Topic-Specific Resources

Adverse Events:

CMS has compiled a listing of resources that may be helpful to nursing homes in identifying and preventing adverse events. Click here to access Adverse Events Resources.

Change in Condition/Interact II:

An example of a more extensive set of tools, INTERACT II is a system of tools to improve how nursing home caregivers communicate around change in resident condition. This comprehensive set of tools could be considered a QAPI process toolkit as well. Click here to access INTERACT II.

Infection Control/Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ):

AHRQ’s Nursing Home Antimicrobial Stewardship Guide is a field-tested and research-based resource that can help nursing homes improve antibiotic use and decrease the harms caused by inappropriate prescribing. This web-based guide provides facilities with tools to start, monitor and maintain an antibiotic stewardship program to include determining whether a potential infection should be treated and how to choose and appropriate antibiotic. Click here to access the Nursing Home Antimicrobial Stewardship Guide.

The Core Elements of Antibiotic Stewardship for Nursing Homes:

The Core Elements of Antibiotic Stewardship for Nursing Homes contains practical ways to initiate or expand antibiotic stewardship activities in nursing homes. Nursing homes are encouraged to work in a step-wise fashion, implementing one or two activities to start and gradually adding new strategies from each element over time. Any action taken to improve antibiotic use is expected to reduce adverse events, prevent emergence of resistance, and lead to better outcomes for residents in this setting. Click here to access the CDC’s Core Elements of Antibiotic Stewardship for Nursing Homes.

Infection Control Assessment Tool for Long-term Care Facilities (LTCFs):

The CDC has developed a tool that is intended to assist in the assessment of infection control programs and practices in nursing homes and other long-term care facilities. Click here to access the CDC’s Infection Control Assessment Tool for LTCFs.

National Healthcare Safety Network:

The CDC’s National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) provides nursing homes and other long-term care facilities with a customized system to track infections and infection and control practices such as hand hygiene in a streamlined and standardized way. When facilities track infections, they can identify opportunities for prevention and monitor progress toward stopping infections. On the national level, data entered into NHSN by long term care facilities will help define the burden of infections in this setting and gauge progress toward national infection prevention goals. Click here for more information on tracking infections using NHSN.

Nursing Homes and Assisted Living-Infection Control Resources:

This CDC webpage includes guidance documents and web links to resources on the common infections that occur in long-term care facilities (e.g., Clostridium difficile and urinary tract infections) and how to prevent them for clinical staff and residents. Click here for more information.

Quality Improvement Organizations' (QIO) Nursing Home Training Sessions:

This CMS sponsored website provides training tools and resources to implement antibiotic stewardship and prevent Clostridium difficile infections in residents.  This resource provides nursing contact hours for continuing education. Click here to access the QIO training sessions.

Pressure Ulcers/Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ):

AHRQ developed On-Time Pressure Ulcer Prevention (OTPP) to be an evidence-based program for nursing homes who currently use electronic medical records (EMRs). This program shows how to use reports generated from a nursing home’s own EMR to help identify residents who are at risk for pressure ulcers. Nursing homes can choose the reports they want to implement into day-to-day practice. The program provides a self-assessment of current practices, a menu of implementation strategies, and facilitator training materials. The program’s tools encourage multi-disciplinary communication to assess a resident’s changing risk factors, modify care plan interventions, and engage in root cause analysis when a pressure ulcer occurs or worsens. OTPP is a data-driven, proactive approach to improving the quality of life, care, and services in nursing homes. Click here to access the On-Time Pressure Ulcer Prevention program.


Staff Contact:
Maureen Carland
Director of Quality Improvement &
Regulatory Affairs