The facility must establish and maintain an infection control program designed to provide a safe, sanitary, and comfortable environment and to help prevent the development and transmission of disease and infection.
(a) Infection control program. The facility must establish an infection control program under which it--
(1) Investigates, controls, and prevents infections in the facility;
(2) Decides what procedures, such as isolation, should be applied to an individual resident; and
(3) Maintains a record of incidents and corrective actions related to infections.
(b) Preventing spread of infection. (1) When the infection control program determines that a resident needs isolation to prevent the spread of infection, the facility must isolate the resident.
(1) When the infection control program determines that a resident needs isolation to prevent the spread of infection, the facility must isolate the resident.
(2) The facility must prohibit employees with a communicable disease or infected skin lesions from direct contact with residents or their food, if direct contact will transmit the disease.
(3) The facility must require staff to wash their hands after each direct resident contact for which handwashing is indicated by accepted professional practice.
(c) Linens. Personnel must handle, store, process, and transport linens so as to prevent the spread of infection. [56 FR 48876, Sept. 26, 1991, as amended at 57 FR 43925, Sept. 23, 1992]