Hospitals bring together people suffering infections and people unusually susceptible to infections. The resulting risk has required developing a foundational practice of infection prevention and control (ICP) that includes administrative leadership and policies; environmental design and maintenance; recognition of universal as well as disease-specific risks which are managed through universal or tailored behavioral practices and protective equipment; and epidemiologic surveillance of and response to infection events.
Special measures to address the risk of COVID-19 must be built on this foundation of pre-existing IPC competency and practice. It is beyond the scope of EMBRACE-IP to describe all of the professional knowledge of infection preventionists. Instead we must assume knowledge and maintenance of basic IPC competencies while pointing out novel policies or practices related to the pandemic.
The Association of Professionals in Infection Control and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are two organizations that work together to codify good infection prevention and control practices. The professional standards and guidelines of these organizations typically form the basis of licensing and credentialling needed to operate a hospital and many other healthcare organizations. For convenience, the following links lead to key resources on both basic and advanced infection prevention and control.
APIC Text Online (online textbook requires annual subscription)
APIC Implementation Guides
APIC Scientific Guidelines
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and APIC Guideline for Isolation Precautions
Special Pathogens Network: a federally recognized collective of hospitals, public health entities, and first-responder organizations from across Colorado with special knowledge and expertise in highly infectious diseases. Now providing on-site training in infection prevention and control. The Special Pathogens Network (thespn.org)
Project Firstline (Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment): Project Firstline aims to prepare frontline health care professionals – from clinicians to environmental service workers – and the public health workforce to protect themselves, their patients and their communities from infectious disease threats, such as coronavirus disease (COVID-19). Project Firstline will begin with short, no-cost, web-based, intensive modules focused on foundational concepts of infection prevention and control and grounded in behavior change principles and practices. This training will ensure every worker in every setting is empowered with the science and reasoning behind essential IPC practices, and can confidently apply those practices to protect themselves, their facility, their family, and their community.
Minnesota High Consequence Infectious Disease Toolbox for Frontline Health Care Facilities - Minnesota Dept. of Health (state.mn.us). COVID-19 is but one example of a high-consequence infectious disease. This toolkit provides generic tools for many similar infectious disease scenarios.
