20 CAR § 47-109 – Infection control

(a) Each hospice shall develop an infection control program that protects patients, family, and personnel from nosocomial or community-acquired infections.
(b) The hospice shall develop and use a coordinated process that effectively reduces the risk of endemic and epidemic nosocomial infections in:
1. (1) Patients;
2. (2) Healthcare workers; and
3. (3) Visitors.
(c) It shall be the duty of the administrator or his or her designee to report all known infectious or communicable diseases as required by Arkansas Code § 20-7-109 to the Department of Health’s Arkansas Center for Health Statistics.
(d) There shall be policies and procedures establishing and defining a comprehensive infection control program to include:
1. (1) Provisions for education on universal precautions to patients, families, and hospice employees, including but not limited to:
  1. (A) Hand hygiene, including procedures for soap and water as well as alcohol-based hand rub if used;
  2. (B) Disinfections;
  3. (C) Liquid and solid waste disposal of infectious waste;
  4. (D) Needle disposal; and
  5. (E) Other means of limiting the spread of contagion; and
2. (2) A plan for monitoring and evaluating all aseptic and sanitation techniques employed in the hospice to ensure that approved infection control procedures are followed.
(e) There shall be an orientation program for all new healthcare workers concerning:
1. (1) The importance of infection control; and
2. (2) Each healthcare worker's responsibility in the infection control program.
(f) There shall be a plan for each employee to receive annual in-services and educational programs as indicated based on assessments of the infection control process.
(g) No items shall be used past the expiration date.
(h) One-time patient care items shall not be reused.