F880 Citations: Infection Preventionist Oversight of Laundry
Laundry services in long-term care are often viewed as a support function, but from an infection prevention standpoint, they represent a critical control point for preventing healthcare- associated infections.
Oversight of Linen Systems
When proper processes are followed, transmission risk is generally low; however, failure to handle or process linen appropriately can lead to exposure risks for both staff and residents. Additionally, gaps often lead to survey deficiencies related to F880 – Infection Prevention and Control. The Infection Preventionist plays a key role in ensuring laundry processes are safe, compliant, and consistently followed.
Core responsibilities of the Infection Preventionist include:
1. Reviewing policies and procedures
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- Ensure policies reflect current CDC Guidance for healthcare laundry handling, state-specific regulations, and OSHA requirements
- Policies should address the following:
- Separation of clean vs. soiled linen
- PPE requirements for handling soiled linen
- Transportation and store procedures
- Emergency/outbreak laundry protocols
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2. Routinely monitoring and auditing of safe handling practices, transportation and storage including, but not limited to:
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- Bagging at point of use
- Minimal handling and agitation
- Proper PPE use (gloves and gown when handling soiled linen)
- No shaking of soiled linens
- Clean linen is covered during transport
- Storage areas are clean, dry, and protected
3. Overseeing daily workflow
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- A well-designed laundry process must maintain strict separation between contaminated and clean areas
- Soiled linen areas should be physically separated and ideally under negative air pressure
- Clean linen areas must be protected from recontamination
- Transport systems (i.e. carts) must prevent cross-contamination
4. Collaborating with environmental services or contracted vendors to ensure:
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- Appropriate wash cycles, detergents, and disinfectants are used
- Use of bleach, when indicated
- Proper drying temperatures and times
- Equipment is maintained per manufacture guidelines
5. Surveillance and Quality Assurance Performance Improvement
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- Include laundry processes into infection control rounding
- Investigate laundry practices during outbreaks
- Monitor for problem trends
- Incorporate all findings into QAPI to show efforts made to identify and correct concerns
Next Steps:
- Join Proactive on May 19, 2026 for the webinar IP Leadership Oversight Strategies for Compliance and Performance
- Contact Proactive to schedule a mock survey
- Learn more about Infection Preventionist support with Proactive including orientation and support for new Infection Preventionists, onsite monitoring/compliance visits, staff education, guidance for outbreak management and QAPI assistance.
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