As a travel nurse, you’re likely aware of the latest COVID-19 resurgence data from the CDC, highlighting an increase in COVID-19 cases across three states in the United States. In fact, across the country, the test positivity rate now ranges between 10% to 20%. This data plays a crucial role in shaping and guiding the CDC’s COVID-19 hospital protocols and policy guidelines.

The CDC frequently updates its policies to ensure a unified approach to addressing the COVID-19 resurgence and its risks, while maintaining a safe environment for patients, healthcare workers, hospitals, and the public. However, these updates can also create a challenge for health workers—particularly travel nurses like you. 

For instance, what do you do when faced with conflicting guidelines between the CDC and facility protocols regarding evolving concerns, such as a new variant? Some facilities have unique procedures based on their circumstances, while others lag in updating their policies. 

At Host Healthcare, we know this can be challenging, and we’re here to offer guidance. In this blog, we explore the latest CDC COVID-19 updates and the varying protocols across facilities to help you navigate the complexities of changing policies while ensuring compliance and safety.

The CDC’s Latest COVID-19 Guidelines: What to Know

In light of the COVID-19 resurgence, the CDC continues to advocate for wearing a mask, social distancing, vaccination, good hygiene, and regular testing for COVID-19 to lower the risk of transmission. While these guidelines aren’t mandatory, the CDC emphasizes that they help protect both yourself and others, reducing the spread of infectious variants like Delta.

In March 2024, the agency ended the COVID isolation policy that mandated patients to isolate for at least five days. The new guidance suggests that people can resume normal activities when their symptoms have been improving for at least 24 hours and their fever has gone without using a fever-reducing medication.

However, it’s crucial to note that these new guidelines only apply to the general public—the CDC’s COVID-specific guidance for healthcare settings is still in place.

Healthcare professionals (HCPs) with mild to moderate illness should isolate for at least 10 days and at least 24 hours after their last fever and symptoms start improving. If they test negative by day 7, they can return to work if their symptoms are improving and their fever has resolved. Those with severe to critical conditions should isolate for at least 10 to 20 days.

For asymptomatic HCPs, the CDC advises returning to work after two negative tests taken 48 hours apart. As a travel nurse, the agency suggests consulting with your facility’s employee health department on work restrictions if exposed to COVID-19. Nurses must also adhere to infection control practices like using personal protective equipment (PPE) and monitoring for symptoms.These protocols help prevent further COVID-19 hospitalizations and reduce emergency department visits.

How Facility Policies May Differ from CDC Recommendations

The CDC’s March COVID-19 update led to differing opinions from some healthcare facilities and professionals across the U.S. For example, the National Nurses United (NNU) expressed concerns that the CDC’s approach might not fully align with what they believe is necessary to protect public health and healthcare workers.

As a result, many facilities set their own policies to protect frontline workers or adhere to local and state guidelines that differ from the CDC’s. Some encourage nurses to wear masks in public spaces and crowded areas, such as airports, to avoid infections and have unique return-to-work policies.

For example, at Duke University Hospital in New York, nurses are required to wear a well-fitting mask around others for 10 days after returning to work. They must also adhere to transmission-based precautions and guidelines, such as wearing gowns, gloves, eye protection, and either an N95 mask or PAPR when caring for patients with severe infections. Patients in the facility must also wear well-fitting masks during isolation.

Hospitals may implement specific protocols tailored to their patient demographics, local COVID-19 case rates, and the circulating variants in their area. For instance, facilities treating immunocompromised patients or those for long-term care have stricter rules than the CDC guidelines. Some require wearing N95 masks instead of the standard surgical masks, while others have enhanced testing protocols and mandatory vaccination requirements.

Navigating Conflicting Guidelines Across Assignments

As a travel nurse, managing conflicting guidelines between CDC protocols and healthcare facilities can be challenging. Each assignment may come with its own set of policies on COVID-19 vaccination, isolation periods, and PPE usage, requiring you to quickly adapt while maintaining patient safety and following best practices.

As a rule of thumb, you should familiarize yourself with facility, local, state, and CDC policies. Before starting any assignment, review the hospital’s COVID-19 protocols and infection control guidelines, and compare them with CDC or national policies to identify any differences. If you encounter conflicting guidelines, it’s best to consult with your supervisors, management, or the employee health department for clarification, especially if COVID-19 cases are on the rise in your area.

Here are some other helpful tips: 

  • Stay informed of the CDC and national policy updates and recommendations, as this will help you navigate conflicts more confidently (especially when working in facilities that lag in updating their protocols) 
  • Adhere to facility policy, such as using face shields, goggles, respirators, and masks to protect yourself

Key COVID-19 Policy Changes to Watch For

Organizations like the World Health Organization and the CDC frequently update their COVID-19 policies in response to the evolving public health situation, adjusting guidelines based on the latest information about emerging variants, transmission rates, and healthcare capacity.

