Long-term Care Facility Resources

Please see below for resources to support long-term care facility (LTCF) healthcare-associated infection (HAI) prevention activities. 

To report a communicable disease or if you have any questions, please contact DuPage County Health Department (DCHD) at 630-221-7553.

The Reportable Diseases List (PDF) outlines the conditions that must be reported to DCHD in accordance with Illinois Law, and the time frame in which reporting must occur: immediately, within 24 hours or within seven days. This document also lists the appropriate telephone number(s) to call in order to make a report.

To receive important updates from Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH), please sign up for SIREN alerts by visiting http://www.dph.illinois.gov/siren for registration instructions.

General Infection Prevention

• Infection Control Guidelines Library: https://www.cdc.gov/infectioncontrol/guidelines/index.html
• Guideline for Isolation Precautions: Preventing Transmission of Infectious Agents in Healthcare Settings (2007): https://www.cdc.gov/infectioncontrol/guidelines/isolation/index.html
• Type and Duration of Precautions Recommended for Selected Infections and Conditions: https://www.cdc.gov/infectioncontrol/guidelines/isolation/appendix/type-duration-precautions.html
• Infection Control Assessment and Response Tools: https://www.cdc.gov/infectioncontrol/tools/index.html or https://www.cdc.gov/hai/prevent/infection-control-assessment-tools.html
• A Unit Guide to Infection Prevention for Long-Term Care Staff:
  https://www.ahrq.gov/hai/quality/tools/cauti-ltc/modules/resources/guides/infection-prevent.html
• Strategies to Mitigate Cross Contamination of Non-Critical Medical Devices: 
  https://apic.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/IssueBrief_NonCritical_Medical_Devices_Final.pdf and
  https://apic.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Infographic_noncritical_is_critical.pdf
• Project Firstline - CDC’s National Training Collaborative for Healthcare Infection Control: https://www.cdc.gov/infectioncontrol/projectfirstline/index.html

Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)

• Updated Interim Guidance for Nursing Homes and Other Licensed Long-Term Care Facilities: https://dph.illinois.gov/covid19/community-guidance/long-term-care.html
• Interim COVID-19 Guidelines for Assisted Living and Other Higher Risk Community Congregate Living Settings (PDF)
• Interim Infection Prevention and Control Recommendations to Prevent SARS-CoV-2 Spread in Nursing Homes: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/long-term-care.html
• Interim Guidance for Managing Healthcare Personnel with SARS-CoV-2 Infection or Exposure to SARS-CoV-2: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/guidance-risk-assesment-hcp.html
• Strategies to Mitigate Healthcare Personnel Staffing Shortages: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/mitigating-staff-shortages.html
• COVID-19 Vaccines for Long-term Care Residents: 
  https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/recommendations/LTCF-residents.html
• Rapid Response Team Vaccination/Therapeutics Services Availability for Illinois Long Term Care Facilities (PDF)

Healthcare-associated Infections and Multidrug-resistant Organisms

• Implementation of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) in Nursing Homes to Prevent Spread of Novel or Targeted Multidrug-resistant Organisms (MDROs): https://www.cdc.gov/hai/containment/PPE-Nursing-Homes.html
• Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Enhanced Barrier Precautions in Nursing Homes: https://www.cdc.gov/hai/containment/faqs.html
• Facility Guidance for Control of Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE): https://www.cdc.gov/hai/pdfs/cre/CRE-guidance-508.pdf
• Infection Prevention and Control for Candida auris: https://www.cdc.gov/fungal/candida-auris/c-auris-infection-control.html
• Inter-Facility Infection Control Transfer Form for States Establishing HAI Prevention Collaboratives: https://www.cdc.gov/hai/pdfs/toolkits/Interfacility-IC-Transfer-Form-508.pdf
• Healthcare-associated Infections (HAIs) & Antimicrobial Resistance (AR) Prevention Program: https://dph.illinois.gov/topics-services/prevention-wellness/patient-safety-quality/hai-ar-prevention.html
• Case report form for CRE
• Case report form for Candida auris 

Antimicrobial Stewardship

• Core Elements of Antibiotic Stewardship for Nursing Homes: https://www.cdc.gov/antibiotic-use/core-elements/nursing-homes.html
• Antibiotic Prescribing and Use - Patient Resources and Education: https://www.cdc.gov/antibiotic-use/materials-references/index.html
• Healthcare Professional Resources and Training: https://www.cdc.gov/antibiotic-use/training/index.html
• Healthcare-associated Infections (HAIs) & Antimicrobial Resistance (AR) Prevention Program: https://dph.illinois.gov/topics-services/prevention-wellness/patient-safety-quality/hai-ar-prevention.html

Influenza

Acute Gastroenteritis / Norovirus

• Management of Scabies in Illinois Healthcare & Residential Facilities (PDF)
• Recommended Actions and Rationale for Preventing the Transmission of Scabies in Healthcare and Residential Facilities (PDF)
• Procedure for Skin Scraping – Management of Scabies in Illinois Healthcare & Residential Facilities (PDF)
• CDC: Institutional Settings Resources for Health Professionals – Scabies: https://www.cdc.gov/parasites/scabies/health_professionals/institutions.html  

Reviewed and last updated: 3/29/2023