Contact Info
Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Prevention and Control Division
651-201-5414
Infection Control Resources for Acute Care Settings
Refer to these resources as you address infection prevention and control practices in your facility. The following categories correlate to the ICAR assessment modules.
These resources and web links are provided as references and examples. Their listing does not constitute any official position of the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) or imply endorsement by MDH. Accessing guidance from professional organizations may require membership.
- MDH: TEMPLATE: Time Study for Infection Prevention (PDF) | (Word)
Track time spent weekly on infection prevention and control activities - CDC: CDC’s Core Infection Prevention and Control Practices for Safe Healthcare Delivery in All Settings
- CDC: Infection Control in Healthcare Personnel
- CDC: Preventing Healthcare-associated Infections
- CDC: IPC Risk Assessment Spreadsheet (Excel)
- CMS: State Operations Manual Appendix W - Survey Protocol, Regulations and Interpretive Guidelines for Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) and Swing-Beds in CAHs (PDF)
- CMS: State Operations Manual Appendix A - Survey Protocol, Regulations and Interpretive Guidelines for Hospitals (PDF)
- HHS: Guidance Portal: Hospital Infection Control Worksheet
- APIC: Implementation Guides
Infection prevention training
- CDC: Infection Control: Training and Education Resources
- CDC: Nursing Home Infection Prevention Training
Some resources could be utilized and/or adapted for the acute care setting. - CDC: Antibiotic Resistance Threats Report
- APIC Minnesota: Basic Infection Prevention Course
- APIC: Topic-specific infection prevention
- SHEA: LearningCE
Surveillance and disease reporting
Staff training
Audit tools
- MDH: MDH Infection Prevention Audit Tools
Tools to audit compliance with hand hygiene, PPE, wound care, and environmental cleaning and disinfection - MDH: Infection and Antibiotic Use Tracking Tool Instructions (PDF) | Workbook (Excel)
Resource to track resident illnesses and antibiotic use - MDH: Employee Illness Tracking Tool (Excel) | Instructions (PDF)
- CDC: Infection Prevention Tools for Healthcare Settings
- CDC: Options for Evaluating Environmental Cleaning
- MDH: Hand Hygiene Print Materials
- MDH: Project Firstline Hand Hygiene Steps (PDF)
- CDC: Hand Hygiene in Healthcare Settings
- CDC MMWR: Guideline for Hand Hygiene in Health-Care Settings
- CDC: Fire Safety and Alcohol-Based Hand Sanitizer (ABHS)
- CDC: Hand Hygiene Related Resources
- WHO: Infection Prevention and Control
- WHO: WHO Guidelines on Hand Hygiene in Health Care
- MDH: Enhanced Respiratory Precautions (PDF)
Sign/poster can be used for COVID-positive residents - CDC: Standard Precautions for All Patient Care
- CDC: Transmission-Based Precautions
General overview and example signs/posters - CDC: Guidelines Library: Isolation Precautions
Summary of recommendations including specific interventions for LTC settings - CDC: Isolation Precautions Appendix A: Type and Duration of Precautions Recommended for Selected Infections and Conditions
Type of precautions to implement (e.g., what PPE to wear) and for how long- Appendix A Table 2
What PPE to wear when resident ill or pathogen not confirmed (e.g., diarrhea, rash)
- Appendix A Table 2
Personal protective equipment (PPE)
- CDC: Occupationally-Acquired Infections in Healthcare Settings
Sign/poster for how to don and doff PPE
Health care worker safety
- MN Department of Labor (DLI): Minnesota OSHA Workplace Safety Consultation
- CDC/NIOSH: Healthcare Respiratory Protection Resources
- CDC/NIOSH: Fit Test FAQs
- OSHA: Hospital Respiratory Protection Program Toolkit (PDF)
- U.S. Department of Labor: OSHA 1910.134 - Respiratory Protection
- CDC: Reduce Risk from Surfaces
Core components of environmental cleaning and disinfection - CDC: Guidelines Library: Environmental Infection Control
- CDC: Infection Control Training for Healthcare EVS
- CDC/STRIVE: Environmental Cleaning 101 (PDF)
- CDC/STRIVE: Environmental Cleaning 102 (PDF)
- CDC: How to Read a Disinfectant Label (PDF)
- EPA: Selected EPA-Registered Disinfectants
What disinfectants are listed by EPA for specific pathogens - APIC: Environmental Services
- Minnesota Hospital Association: Environmental Services Cleaning Guidebook (PDF)
- WHO: How to Dilute and Use Bleach (PDF)
- CDC: Injection Safety
Injection safety general resources - CDC: One & Only Campaign
