The Arkansas Department of Health would like to introduce a free, confidential, and non-regulatory resource for your team. The ADH HAI program has three certified infection control (CIC) infection prevention nurses (IPs), housed across the state who would like to come and discuss infection prevention strategies and assist with addressing any identified gaps to help guide quality improvement activities within your facility. The IPs will work with you and your team to review and meet Center of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) best practices.
If you or your team would like to participate in an assessment, click the link here to request an ICAR visit and, ideally, you will receive communication regarding your request within two business days.
Communication is a key component of infection prevention and control (IPC). The Arkansas Department of Health (ADH) recommends the use of a facility transfer form to help maintain safety and continuity of care when transferring a patient/resident intra-facility (movement within a single facility) or inter-facility (movement from one facility to another).
It is recommended that a facility utilize their current intra-facility and inter-facility transfer form to communicate a holistic representation of a patient’s care.
Additionally, a companion tool to help reduce transmission of an infectious organism is recommended. This tool should provide details for containment and safety regarding multi-drug resistant organism(s) (MDROs) identified due to active infection or colonization requiring transmission-based precautions and/or enhanced barrier precautions . The following are examples* of who should receive this communication tool:
- healthcare facility receiving the patient (inter-facility)
- healthcare facility department receiving the patient (intra-facility)
- outpatient healthcare facilities
- healthcare transport services
- home health personnel
- private caregivers
- appropriate family member
An Infectious Organism Transfer Form has been created to facilitate this important communication piece.
Instructions and recommendations for use:
To complete manually:
- Click the link below to access form.
- Press the “ctrl” key + “P” key to print the blank form.
- Complete form manually.
- Use as part of your verbal handoff and include with transfer papers.
To complete electronically:
- Complete the form.
- Press the “ctrl” + “P” to print the completed form.
- Use as part of your verbal handoff and include with transfer papers.
The AHCA (American Health Care Association) Toolkit for Infection Control is a comprehensive resource designed to help long-term care facilities and other healthcare providers implement effective infection prevention and control practices. The toolkit provides guidelines, best practices, and tools to prevent the spread of infectious diseases within healthcare settings. It covers areas such as hand hygiene, personal protective equipment (PPE) usage, environmental cleaning, and outbreak management. The goal is to ensure the safety of both residents and staff by minimizing the risk of healthcare-associated infections (HAIs).
Resources:
- Facility Transfer Form
- AR MDRO Tiers | B&W version
- Carbapenemase-Producing Organism Fact Sheet
- Candida Auris (flyer)
- HAI/AR Outbreak Roles and Responsibilities
Contact Information
Healthcare-Associated Infections
4815 W. Markham St., Slot 42
Little Rock, AR
Phone: 501-280-4368
