MBK Senior Living’s Infection Prevention Program takes a community-wide approach to keeping both residents and staff well. Recognized as a Best of the Best Program to Spotlight, the program reduced outbreaks by 70 percent.
Infection control is only as effective as it is thorough—and thoroughly understood. MBK Senior Living has experienced great results through its comprehensive community-wide prevention and training program. The goal is to prevent and control outbreaks of infection, as well as retain an ailing resident at home within the community whenever safe.
“You need to be talking about infection prevention when everybody’s well, not just when there is an outbreak. Our preplanning to prevent infection has helped us not only with resident care, but had a positive impact on preventing any interruptions to marketing and move-ins,” says Danielle Morgan, vice president of operations. “The key is to involve the entire building, not just one department, and then keep it alive.”
MBK’s program includes comprehensive monitoring and surveillance measures, staff training, free immunizations for employees, strategic safety reminders using visual collateral such as posters and paycheck inserts, and a manual developed with input from every department from nursing to dining. The most important element has been changing the culture so that the policies are ingrained and integrated and safety is constantly front and center.
“The biggest challenge was people thinking, ‘That’s not my job,’ and getting people to realize it’s all part of everybody’s job every day,” notes Morgan. “How housekeeping is handling laundry is every bit as important as caregivers washing their hands.”
The enhanced training has helped to keep both residents and staff well. Results include a 70 percent reduction of outbreaks community-wide, no building closures in 2010 (compared to six in 2009 and eight in 2008), fewer hospital admissions during a norovirus outbreak, and a 50 percent reduction in overtime.
As part of the program, MBK shines a spotlight on the latest trends in prevention and treatment of specific infections. This year’s focus will be urinary tract infections and pneumonia.
Morgan advises companies seeking to adopt a similar program to similarly address the subject of infections openly and proactively. “Accept the fact that in group living, infections do happen, and be aggressive about prevention and intervention,” she says.
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