Ensuring the sterility of medical devices is a cornerstone of patient safety. This whitepaper examines steam sterilization—the predominant method in healthcare—and the critical role of chemical indicators (CIs) in monitoring process efficacy. With a focus on ISO 11140-1 standards, it compares Type 4 and Type 5 indicators, outlining their strengths, limitations, and implications for reliable sterilization practices.

Check out the latest print edition of Infection Control Today: September/October 2025.

Without stable, science-driven leadership at the CDC, patient safety and public trust hang in the balance. Infection preventionists must demand accountability and champion evidence-based guidance now.

Infection prevention cannot succeed in silos. From acute care hospitals to long-term care facilities, interdisciplinary teams bring diverse expertise together, transforming safety from an individual responsibility into a shared culture. It’s time for leaders to champion collaboration, empower every role, and embed IPC into daily care delivery.

Infection prevention is not an expense, it’s an investment,” the study authors stressed, urging C-suite leaders to address burnout, recognize IP contributions, and build hospital-wide collaboration.

In a historic Senate hearing, HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. faced bipartisan fury over vaccine misinformation, as public health leaders demanded his resignation to protect science and safety.

A joint statement from leading medical and public health groups calling for HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s resignation underscores the urgent need for infection preventionists to defend science-driven care and safeguard community health.

Experts say AI tools can forecast outbreaks and guide staffing, but limitations remain; technology cannot capture unpredictable tasks or reduce the heavy baseline workload of infection preventionists.

With Florida becoming the first state to eliminate all vaccine mandates, infection preventionists face mounting challenges in safeguarding communities against vaccine-preventable outbreaks.

Infection prevention is too often the first program cut when budgets tighten, but experts warn that underfunding leaves hospitals vulnerable. Stronger policies, bigger rewards, and robust vaccination programs are critical to protecting patients and communities.

Infection prevention isn’t one-size-fits-all. Regional disparities, from rural staffing shortages to California’s strict regulations, demand tailored strategies, stronger collaborations, and targeted funding to protect patients everywhere.

Hospital readiness is no longer just about staff and equipment—it’s about infrastructure. From flooding to infection risks, restoration now plays a vital role in protecting patients and ensuring uninterrupted care.

Fewer than 14% of infection prevention departments receive staffing support from other hospital units, leaving infection preventionists stretched thin. Experts warn that this lack of collaboration undermines patient safety and strains already limited resources.

Dr. Demetre Daskalakis wrote in his resignation letter: "Having worked in local and national public health for years, I have never experienced such radical non-transparency, nor have I seen such unskilled manipulation of data to achieve a political end rather than the good of the American people. Enough is enough.”

This installment of the interview with study authors, survey data reveal rising hours and responsibilities for infection preventionists, with staffing shortages fueling burnout risks and threatening the safety of both patients and health care workers.

Infection preventionists emerged from the COVID-19 crisis carrying heavier workloads, broader responsibilities, and fewer resources. A new study reveals the toll and the urgent need for support.

As hospitals turn to UVC technology to combat health care-associated infections, a new FDA mandate is changing the game—requiring formal authorization for devices that claim to reduce microbial contamination. For infection preventionists and health care leaders, understanding this regulatory shift is now essential to protecting patients and ensuring compliance.

Behind every safe surgery and patient interaction lies a detail often overlooked: clean, properly managed health care textiles. TRSA’s 3-part webinar series brings infection preventionists, administrators, and clinicians the latest best practices, from eliminating the risks of home laundering to ensuring hygienically clean certifications. Now free to access, these sessions offer actionable strategies to strengthen infection control across every facility.

In health care, every decision impacts safety. Yet many facilities still rely on woven towels and blankets to absorb blood and body fluid spills—a risky shortcut that undermines infection prevention, slows workflows, and puts staff at regulatory and safety risk. It’s time to replace outdated habits with engineered, evidence-based solutions designed for today’s high-stakes care environment.

As hospitals face layoffs and budget cuts, the need to demonstrate IPs' measurable impact has never been greater. For IPs, that means transforming your resume into more than a list of duties: it must tell the story of outcomes, savings, and lives protected. Now is the moment to redefine your role—not as a cost center, but as a catalyst for safety, efficiency, and organizational success.

Here are the formal rules for the 2024 Winner of the Infection Control Today’s Educator of the Year Award™.

How can health care facilities and health providers implement point-of-use (POU) instrument care? Here’s a closer look at the entire process, the principles guiding its implementation, and the potential barriers to implementing point-of-use instrument care.

In this installment of Building Bridges in Infection Prevention, what a mattress mistake can cost both patient and facility.

Public health is under attack. The CDC shooting underscores how misinformation fuels mistrust and danger. In this climate, evidence-based protections like masking aren’t optional—they’re essential. Layered strategies remain our best defense against deadly pathogens.