Administrator Perspectives on Skilled Nursing Facility Building Design for Managing COVID-19 Infections and Outbreaks

The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the importance of infection control practices in skilled nursing facilities (SNFs). This study examined SNF administrator perspectives on implementing built environment strategies to manage and mitigate COVID-19 transmission into and within their facility. Semi-structured interviews with SNF administrators were conducted between July 2020-December 2021. Administrators emphasized (1) the effective implementation of built environment strategies for quarantine and isolation protocols, (2) facility-level modifications used to manage and mitigate COVID-19 transmission, and (3) the challenges posed by outdated or high-density building layouts. Insights from this study's findings suggest important considerations for SNF architectural modifications and design as a mechanism for infection control. Thoughtful SNF architectural planning and design are critically important for the long-term care industry to expand and successfully meet the future challenges of pandemics, severe weather events, and other public health emergencies.