Five Key Leadership Actions for Long-Term Care as F880 Remains a Top Survey Focus
F880 was the most frequently cited deficiency in long-term care throughout 2025, signaling that infection prevention and control continue to challenge even well-intentioned organizations. As we enter 2026, survey focus is intensifying, particularly as facilities face threats from organisms such as Candida auris.
Candida auris (C. auris) is a multidrug-resistant fungus increasingly detected in U.S. hospitals, long-term care facilities, and other healthcare settings. Unlike many fungi, C. auris can spread rapidly between patients, persist on environmental surfaces for extended periods, and evade common antifungal drugs, making it especially dangerous for vulnerable populations with weakened immune systems or indwelling medical devices. In 2025 alone, federal health officials reported thousands of infections nationwide, reinforcing concerns that C. auris poses an urgent threat to infection control and patient safety across the care continuum.
Given its drug resistance, transmission characteristics, and ability to cause severe invasive infections, C. auris deserves focused attention from long-term care leadership as part of infection prevention and control (IPC) strategies.
F880 Key Action Steps for LTC Leadership
Understand What C. auris Is
C. auris is a yeast (fungus) that can cause serious infections ranging from skin colonization to life-threatening bloodstream infections. Its resistance to multiple antifungal medications and persistence on surfaces makes it difficult to treat and eradicate once established.
Strengthen Environmental Cleaning and Disinfection
Use only EPA-registered disinfectants effective against C. auris. Many standard products do not work.
Ensure daily thorough cleaning of resident rooms and high-touch areas, plus terminal cleaning when residents are discharged or transferred.
Train EVS and clinical staff specifically on C. auris disinfection requirements since it can survive on surfaces and equipment for prolonged periods.
Implement Evidence-Based Screening and Communication
Collaborate with public health partners to develop targeted screening protocols for colonization risk. Screening helps guide IPC measures, especially when prevalence is known locally or regionally.
Ensure interfacility communication about C. auris status during transfers to protect both receiving and sending facilities.
Use the Right Precautions and Isolation Practices
Apply Transmission-Based Precautions and, where appropriate, Enhanced Barrier Precautions for residents known or suspected to be colonized or infected.
Designate appropriate resident room placement and cohort when possible.
Always assume the potential for spread until colonization status and risk are clearly defined.
Engage Leadership in IPC Oversight
Include C. auris in routine QAPI and IPC program goals, tracking compliance with precaution protocols, disinfectant use, screening actions, and staff education.
Conduct regular audits of cleaning practices, PPE compliance, and equipment disinfection as breakdowns in these areas are common vectors for spreading.
Partner with infection prevention experts to plan for surge response if a colonized or infected case is identified.
Ensure the Infection Preventionist actively oversees infection surveillance and environmental cleaning processes.
When a Case Is Identified
If C. auris colonization or infection is confirmed, report immediately to your local or state health department. Implement enhanced cleaning and disinfection of the resident’s environment. Review admissions and transfers to identify potential exposure contacts. Escalate isolation and PPE use per IPC protocols. Document all actions and communications. Surveyors and public health partners will look for organized, timely response.
Partnership and Support
C. auris presents a complex challenge that requires leadership engagement, clinical precision, and operational discipline across the care continuum. While long-term care teams are well versed in best-practice infection control, the unique characteristics of C. auris, including drug resistance, environmental persistence, and ease of spread, necessitate targeted review and action.
If your facility is strengthening preparedness plans, refining screening and precautions, or building response protocols for emerging infectious threats like C. auris, Polaris Group is ready to support you. Polaris offers infection control program assessments, mock survey and outbreak preparedness exercises, customized training and IPC education, QAPI integration and performance tracking, and health equity planning for high-risk resident populations.
Reach out to Polaris for guidance, tools, and partnership as you fortify your IPC systems to protect residents and staff from multidrug-resistant threats like C. auris.
Sources
CDC: About Candida auris – overview and risks
CDC: Infection control guidance for Candida auris
CDC: Screening recommendations for healthcare facilities
National and health news coverage of Candida auris spread and concerns
