Q:
What are key steps to ensure compliance with the updated Enhanced Barrier Precautions (EBP) guidance that takes effect 4/28/25?
A:
Facilities should take the following steps to prepare for surveyor evaluation of EBP implementation:
1. Identify Residents Who Require EBP – Review the updated criteria and ensure that residents with CDC-targeted MDROs, chronic wounds, or indwelling medical devices are identified for EBP use.
2. Educate Staff on EBP Requirements – Train staff on when to apply EBP, including donning gown and gloves for high-contact resident care activities. Ensure staff can differentiate between EBP and Contact Precautions.
- Staff must don gowns and gloves when performing high-contact resident care activities, including:
- Dressing and bathing/showering
- Transferring and providing hygiene
- Changing briefs or assisting with toileting
- Caring for central lines, urinary catheters, feeding tubes, or tracheostomies
- Performing wound care for any skin opening requiring a dressing
3. Ensure PPE Accessibility – Make gowns, gloves, and hand hygiene supplies readily available near resident rooms or other designated areas to facilitate EBP compliance.
- Facilities should strategically place PPE near resident rooms or high-contact care areas. Options include:
- Wall-mounted dispensers outside or inside rooms
- Mobile PPE stations in hallways or nurse stations
- Storage bins or cabinets in designated areas
4. Develop and Implement a Communication Plan – Establish subtle but effective ways to alert staff about which residents require EBP while maintaining a home-like environment.
- CMS allows for creative, discreet methods to communicate EBP requirements. Facilities can:
- Use electronic medical records (EMRs) to flag residents requiring EBP.
- Implement subtle signage or color-coded indicators outside resident rooms (e.g., a small symbol on a door frame).
- Conduct staff huddles or shift handoffs to reinforce EBP needs without drawing unnecessary attention.
5. Audit Compliance with EBP Implementation – Regularly assess whether staff are consistently using EBP as required and provide feedback and re-education as necessary.
- Surveyors will evaluate:
- Whether residents requiring EBP are correctly identified
- Staff knowledge and adherence to EBP protocols during high-contact care activities
- Accessibility and appropriate use of PPE
- Facility policies and training programs related to EBP implementation
6. Review Policies and Procedures – Update infection prevention and control policies to align with the latest CDC recommendations and ensure documentation reflects compliance with EBP.
Join Proactive May 1-2, 2025 for a 2-day virtual Infection Preventionist Workshop designed for SNF Infection Preventionists. Learn from real-world scenarios, case studies, interactive discussion and expert instructors. Learn more and register!
Was this article helpful? Access weekly insights when you sign up for our weekly newsletter!