---
kind: "section"
citation: "38 C.F.R. § 51.190"
title: "38"
number: "51.190"
heading: "Infection control."
url: "https://uscodex.org/cfr/38/51.190"
---

# §51.190. Infection control.


The facility management must establish and maintain an infection control program designed to provide a safe, sanitary, and comfortable environment and to help prevent the development and transmission of disease and infection.

- (a) **Infection control program.** The facility management must establish an infection control program under which it—
  - (1) Investigates, controls, and prevents infections in the facility;
  - (2) Decides what procedures, such as isolation, should be applied to an individual resident; and
  - (3) **Maintains a record of incidents and corrective actions related to infections.**
- (b) **Preventing spread of infection.**
  - (1) When the infection control program determines that a resident needs isolation to prevent the spread of infection, the facility management must isolate the resident.
  - (2) The facility management must prohibit employees with a communicable disease or infected skin lesions from engaging in any contact with residents or their environment that would transmit the disease.
  - (3) The facility management must require staff to wash their hands after each direct resident contact for which hand washing is indicated by accepted professional practice.
- (c) **Linens.** Personnel must handle, store, process, and transport linens so as to prevent the spread of infection.

## Notes

### Amendments

[65 FR 968, Jan. 6, 2000, as amended at 74 FR 19434, Apr. 29, 2009]

### Authority

Authority: 38 U.S.C. 101, 501, 1710, 1720, 1741-1743, 1745, and as follows. Section 51.20 and 51.30 also issued under 38 U.S.C. 511, 1742, 7104 and 7105. Section 51.42 also issued under 38 U.S.C. 510, 1744, and Pub. L. 116-315 section 3007. Section 51.43 also issued under 38 U.S.C. 1712. Section 51.51 also issued under Pub. L. 116-315 section 3007. Section 51.310 also issued under 38 U.S.C. 1720(f).

### Source

Source: 65 FR 968, Jan. 6, 2000, unless otherwise noted.

### Amendments

[65 FR 968, Jan. 6, 2000, as amended at 74 FR 19434, Apr. 29, 2009]