VIMP CIAO Project

The aim of this project was to provide nursing home care organizations with tools to prepare for future outbreaks of COVID-19, influenza, and new (variants of) respiratory viruses. It also aimed to help them make well-considered deliberations between the benefits of measures on the one hand, and quality of life and work on the other.

In this project:

• A ‘crisis manual’ was developed for nursing home care organizations, including an overview of all things an organization should prepare for in order to be well-equipped for outbreaks of (new) respiratory viruses.
• Workshops were held on the application of the crisis manual.
• A video and infographic were developed, to share the key lessons from the CIAO project with nursing home professionals.
• These insights were also shared by including them in professional guidelines, professional journals, and conference presentations.
• It was explored which tools are available to support nursing home professionals in engaging in conversations about the dilemmas they face regarding infection prevention measures.

This project was a collaboration between the academic nursing home networks in the Netherlands, led by the academic nursing home network in Amsterdam (UNO Amsterdam) and Tilburg (Tranzo). Additionally, an advisory group was involved with representatives from Verenso, Actiz, V&VN, LOC, and NIP. In translating the CIAO project insights into practical applications, healthcare professionals working in practice were involved, as well as implementation advisors, educational advisors, and communication advisors affiliated with the academic nursing home networks.

The knowledge products developed in this project (crisis manual, video, infographic) are available (in Dutch) on this web page of UNO Amsterdam. Nursing home care organizations affiliated with the academic nursing home networks have been informed about these knowledge products. Additionally, the knowledge products have been widely promoted among healthcare professionals (for example, through communication activities, workshops and professional associations). 

After the completion of this project, the academic nursing home networks and the organizations represented in the advisory group will continue to raise awareness of the developed knowledge products whenever opportunities arise. When appropriate, they may also provide advice on the implementation of the knowledge products.