Authors


Eddie Jay LeCastillo, MSN, RN, CNL

Latest:

The Best Way to Start an IP Role Is With The Joint Commission: One IP's Experience

The first day as an infection preventionist can be nerve wracking, but what happens when The Joint Commission is there the same day?


Iris Verdi
Iris Verdi

Latest:

Blood, Snow, and a $10,000 Mattress Mistake: A Real-Life Infection Control Breakdown

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


Rich Prinz

Latest:

Environmental Measures Disrupt Transmission of HAIs

Time, staff, and budget constraints make it difficult to expand HAI mitigation programs despite the obvious and urgent need to do so.


Eliza Johnson, BS, CRCST

Latest:

Balancing Regulation and Risk of AI and Machine Learning Software in Medical Devices

Artificial intelligence may be revolutionizing sepsis detection and diagnosis, but can we trust it without strong regulatory guardrails? As AI/ML-enabled medical devices rapidly evolve, IPs must stay informed and involved to ensure safety keeps pace with innovation. Let’s take a closer look at how to advocate for innovative safe implementation.


Andrea Ankrum, MS, MS, MT(ASCP), CIC, FAPIC

Latest:

Development of a Novel Influenza A Standard Operating Procedure to Fulfill Public Health Reporting Requirements

Robust infectious disease surveillance, including rapid subtyping of influenza A, is essential for early detection, containment, and public health reporting of novel viral threats.


Jan Powers, PhD, RN, CCNS, CCRN, NE-BC, EBP-C, FCCM, FCNS, FAAN

Latest:

Empowering Patient Health: What Should Patients and Caregivers Know About Staying Healthy While in the Hospital

Oral care is vital in reducing hospital-acquired pneumonia risks. Health care workers' education, evidence-based protocols, and accessible supplies enhance patient outcomes and prevent complications in health care settings.


Joshua Schwartz

Latest:

Rethinking Clean: How Outdated Disinfection Practices Are Fueling the AMR Crisis

As drug-resistant infections rise, infection preventionists must look beyond outdated disinfectants. HOCl offers a safer, sustainable solution that has been proven effective, residue-free, and ready for health care use today.



Matthew Weissenbach, DrPH, CPH, CIC, FAPIC

Latest:

Navigating Infection Prevention Challenges Amid 2024 Outbreaks: Strategies for Success

As infectious diseases resurge in 2024, this article explores how IPs can manage outbreaks, allocate resources, use technology for surveillance, and collaborate with senior leaders to ensure business continuity and patient safety in health care settings.


Charles P. Gerba, PhD

Latest:

Continuously Active Disinfectants Can Keep COVID at Bay

Charles P. Gerba, PhD: “Unfortunately, standard procedures for testing and registration by regulatory agencies of CADs (continuously active sanitizers or disinfectants) as disinfectants useful in preventing exposure to disease causing microorganism transmission has only taken place in recent years.”


Debra Hagberg, MT (ASCP), CIC

Latest:

As HAIs Rise, New Methods of Counterattack Sought

Even the most rigorous infection prevention protocols come unraveled if compliance isn’t maintained. The challenge is that for busy health care professionals, remembering when and how to disinfect is just one of many competing tasks in an extremely busy day.


Yaneer Bar-Yam, PhD

Latest:

Addressing Post-COVID Challenges: The Urgent Need for Enhanced Hospital Reporting Metrics

Explore why CMS must expand COVID-19, influenza, and RSV reporting to include hospital-onset infections, health care worker cases, and ER trends, driving proactive prevention and patient safety.


Alpesh Amin, MD, MBA, MACP, SFHM, FACC, FRCP (LOND)

Latest:

Keeping the Stethoscope, the Clinician’s Third Hand, Clean

Stethoscope diaphragms are contaminated with the same pathogens as the hands and they are capable of transmitting pathogens from patient to patient. The CDC should readdress its published guidelines.


Jessica L. Peck, DNP, APRN, CPNP-PC, CNE, CNL, FAANP, FAAN
Jessica L. Peck, DNP, APRN, CPNP-PC, CNE, CNL, FAANP, FAAN

Latest:

Infection Control in Pediatrics: Primary Preventions to Promote Child Health

Infection prevention in pediatrics is crucial to keep babies and children healthy. Some of the main tools are hand washing and vaccinations; however, there is more to do.


Ellie Wishart, BSc

Latest:

Environmental Hygiene Industry Leaders Converge to Discuss BPR Regulations

Ellie Wishart, BSc, Real World Evidence Manager at Ecolab discusses the role of industry partners in the Clean Hospitals initiative and taking part in the International Clean Hospitals Day Conference in Geneva, Switzerland, on October 20, 2022.