Includes Injection Safety Checklist and other resources/posters for clinicians - CDC: Injection Safety Information for Providers
- CDC: Medication Administration Questions
- CDC: Questions about Single-dose/Single-use Vials
- CDC: Questions about Multi-dose Vials
- CDC: Risks of Healthcare-associated Infections from Drug Diversion
- U.S. Department of Labor: OSHA 1910.1030 - Bloodborne Pathogens
- Code of Federal Regulations: 21 CFR 1301.71 Security Requirements Generally
- CSTE: Healthcare-Associated Infections (HAI) Drug Diversion Planning and Response Toolkit for State and Local Health Departments (PDF)
- CDC: Infection Prevention during Blood Glucose Monitoring and Insulin Administration
- CDC: CDC Clinical Reminder: Use of Fingerstick Devices on More than One Person Poses Risk for Transmitting Bloodborne Pathogens
- CDC: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) regarding Assisted Blood Glucose Monitoring and Insulin Administration
- CDC: Healthcare-Associated Hepatitis B and C Outbreaks (≥ 2 cases) Reported to the CDC 2008-2019
- CDC: 2021 Viral Hepatitis Surveillance Report Appendix
- FDA: Blood Glucose Monitoring Test Systems for Prescription Point-of-Care Use
- FDA: Self-Monitoring Blood Glucose Test Systems for Over-the-Counter Use
- MDH: ICAR Infection Prevention Audit Tools
Includes wound care audit tracking tool and wound dressing change observation tool used to conduct audits, record and analyze data, and develop an action plan - MDH wound care webinar recorded on April 20, 2023
- MDH: Cleaning Recommendations for Prevention of Infectious Agent Transmission
Learn the best methods for cleaning and disinfecting, refer to laundry section - CDC: Guidelines Library: Environmental Infection Control Guidelines | Laundry and Bedding
- CDC: Guidelines for Environmental Infection Control in Health-Care Facilities (PDF)
Refer to Section G for laundry and bedding recommendations - CDC: Background G: Laundry and Bedding
- CDC: Environmental Cleaning in Global Healthcare Settings: Appendix D: Linen and Laundry Management
Best practices for linen and laundry handling
- MDH: Antibiotic Resistance and Stewardship for Health Professionals
- MDH: Antimicrobial Stewardship Programs (ASP)
About creating an ASP in your facility, including guidelines for acute care and toolkits for long-term care and outpatient clinics - MDH: Minnesota Antibiotic Stewardship Honor Roll
Consider applying for the MDH Honor Roll - CDC: Healthcare Professional Resources and Training | Antibiotic Use
Educational resources, continuing education and training opportunities, handouts, and posters - CDC: The Core Elements of Hospital Antibiotic Stewardship Programs Checklist (PDF)
- CDC: Implementation of Antibiotic Stewardship Core Elements at Small and Critical Access Hospitals
- CDC: Patient Resources and Education | Antibiotic Use
Print materials and tools to help patients and residents learn about antibiotic resistance - CDC: Responding to New Forms of Antibiotic Resistance (PDF)
Guidelines and tools to help prevent and control multidrug-resistant organisms
- CDC: Guidelines Library: Disinfection and Sterilization
- CDC: A Rational Approach to Disinfection and Sterilization
- CDC: Table 1 | Guideline for Disinfection and Sterilization in Healthcare Facilities (2008)
- CDC: Essential Elements of a Reprocessing Program for Flexible Endoscopes – Recommendations of the HICPAC
- AIUM: Guidelines for Cleaning and Preparing External- and Internal-Use Ultrasound Transducers and Equipment Between Patients as Well as Safe Handling and Use of Ultrasound Coupling Gel
Pathogen specific
- MDH: Health Care: COVID-19
Guidance for reporting, evaluating and testing, and infection prevention and control specific to long-term care and health care facilities and systems - CDC: Interim Infection Prevention and Control Recommendations for Healthcare Personnel During the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Pandemic
- MDH: Influenza Information for Health Professionals
- CDC: Preventing Transmission of Viral Respiratory Pathogens in Healthcare Settings
Infection control measures that should be implemented at the first point of contact with a potentially infected person
- MDH: Clostridioides (Clostridium) difficile Guidelines and References
C. diff guidelines and references and list of disinfectant products with sporicidal activity against C. diff
- CDC: Strategies for Prevention and Response to Novel & Targeted Multidrug-Resistant Organisms (MDROs)
- CDC: Infection Prevention and Control for Candida auris
- CDC: COVID-19 Reverses Progress in Fight Against Antimicrobial Resistance in U.S.
