The Centers of Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has announced the availability of an online training course in infection prevention and control for nursing home staff in the long term care setting. training VHCA-VCAL continues to recommend the AHCA/NCAL Infection Preventionist Specialized Training (IPCO) course to members to help them prepare for Phase 3 of the Requirements of Participation.

As a reminder, under Phase 3 of the Requirements of Participation effective November 28, 2019, the nursing facility staff member responsible for the infection prevention and control program (IPCP) must have received specialized training in infection prevention and control.

CMS developed its course in conjunction with the Centers for Disease Control. Read the full CMS memo for more details: QSO-19-10-NH: Specialized Infection Prevention and Control Training for Nursing Home Staff in the Long-Term Care Setting is Now Available 

How does the CMS/CDC course differ from the AHCA/NCAL IPCO Training?

One distinct difference is that the faculty members for AHCA’s program are individuals with real world experience with infection prevention and control in long term care settings.  AHCA/NCAL IPCO Faculty include registered nurses, physicians, and licensed nursing home administrators.

AHCA’s course is also more in-depth with six more hours of training than the new CMS training. We also know that members like the AHCA/NCAL IPCO training with a 97% recommendation rate. Check out the Frequently Asked Questions for more information.