When limited resources make it challenging for long-term-care facilities to manage infection prevention, sales reps can help.
No matter how diligent long-term care facilities are when it comes to addressing infection control issues, there is always room for improvement, according to Sherrie Dornberger, RN, executive director, National Association of Directors of Nursing Administration/Long-Term Care. Overall, they do a “terrific job,” she says. Nevertheless, “infection prevention and control programs vary by facility, particularly since many long-term-care facilities don’t have a dedicated infection preventionist on staff,” she says. In addition, limited staffing and insufficient supplies can make it very difficult for administrators and staff to effectively perform necessary infection prevention activities.
Meeting the challenge
“I believe the biggest infection control challenges long-term-care administrators face stem from the reality that long-term care facilities and their residents are at inherently increased risk of infection,” says Dornberger. “Regular person-to-person contact, and contact with objects and surfaces in the facility, is an integral part of residential care, but it is also a primary risk factor for acquiring and spreading pathogens. Along the same lines, [while] decreased immune function is a normal part of the aging process, in long-term-care facilities, various medical conditions, increased incontinence, memory loss and dementia, and decreased skin integrity can make elderly populations especially vulnerable to infection.
“Another challenge is that clinical staff in long-term care facilities cannot rely on isolation precautions to the same extent as acute-care settings because of the negative effect isolation can have on residents’ well-being,” she continues. “This makes other infection prevention efforts and overall facility cleanliness especially important.”
In spite of these challenges, long-term-care administrators and staff are aware of the issues at hand and do their best to address them, starting with appearance and overall cleanliness. “For both consumers and facility administrators, concerns about appearance, general cleanliness and the risk of infection are frequently intertwined,” says Dornberger. “By all accounts, cleanliness is a key consideration in the selection of a long-term care or assisted living facility. A recent Clorox Professional Products Company survey of U.S. adults with a friend or family member in a long-term care facility found that 71 percent cite overall cleanliness as a top factor influencing their decision to select a long-term-care facility.
“Common problems such as urine odors and stains can have a huge impact on families’ and potential residents’ perceptions of cleanliness, quality of life and sense of wellbeing,” she continues. “Therefore, eliminating odors and maintaining a clean environment is crucial. The U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) even suggests that consumers evaluate facilities for odor as part of their decision-making process.”
While consumer perceptions are important in that they can impact a facility’s bottom line, facility administrators usually are aware that cleanliness has a direct impact on infection prevention, says Dornberger. “Unpleasant odors and visibly stained or soiled surfaces can signal the presence of harmful microorganisms, such as Shigella, Salmonella, Hepatitis A, E. coli and Norovirus, all of which are associated with outbreaks of illness,” she points out. “Lapses in infection prevention protocols – including cleaning and disinfection – are often correlated with citations by the CMS Survey and Certification, which can also impact business.”
Distributor sales reps can help their customers stay on track by providing them with appropriate educational resources and ready-to-use products, says Dornberger. “The best way for sales teams to help support infection prevention and control in long-term-care facilities is to make sure that customers have the right products and appropriate training and education they need for the job,” she says. “All long-term care facility staff members need to understand existing and emerging pathogens of concern and the recommended cleaning and disinfecting products and procedures to best address them. For instance, when dealing with C. difficile, using bleach or EPA-registered bleach-based products are the best options, because alcohol and quaternary-ammonium compound based products will not kill C. difficile spores. Manufacturers often have educational resources and training tools available to aid in correct product usage, she adds.
Many long-term-care facilities are under tight budget constraints and often look for ways to do “more with less,” says Dornberger. To service them, there are many product solutions on the market that have multiple applications and are designed to meet the diverse needs of a long-term care setting, she points out. “For example, facilities may be interested in products that can clean and disinfect in one step or that are effective on both hard and soft surfaces,” she says. “Likewise, sales reps can offer ready-to-use products, which do not need to be diluted before use, thereby reducing the risk of staff error.” Products such as this can make life easier for administrators and staff, as well as enhance the quality of life for residents, she adds.
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