Tori Whitacre Martonicz, MA, is the lead editor of Infection Control Today. She has been a writer and editor for over 30 years and has an MA and BA in English Composition/Literature from the University of Akron in Akron, OH. She lives in Ohio with her husband, Eric; son, Drake; 2 tiny dogs, Selena Brigid Sophia and Doctor Danger Dog; and a big black cat, Freya. She loves reading, writing, gardening, and spending time with her loved ones.
Contact her through her email: tmartonicz@mjhlifesciences.com.
From the Derby to the Decontam Room: Leadership Lessons for Sterile Processing
April 27th 2025Elizabeth (Betty) Casey, MSN, RN, CNOR, CRCST, CHL, is the SVP of Operations and Chief Nursing Officer at Surgical Solutions in Overland, Kansas. This SPD leader reframes preparation, unpredictability, and teamwork by comparing surgical services to the Kentucky Derby to reenergize sterile processing professionals and inspire systemic change.
Building Beyond the Walls: How UF Health Designed an Offsite SPD for Long-Term Success
April 26th 2025UF Health’s offsite reprocessing center offers a model for scalability, efficiency, and staff support as hospitals face space limitations and growing surgical volumes. Sara Vinson, MBA, CRCST, director of sterile processing will discuss it at the 2025 HSPA Annual Conference.
Phage Therapy’s Future: Tackling Antimicrobial Resistance With Precision Viruses
April 24th 2025Bacteriophage therapy presents a promising alternative to antibiotics, especially as antimicrobial resistance continues to increase. Dr. Ran Nir-Paz discusses its potential, challenges, and future applications in this technology.
Catching Up With Damien Berg, BA, BS, CRCST, AAMIF, HSPA Vice President of Strategic Intiatives
April 18th 2025ICT interviews Damien Berg, VP of strategic initiatives, who promises HSPA education, outreach, and growth. It will empower sterile processing professionals through standards updates, networking, and renewed purpose in patient safety.
Improving Preoperative Bathing Compliance Through Standardized Protocols and Team Collaboration
April 15th 2025A multidisciplinary team tackled low compliance in preoperative bathing, showing that standardization—not product choice—drives surgical site infection prevention and patient safety outcomes.
Roundtable 4: Addressing Vaccine Hesitancy and Advancing Infection Control in Veterinary Medicine
April 14th 2025Veterinary professionals emphasize proactive vaccination, infection control education, and collaboration, highlighting the need for resources and recognition of veterinary IPC’s vital role in One Health.
HHS Layoffs: ICT Chats With APIC 2025 President Carol McLay, DrPH, MPH, RN, CIC, FAPIC, FSHEA
April 14th 2025Mass federal layoffs threaten infection prevention nationwide, with APIC president Carol McLay, DrPH, MPH, RN, CIC, FAPIC, FSHEA, warning of disrupted public health infrastructure, rising HAIs, and a diminished infection control workforce.
Uncovering a Hidden Risk: Alcohol Use Disorder Significantly Increases C difficile Infection Rates
April 10th 2025A groundbreaking study reveals a strong connection between alcohol use disorder and increased risk for Clostridioides difficile infection, challenging traditional assumptions and calling for enhanced infection prevention protocols.
Bridging the Gap: Operating Room and Central Processing Unite to Improve Surgical Efficiency
April 8th 2025Communication breakdowns between the operating room and central processing led to delays and frustration—until collaboration, cross-training, and shared goals turned metrics around and strengthened teamwork.
Fluorescent Audits and Team Training Boost OR Cleanliness and Patient Safety
April 6th 2025A Portuguese hospital team significantly improved operating room cleanliness through targeted training, UV audits, and interdisciplinary collaboration, enhancing patient safety and infection prevention at AORN 2025.
Roundtable 3: Veterinary IPs Face Mounting Challenges Amid H5N1 Threat
April 1st 2025In this installment, our guest veterinary infection preventionists discuss confronting rising H5N1 risks with limited guidance, staff, and surveillance, relying on collaboration, education, and innovation to protect animals, staff, and public health.
Vet IP Roundtable 2: Infection Control and Biosecurity Challenges in Veterinary Care
March 31st 2025Veterinary IPs highlight critical gaps in cleaning protocols, training, and biosecurity, stressing the urgent need for standardized, animal-specific infection prevention practices across diverse care settings.
Invisible, Indispensable: The Vital Role of AHRQ in Infection Prevention
March 25th 2025With health care systems under strain and infection preventionists being laid off nationwide, a little-known federal agency stands as a last line of defense against preventable patient harm. Yet the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) is now facing devastating cuts—threatening decades of progress in patient safety.