How New Federal Standards Seek to Protect Residents and Why Families Must Stay Vigilant
When families trust a nursing home to care for a loved one, they expect that facility to protect residents from harm — especially preventable infections. Yet, year after year, thousands of nursing home residents nationwide suffer or die from infections that could have been avoided with proper oversight, sanitation, and staffing.
Now, for the first time in nearly two decades, long-term care providers are facing new national infection prevention and control standards. The updated guidance, released by the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America and the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, marks the first major overhaul since 2008 and comes at a time when infection risks in nursing homes are higher than ever.
At Johnson Greer Law Group, our Georgia nursing home abuse lawyers see how poor infection control devastates families. From bedsores that turn septic to outbreaks of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, these failures are not accidents — they’re often the result of neglect. The new standards are a long-overdue step toward preventing that harm, but true protection depends on enforcement, compliance, and vigilance from families and advocates.
Why New Infection Guidelines Were Needed
As reported by McKnight’s Long-Term Care News, the updated guidelines reflect just how much nursing homes have changed in the past 17 years. Many facilities now provide high-acuity medical care, including ventilator units, IV therapies, and complex wound treatments. This evolution means that residents today face infection risks similar to those of hospitalized patients, but without the same level of regulation or oversight.
“Facilities are challenged by the tasks of ensuring their IPC program’s infrastructure and practices evolve to meet the changing care needs of their resident population,” the new report explains. Many facilities, however, have failed to evolve — leaving residents dangerously exposed to preventable infections.
These failures have had real-world consequences. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), infections are one of the leading causes of death in nursing homes, contributing to tens of thousands of fatalities every year. The COVID-19 pandemic only magnified these weaknesses, revealing widespread gaps in hygiene, staffing, and training that should have been addressed long ago.
What the New Standards Require
The updated guidance outlines several key reforms designed to modernize infection control in long-term care facilities. Among the most important:
- Dedicated Infection Preventionists (IPs): Facilities with 100 or more licensed beds — or those with ventilator or dialysis services — should now have at least one full-time infection preventionist on staff. Smaller facilities must have at least one half-time IP to oversee programs and ensure compliance.
- Integration with Leadership: The IP must report directly to an administrative or medical leader with knowledge of the facility’s regulatory obligations and sit on the Quality Assessment and Assurance Committee. This ensures infection control is part of overall performance improvement, not an afterthought.
- Staffing and Training: The new standards stress that infection prevention cannot succeed without sufficient staffing. Nursing homes must improve retention and provide ongoing education for frontline caregivers, emphasizing hand hygiene, disinfection, and safe equipment handling.
- Adequate Supplies: Facilities must maintain enough personal protective equipment (PPE), disinfectants, and other infection prevention resources in resident care areas. Lack of basic supplies — a common failure cited in past outbreaks — will no longer be acceptable.
- Collaboration Across Departments: Infection control must extend beyond nursing staff. Maintenance teams, administrators, and medical professionals all share responsibility for monitoring systems like ventilation, plumbing, and waste disposal that can contribute to infection spread.
These reforms send a clear message: infection prevention is not optional. It’s an essential part of resident safety and a legal obligation for every facility in Georgia and across the country.
Infection Prevention Is About More Than Cleanliness
At the heart of the new guidance are familiar yet often-ignored fundamentals — hand hygiene, standard precautions, and consistent disinfection. The report emphasizes that these core practices remain the most effective way to protect vulnerable residents.
Yet, as infection control consultant Dr. Deb Burdsall, one of the guideline’s authors, told McKnight’s, many facilities still struggle to balance these safety measures with efforts to maintain a “home-like” environment. The guidelines acknowledge that some administrators fear visible infection control supplies might make a facility feel too clinical. But as Burdsall notes, infection prevention saves lives and directly contributes to residents’ quality of life.
When nursing homes cut corners to protect appearances or reduce costs, residents pay the price. Bedsores become infected, respiratory illnesses spread unchecked, and weakened immune systems cannot fight back.
The Role of Leadership...and Accountability
A critical takeaway from the updated standards is that infection control must be supported from the top down. The report calls on owners and administrators to treat infection prevention as both a clinical and business priority, investing in qualified staff and adequate infrastructure.
That’s because infection outbreaks don’t just harm residents; they expose facilities to lawsuits, penalties, and reputational damage. The CDC and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) already require facilities to have infection control programs, but enforcement varies widely. Under the new guidance, nursing homes will have far less room to claim ignorance or lack of resources as an excuse.
At Johnson Greer Law Group, we’ve seen too many cases where facilities failed to follow even basic infection protocols. Residents developed sepsis from untreated wounds, contracted life-threatening urinary tract infections, or suffered fatal consequences from contaminated equipment. These are not isolated incidents. They’re preventable tragedies.
What Families Should Watch For
Even with stronger standards in place, families remain the first line of defense. Loved ones visiting residents should stay alert to signs of neglect or poor infection control, such as:
- Staff not wearing gloves or washing hands between residents
- Dirty or cluttered hallways and shared bathrooms
- Reused bandages, tubing, or catheters
- Residents with unexplained fevers, bedsores, or recurrent infections
- Unpleasant odors suggesting sanitation problems
If you suspect unsafe conditions, document what you see and report your concerns immediately. Then, contact an experienced Georgia nursing home neglect attorney to protect your loved one’s rights.
Protecting Georgia Families from Preventable Harm
The new infection control standards represent progress, but rules alone won’t protect residents. Real safety requires accountability, from the corporate offices that set budgets to the caregivers who interact with residents daily.
At Johnson Greer Law Group, our attorneys have decades of experience holding negligent nursing homes and assisted living facilities accountable for allowing preventable infections, sepsis, and wrongful deaths. We work tirelessly to uncover what went wrong, identify who’s responsible, and demand justice for Georgia families.
If someone you love suffered harm due to poor infection control in a nursing home, don’t wait to act. Contact Johnson Greer Law Group today for a free consultation. We’re here to help you restore dignity, demand accountability, and seek justice for those who can’t fight for themselves.
"From our first meeting, Mr. Johnson's professionalism, integrity, honesty, and compassion were evident. His deep understanding of the law, coupled with his genuine concern for my family's well-being, reassured me that my father’s legacy would be protected." - Anthony H., ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