Search and Destroy: Eliminating Pathogens in the Patient Care Environment

Between 1840 and 1870, tremendous strides were made towards preventing devastating infections in hospitalized patients. It was recognized that hand antisepsis together with cleaning and disinfection of the patient’s environment were critical to optimal outcomes. Death rates dropped precipitously. As the decades passed through the next 100 years, improved hospital design, air filtration and especially the discovery of antibiotics all lead to the globally voiced conviction that most infections would be prevented and those that did occurred could readily, and successfully be treated. With the dramatic reduction in the incidence and severity of infections occurring, and the general routine hygienic design of hospitals, the focus on the importance of the environment as a significant contributing factor to infection waned. This perceived lack of the importance of environmental contamination along with reduced resources, increasingly vulnerable patients, more virulent and persistent pathogens and the increasing prevalence of antibiotic resistance demands we relook at the importance environmental contamination as a contributor to nosocomial infections. In this course, we will discuss evidence for the importance of this area of concern, the pathogens most likely to be transmitted via surface contamination and the best methods of successfully attacking these reservoirs for pathogen transmission

Learner Objectives:
Upon completion of this continuing education activity, the participant should be able to:

• List factors contributing to the persistence of healthcare-associated infections (HAI).
• Identify critical considerations when selecting and using disinfectants.
• Outline important steps for eliminating surface pathogen reservoirs.

Sponsored by:





Speaker:

Wava M. Truscott, PhD MBA

Dr. Wava Truscott is Director, Scientific Affairs and Clinical Education in the Medical Sciences Department of Kimberly-Clark Health Care. Dr. Truscott utilizes her years of experience in healthcare, knowledge of disease states and passion for infection prevention, to support product development from healthcare needs through research and development and into product education.

This activity has been submitted to the Arizona Nurses Association for approval to award contact hours. The Arizona Nurses Association is accredited as an approver of continuing nursing education by the American Nurses Credentialing Center's Commission on Accreditation.

This Webinar's contact hour will expire two years from the date of the live event.

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