This report highlights the lost progress combating antimicrobial resistance following the COVID-19 pandemic - CDC: Antibiotic Resistance Threats Report
Provides information on antimicrobial resistance and highlights the emerging areas of concern and additional action needed - CDC: CRE Technical Information
- Journal of Fungi: Candida auris: A Review of Recommendations for Detection and Control in Healthcare Settings
Additional topics
- MDH: Emergency Preparedness and Response
- MDH: Health Care Coalitions
- CDC/NIOSH: Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Burn Rate Calculator
Review PPE supply to ensure adequate supply available, consider frequent review of inventory (e.g., daily) when supply demand is high (e.g., outbreak)
- MDH: Engineering Services
Provides review and inspection of construction activity in licensed and certified health care facilities - MDH: Guidelines for Temporary Negative Pressure Isolation Rooms (PDF)
- MDH: Airborne Infectious Disease Management: Methods for Temporary Negative Pressure Isolation (PDF)
- CDC: Environmental Infection Control Guidelines
- CDC: Legionella: Developing a Water Management Program
- CDC: Reduce Risk from Water
Water management program - CDC: Emergency Water Supply Planning Guide for Hospitals and Healthcare Facilities (PDF)
- ASHE: Using the health care physical environment to prevent and control infection (PDF)
- ASHE: ASHE ICRA 2.0™ Toolkit
- ICRA: ICRA Training
Consider Infection Control Risk Assessment training for containment of construction/maintenance projects
- CDC: CDC’s Core Infection Prevention and Control Practices for Safe Healthcare Delivery in All Settings
- CDC: Infrastructure and Routine Practices
Infection control in health care personnel: Infrastructure and routine practices for occupational infection prevention and control services - OSHA: Quick Reference Guide to the Bloodborne Pathogens Standard
- MN DLI: MNOSHA WSC: Bloodborne Pathogens
- CDC: National Healthcare Safety Network: Blood/Body Fluid Exposure Module (PDF)
Refer to health care worker safety resources in Standard and transmission-based precautions dropdown.
- MDH: Cover Your Cough
Stop the spread of germs that make you and others sick: Cover Your Cough
Frequently Asked Questions about Respiratory Etiquette | About Using Materials - CDC: Preventing Transmission of Viral Respiratory Pathogens in Healthcare Settings
Infection control measures that should be implemented at the first point of contact with a potentially infected person
- MDH: Vaccine Storage Guide
Check the recommendations for medication refrigerators. Non-medication items should be stored in a different area. Ensure temperature stays within limits. Have a plan to mitigate temperature excursions. - MDH: Vaccine Protocols
- Health care worker vaccination
- MDH: Recommended Vaccines for Health Care Personnel
Continue to work on improving rate of staff vaccinated with influenza vaccine - CDC: Influenza Vaccination Information for Health Professionals
- Immunize.org: Immunization Action Coalition Resources
- MDH: Recommended Vaccines for Health Care Personnel
- CDC: Pinkbook Course Book: Epidemiology of Vaccine Preventable Diseases
Bed bugs
Lice
Scabies
- MDH: Scabies
- CDC: Scabies
- LA County Department of Public Health: Acute Communicable Disease Control Scabies Toolkit