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Pee Dee AHEC: Infection Prevention for Long Term Care Facilities


Long Term Care Facilities may be defined as institutions that provide healthcare to people who are unable to manage independently in the community.  More than 1.5 million residents reside in United States’ nursing homes. In recent years, the acuity of illness of nursing home residents has increased.  It is not surprising that almost as many healthcare acquired infections occur in Long Term Care Facilities as in hospitals in the United States.
Dr. Philip W. Smith, Section of Infectious Diseases, University of Nebraska, Omaha, Nebraska   American Journal of Infection Control, July 2008

 On October 28, Pee Dee AHEC will host a three-hour course that addresses infection prevention in long term care settings in Florence, SC.  This standardized program was developed through funding provided by a partnership with the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare and the North Carolina Division of Health Services. 

Vicky R. Zelenka, RN, CIC, LNC, board certified infection preventionist and legal nurse consultant will provide instruction.  She has 42 years of  infection prevention experience, 37 of which she served in the acute care setting. She is a quality auditor for APIC (Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology) Consulting Services in Washington, DC as well as a contributing author in infectious disease texts. 

For further program information, visit the website:  peedeeahec.net
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