As you traverse the country on assignments, it’s crucial to pay attention to CDC’s policy updates on:

  • Masking requirements – The CDC’s mask mandates have generally relaxed: Workers, patients, and visitors are no longer required to wear masks in healthcare settings, but some facilities continue to enforce them.
  • Isolation and quarantine protocols – In March, the agency reduced the isolation period for the public from 5 days to 24 hours. For health workers, the period ranges from 7 to 20 days, depending on the severity of the infection.
  • Vaccination and booster mandates – The agency recommends COVID-19 vaccination for everyone from 6 months and older, but it’s not mandatory. Some states, nurse staffing agencies, and facilities might have mandatory vaccination and booster mandates.
  • Return-to-work guidelines – The CDC advises that HCPs return to work after 7 to 20 days if their symptoms have improved and they no longer have a fever. Most facilities have the same guidelines, in addition to wearing safety gear upon your return.
  • Testing protocols – The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommends 2 to 3 antigen tests performed 48 hours apart or a single NAAT test to confirm a person is negative. Most facilities adhere to these testing protocols, but some have a higher testing frequency for healthcare workers.
  • PPE usage – Wearing N95 masks or surgical masks, gloves, aprons, goggles or face visors, and gowns is necessary for HCPs. In long-term care facilities, using PPE is mandatory, as well as wearing N95 masks instead of surgical ones.

While the new CDC COVID-19 policy updates haven’t impacted the guidance for healthcare workers at nursing homes and other healthcare facilities, it’s still crucial to know the changes as a travel nurse. Since protocols can vary from facility to facility, comparing them with CDC guidelines can help you stay both safe and compliant.

Adapting to Changing Policies as a Travel Nurse

As you know, traveling nursing comes with unique challenges that can impact your work and safety. Being on the frontline demands adapting to different guidelines, especially when moving between assignments or working across various states.

Here is what you need to do to adapt to changing policies and ensure a seamless experience during assignments:

  • Stay informed  – Keep track of updates from the CDC, state health departments, and your facility. Subscribe to online groups and newsletters, including Host Healthcare’s informational emails, to stay up to date on the latest policy changes.
  • Ask questions – Ask your colleagues or supervisors questions about their policies and guidelines. Discuss any uncertainties and seek clarification regarding policy changes.
  • Embrace flexibility – Health policies are generally subject to change—not just COVID-19 policies. As a travel nurse, be prepared to adjust your practices based on new guidelines and environments.
  • Document changes  – Keep a personal log of the CDC’s guidelines and those of the facilities you’re posted to. The documentation can help you remember specific policies and justify your actions when necessary.
  • Engage in continuous training – Participate in training workshops and sessions on new policies and best practices. Also, complete training and orientation programs offered by facilities whenever you get a new contract.

Learning is essential for adjusting to new facilities and environments as a travel nurse. Stay current on the CDC policy updates and read manuals on policies and procedures for any given facility. Also, consider finding a mentor to help you adapt to the facility—they can also offer tips and guidance on conflicting COVID-19 policies.

Stay Informed and Safe with Host Healthcare

The COVID resurgence can be concerning—not just to the public, but also to healthcare workers like you. Being on the frontline means you have to deal with increasingly strict guidelines to ensure compliance while keeping yourself (and your patients) safe.

And this only becomes more challenging when you encounter COVID-19 hospital protocols that conflict with the CDC’s policies. As a travel nurse, the inconsistencies between CDC guidelines and facility-specific protocols can create practical, emotional, and ethical challenges as you move between assignments. Fortunately, you can avoid these difficulties by being proactive and flexible and seeking clarification on guidelines.

At Host Healthcare, we recognize how conflicting policies can complicate your work. That’s why we prioritize placing you in your preferred travel nursing job. And with exclusive access to thousands of jobs in every state, you’re guaranteed to find the assignment that’s right for you. 

If you need any guidance or have questions, contact us today. Our support team is always available through call, text, live chat, or DM to ensure you have the best travel experience possible. That’s the Host Healthcare difference.

 

Sources:

“Current Epidemic Growth Status (Based on Rt) for States.” CDC, September 20, 2024, www.cdc.gov/cfa-modeling-and-forecasting/rt-estimates/index.html. Accessed 22. Sept. 2024

“United States COVID-19 Deaths, Emergency Department (ED) Visits, and Test Positivity by Geographic Area.” CDC. covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#maps_positivity-week. Accessed 22. Sept. 2024

“How to Protect Yourself and Others.” CDC, July 12, 2024. www.cdc.gov/covid/prevention/index.html. Accessed 22. Sept. 2024

“CDC updates and simplifies respiratory virus recommendations.” CDC, March 1, 2024 https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2024/p0301-respiratory-virus.html. Accessed 22. Sept. 2024

“Interim Guidance for Managing Healthcare Personnel with SARS-CoV-2 Infection or Exposure to SARS-CoV-2.” CDC, March 18, 2024. www.cdc.gov/covid/hcp/infection-control/guidance-risk-assesment-hcp.html. Accessed 22. Sept. 2024

“Infection Control Guidance: SARS-CoV-2.” CDC, June 24, 2024 www.cdc.gov/covid/hcp/infection-control/index.html. Accessed 22. Sept. 2024

Boyce, Hunter. “Nurses union condemns CDC’s latest COVID isolation guidelines” The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, March 8, 2024. www.ajc.com/pulse/nurses-union-condemns-cdcs-latest-covid-isolation-guidelines/BZ2NHLHTNBATVHLGJ6COK5O55E/. Accessed 22. Sept. 2024

“March 2024 CDC COVID-19 Guidance Changes.” Duke, March 5, 2024. coronavirus.duke.edu/2024/03/march-2024-cdc-covid-19-guidance-changes/. Accessed 22. Sept. 2024

“Keep Yourself and Your Family Safe.” ANA Enterprise | American Nurses Association. www.nursingworld.org/practice-policy/work-environment/health-safety/disaster-preparedness/coronavirus/what-you-need-to-know/keep-yourself-and-your-family-safe/. Accessed 22. Sept. 2024