New National Guidelines Aim to Cut Infections in Nursing Homes

Key TakeawaysNew guidance urges every nursing home to have at least one full-time infection prevention stafferRecommendations include training, vaccination and stronger health agency partnershipsThe change aims to protect residents from infections like flu and COVID-19.TUESDAY, Dec. 9, 2025 (HealthDay News) — Infections are a major concern in nursing homes, where many residents are older, recovering from illness or living with long-term health conditions. Germs like drug-resistant bacteria, viruses that cause flu and COVID can spread quickly in these settings and can be life-threatening.A new guideline backed by five national professional societies outlines steps nursing homes can take to reduce infections and protect residents. The recommendations were recently published in the journal Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology.One of the key changes?The guideline calls for at least one full-time staff member at every nursing home whose only responsibility is infection prevention. Larger facilities may need more than one person in that role.“There’s no single magic bullet for nursing home infection prevention; all our interventions are multicomponent, and the whole is greater than the sum of its parts,” lead author Dr. Lona Mody, a geriatrician at Michigan Medicine, said in a news release.The guidance also recommends:Better staff training and vaccinationStronger partnerships with public health agenciesInvolving non-medical staff such as custodial and IT workers in infection prevention effortsAllowing visitors and activities when possible, even during outbreaks, while adding safety measures to reduce any spreadThe guideline highlights the growing challenge of multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs), sometimes called “superbugs.” Research shows these germs often follow patients from hospitals to nursing homes and can spread beyond private rooms into shared gyms and dining areas.Mody said COVID exposed how essential nursing homes are to the health care system and how vulnerable residents can be if protections are not up to par."We can’t just discharge hospital patients to nursing homes thinking everything will be fine – they need protection there too," Mody explained.The guidance replaces national recommendations issued in 2008.Today, many residents arrive at nursing homes soon after hospital stays and require more complex care, which, in turn, increases infection risks."Preventing infection is the right thing for patients and for staff, and in the long run this will save money," Mody said.More informationThe U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has more on infection prevention in care facilities.SOURCE: University of Michigan, news release, Dec. 8, 2025.What This Means For YouIf you or a loved one live in a nursing home, ask how the facility handles infection prevention..Sign up for our weekly HealthDay newsletter