementation and monitoring of all resident care procedures.

h. The development, implementation and monitoring of alternative procedures for use as isolation or precautionary measurers.

i. Any necessary procedures that determine the special management of diseases transmitted to and from personnel such as, but not limited to, Tuberculosis, Pneumonia, Influenza, Herpes Zoster, Multi Drug Resident (MDR) infections.

j. Establish resident pre-admission and re-admission screening policies.

k. Monitor the use of antibiotics and treatments.

l. Educational programs to increase the staff awareness of infectious diseases, and the importance of prompt reporting and treatment, as well as proper infection control practices.

 

 

 

Revised: July 2005


 

 

INFECTION CONTROL - 19-02-001

 

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