Amy Peralta, MPH, LTC-CIP
Infection Prevention Coordinator
Alden Management Services • Illinois
How did you become an infection preventionist and what does your role look like today?
After earning my Master of Public Health with a specialization in Health Services Management from Northern Illinois University, I worked for two years at a local health department during the initial phase of the COVID-19 pandemic. As this role was supported by a temporary federal grant, I subsequently sought a permanent opportunity in a field I am deeply passionate about — long-term care. My paternal grandmother resided in a long-term care facility for several years following a stroke prior to her passing in 2009. During that time, she greatly benefited from the structured activity programming, particularly special events and bingo, and valued the sense of camaraderie and social engagement with fellow residents. I was fortunate to be selected for the role of Infection Prevention Coordinator with Alden Management Services, the largest long-term care provider in Illinois.
How much of your time is dedicated to infection prevention work?
I dedicate my time fully to infection prevention, serving as a consultant supporting 30 skilled nursing facilities. My weekly responsibilities include conducting quality assurance infection prevention rounds within facilities, providing real-time feedback to frontline staff and department leaders, and delivering comprehensive reports outlining findings and recommendations. I provide training for Directors of Nursing, Assistant Directors of Nursing, Infection Preventionists, Administrators, and Assistant Administrators, and facilitate staff competencies across all disciplines during annual skills fairs. Additionally, I participate in mock surveys for facilities within their annual survey window, contribute to policy review and development, and engage in ongoing professional education through infection prevention–focused webinars offered by governing bodies such as the Illinois Department of Public Health, the Chicago Department of Public Health, and other local health departments.
Can you share one specific example where your work made a measurable difference?
What was happening:
In August 2025, a COVID-19 outbreak occurred in a skilled nursing facility providing short-term rehabilitation, transitional care, and post-acute services. The outbreak resulted in 29 confirmed cases (21 residents and 8 staff) over a 17-day period. Transmission originated between two roommate cases and spread primarily across the first floor, with limited cases on the second floor. All affected individuals were symptomatic, and a considerable proportion of staff cases involved certified nursing assistants (CNAs), indicating potential gaps in frontline infection prevention practices.
What I did:
I responded to the outbreak by conducting comprehensive environmental rounds and direct observation of staff practices. I responded to the outbreak by conducting comprehensive environmental rounds and direct observation of staff practices. Specifically, I evaluated the availability of personal protective equipment (PPE) in isolation carts, adherence to masking as well as donning and doffing of PPE protocols.
When necessary, I implemented targeted interventions, including:
· Just-in-time staff education on PPE use, hand hygiene, and transmission-based precautions
· Collaboration with central supply, the Infection Preventionist, Nurse Consultant, and environmental services to ensure consistent PPE stocking and appropriate isolation signage.
· Universal masking by all staff, visitors, and residents (when out of their rooms)- if they were under precautions then they stayed in their room with the door closed (if it was safe to do so).
What facility department heads did:
· Facility-wide staff re-education on COVID-19 prevention practices, including hand hygiene, universal masking (maintained through 14 days post–last positive case), respiratory etiquette, high-touch surface disinfection, and social distancing.
· Reinforcement of symptom screening, testing protocols for symptomatic and asymptomatic individuals, vaccination/booster encouragement, and return-to-work guidelines.
What changed (measurable impact):
Following implementation of these interventions, PPE availability and staff compliance with infection prevention protocols improved significantly, contributing to effective containment of the outbreak within 17 days. Transmission was limited primarily to one unit, preventing broader facility spread, reducing additional cases, and mitigating further operational and regulatory risk.
What is the most challenging part of infection prevention in long-term care?
The most challenging aspect of infection prevention in long-term care is the lack of funding to support a full-time infection preventionist. In many long-term care facilities, this role is combined with other responsibilities, which limits the time available to focus on critical infection prevention activities such as surveillance, staff education, auditing, and process improvement.
Without a dedicated resource, efforts tend to focus on response rather than prevention, limiting the ability to identify trends, implement sustainable interventions, and maintain consistent adherence to best practices. Establishing adequate funding for a full-time infection preventionist would significantly enhance a facility’s ability to prevent and control infections, improve resident outcomes, and maintain regulatory compliance.
At Alden, we aim to retain hardworking and dedicated professionals in the long-term care field, as they serve as subject matter experts and function as key liaisons among residents, their families, and the interdisciplinary care team.
If you could speak directly to policymakers, what would you want them to understand?
If I could speak directly to policymakers, I would emphasize that regulatory mandates such as requiring a full-time infection preventionist in facilities with more than 100 residents are essential, and their successful implementation depends on ensuring adequate staffing resources to support these requirements.
I would want policy makers to appreciate both the importance of these mandates and the practical realities on the ground. Policies should support infection prevention through adequate staffing, training resources, and flexibility that allows facilities to maintain compliance without compromising care in other critical areas. In short, infection prevention saves lives, but it can only be fully effective when facilities are staffed and resourced appropriately to implement it consistently.
I would also urge policy makers to recognize that long-term care could greatly benefit from broader support to make it a more attractive and sustainable career path. Reducing punitive approaches, addressing public stigma, and investing in workforce development would help retain and recruit skilled professionals, which in turn strengthens infection prevention and the overall quality of care. Policies that combine clear regulatory guidance with practical support for staffing and workforce development would allow facilities to maintain compliance while keeping residents safe.