Jared Kaltwasser

Latest:

Most Decontamination Methods for N95s Seem to Work

The shape and material composition of the N95 respirators varied widely from manufacturer to manufacturer, which can result in variations in the efficacy of a particular method from one product to the next.


Tommy Davis, PhD, MMin, CMIP, CEPHP, LSSGB, BLS

Latest:

Spring Into Safety: How Seasonal Deep Cleaning Strengthens Hospital Infection Control

Rooted in ancient rituals of renewal, spring-cleaning has evolved from cultural tradition to a vital infection prevention strategy in modern hospitals—one that blends seasonal deep cleaning with advanced disinfection to reduce pathogens, improve air quality, and protect patients.


Doe Kley, RN, MPH, CIC, LTC-CIP, T-CHEST

Latest:

The Problem(s) With Candida auris: What IPs and EVS Personnel Should Know

Even during the COVID-19 pandemic, infection preventionists, nurses, environmental services personnel, and other health care workers cannot forget about C auris.


Anjali Bisht, MPH, CIC

Latest:

Pandemic Places Importance of Preventing Environmental Infection at Center Stage

IPs can provide valuable input on construction projects, water safety, and ventilation.


Anna Arifin, MD, MBA, MT, CIC

Latest:

How Clinical Laboratory Science Shaped Modern Health Care and the IPC Roadmap

Clinical Laboratory Science has journeyed from its 1930s roots to become a cornerstone of hospital medicine—powering everything from life-saving diagnoses to advanced molecular testing. But its story isn’t just about history; it’s a roadmap for how other critical fields, like infection prevention, can build strong, standardized pathways for the next generation of professionals. Now is the time to learn from CLS’s evolution and start shaping the future of IPC.


Krupa Patel, BS

Latest:

Managing Infection During Delivery: Protecting Maternal and Neonatal Well-Being

During delivery, babies can acquire infections if they come into contact with pathogens present in the birth canal or from the mother’s genital tract.


Thelma King Thiel, BA, RN

Latest:

World Hepatitis Day: The Fight Continues

This Sunday, July 28, is World Hepatitis Day, a time to raise awareness and support research for infection prevention and treatment.


Lisa Waldowski, DNP, RN, CIC

Latest:

Ultrasound in Percutaneous Procedures: One Size Does Not Fit All for Reprocessing

Accurate device information and proper sterilization or disinfection are crucial to ensure safety during ultrasound procedures.


Shalini Nagar

Latest:

Lassa Fever: What Is It, and How Do We Fight It?

Lassa fever causes 5000 deaths a year. What should health care workers and the public know about this rare disease, and what is done to treat it?


Shazia Irum, MSC, MBA, RN, CIC, CPHQ

Latest:

Silent Threat: The Overlooked Infection Crisis in Dialysis Patients

Patients undergoing dialysis are especially vulnerable to infection due to weakened immunity, invasive access procedures, and frequent hospitalizations, making stringent infection control essential.


Thuc Vu, PhD (Photo courtesy of Ohmnilabs)
Thuc Vu, PhD

Latest:

How to Be Confident in Your Disinfection: UV-C Disinfection, Dosimeter Cards, and Audits

Recent research in the American Journal of Infection Control reveals gaps in routine hospital disinfection, highlighting the need for UV-C audits. Learn how to validate UV-C dosages effectively and conduct successful audits.


Garrett Hollembeak CRCST, CIS, CHL, CER, CIC

Latest:

What Flat Earthers Can Teach Public Health Experts

Will Duffy’s Final Experiment highlights the importance of experience in changing minds. Public health can use similar methods to improve vaccine confidence and counter misinformation.


Lois Levine

Latest:

What You Need to Know About 3 Rare Infectious Eye Diseases

Eric D. Donnenfeld, MD, discusses 3 uncommon yet highly infectious eye diseases, emphasizing the importance of timely treatment and preventative measures.


Nicole Walley, CRCST, CIS, CHL

Latest:

The Key to Sterile Processing Success: Leadership Engagement and Team Collaboration

Effective sterile processing leadership requires active engagement, clear communication, and a transformational approach to foster collaboration, accountability, and quality in infection prevention and surgical instrument management.


 Neal Wieselman

Latest:

Alcohol-Based Hand Sanitizers Ineffective Against Norovirus: Effective Alternatives and Infection Control Strategies

Alcohol-based hand sanitizers do not protect against norovirus, a highly contagious virus. Effective alternatives like hypochlorous acid-based sanitizers are crucial for better infection control.