On March 11, 2019, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced a free online training course on Infection Prevention and Control. This course applies to Phase 3 requirements for the Requirements of Participation and is available on the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) TRAIN website. 

A collaboration between CMS and CDC, this course is available immediately and contains 23 modules and submodules that can be completed over several sessions, totaling approximately 19 hours of education. Continuing education credit will be awarded, along with a certificate of completion, after the learner passes the post-course exam.

CMS instituted the Infection Prevention and Control requirement due to concern over harm to residents in long-term care facilities and increased healthcare costs that result from healthcare-associated infections. Implemented across all three phases of the Requirements of Participation, specialized training in infection prevention and control is the final requirement and will be effective November 28, 2019.