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The HEPACART Blog

The Importance of Dust Containment in Long-Term Care Facilities

 

Dust containment is the process of keeping an area free from dust, debris, and dangerous pathogens during the course of renovation, construction, or other ceiling-access maintenance. Dust containment is useful in a number of different settings, but is particularly important in the healthcare environment where cleanliness and infection control is of the utmost importance. It is important to recognize that the healthcare environment terminology can refer to a range of different facilities, including hospitals, clinics, and long-term care facilities.

Long-Term Care Proposals from the ACA

The Affordable Care Act (ACA) has brought many changes to the U.S. healthcare industry. One recent proposal from the Department of Health and Human Services, via the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, outlines many proposed changes to the regulations for long-term care facilities. While the comprehensive document outlines a range of proposals, those relevant to dust containment are the increased emphasis on infection control protocols and training.

How Long-Term Care Facility Needs Differ

Infection control is critical in long-term care facilities where patients are often older and more susceptible to infection overall (although facilities with younger patients are also considered here). Indeed, one study reference by the HHS document found that there are between 1.6 and 3.8 million hospital acquired infections in nursing homes each year, resulting in 150,000 hospitalizations, 388,000 deaths, and up to $2 billion in additional healthcare costs.

Patients in long-term care facilities are often at higher risk for infection due to immune systems weakened by medication, comorbid diagnoses, malnutrition or dehydration due to age or illness, and functional impairment such as incontinence that can lead to higher rates of disease transmission.

The infection risks inherent to a long-term care facility are exacerbated by the fact that these facilities act as both treatment centers and the homes for these residents, meaning that in addition to medical care, patients engage in daily living activities that include socializing, eating communal meals, and other activities that put them in close contact with other patients as well as with facility staff.

Instilling the Importance of Containment in Staff

In order to address these risks in long-term care facilities, the ACA document places a new emphasis on staff training and accountability. Facilities will be expected to enact a comprehensive Infection Prevention and Control Program and appoint an Infection Prevention and Control Officer. Mandatory training is also recommended in order to educate staff on the facility standards and procedures.

How Dust Containment Factors In

As facilities are tasked with making the necessary changes to ensure they are aligned with ACA protocol, it is likely that many facilities will find construction or renovation necessary. Any type of construction or ceiling access maintenance in a long-term care facility should be subject to rigorous dust containment protocol for the duration. Mobile dust containment units can be a very effective choice in this type of environment, since residential facility patients will be much more inconvenienced by having to move out of their rooms that even hospital patients.


Long-term care facilities can be supportive and useful environments for people in many different stages of life. Unfortunately, the nature of these facilities is that it is easier to get sick. This is why infection control protocol, including thorough dust containment whenever appropriate, is absolutely essential.

 

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