Background
This study examined the deficiency citation for infection control (ie, F-Tag 441).
This information represents potential problems in infection control as identified
in the yearly certification process of almost all US nursing homes.
Methods
The data used came primarily from the Online Survey, Certification, and Reporting
data base, which contains information on both deficiency citations and characteristics
of nursing homes. The data for each nursing home from 2000 through 2007 were combined,
providing a panel of 100,000 observations. Multivariate analyses and generalized estimating
equations with a logit link were used.
Results
An average of 15% of all nursing homes received a deficiency citation for infection
control each year from 2000 to 2007. In the multivariate analyses, several staffing
levels were robust in their significance. For all 3 types of caregiver examined (ie,
nurse aides, Licensed Practical Nurses, and Registered Nurses), low staffing levels
were associated with receipt of a deficiency citation for infection control.
Conclusion
The high number of deficiency citations for infection control problems identified
in this study suggests the need for increased emphasis on these programs in nursing
homes to protect vulnerable elders.
Key Words
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Article info
Footnotes
Conflict of interest: None to report.
Identification
Copyright
© 2011 Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
