Close up image of a caretaker helping older woman walk

Nursing home providers can participate in an “unprecedented” infection control training program designed to help them better manage COVID-19 in their facilities. 

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services released details about the program in late August. The program, which is available to all Medicare- and Medicaid-certified nursing homes, is a tailored course that incorporates the most recent lessons learned by nursing homes during the ongoing pandemic. It also features best practices that frontline workers can implement to fight COVID-19 in their facilities.

There are five training modules for staff members and 10 modules for management. The training program for staff members covers multiple concerns found by surveyors and strike teams. Topics include: hand hygiene and personal protective equipment, screening and surveillance, cleaning, cohorting, and caring for residents with dementia during the pandemic. 

Training for management  targets such issues as implementation of telehealth, emergency preparedness and vaccine delivery.

The program was originally announced in late July.