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Keeping the Stethoscope, the Clinician’s Third Hand, CleanStethoscope 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.
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Infection Control in Pediatrics: Primary Preventions to Promote Child HealthInfection 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.
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Environmental Hygiene Industry Leaders Converge to Discuss BPR RegulationsEllie 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.
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Most Decontamination Methods for N95s Seem to WorkThe 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.
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Resilience and Innovation: The Pivotal Contributions of Black Americans to Health Care and MedicineDuring Black History Month, we honor the resilience and contributions of Black medical professionals in health care. Despite barriers, they have led transformative changes, advocating for equitable access and medical excellence. Recognizing their impact ensures a more inclusive health care future for all.
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The Problem(s) With Candida auris: What IPs and EVS Personnel Should KnowEven during the COVID-19 pandemic, infection preventionists, nurses, environmental services personnel, and other health care workers cannot forget about C auris.
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Pandemic Places Importance of Preventing Environmental Infection at Center StageIPs can provide valuable input on construction projects, water safety, and ventilation.
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Managing Infection During Delivery: Protecting Maternal and Neonatal Well-BeingDuring delivery, babies can acquire infections if they come into contact with pathogens present in the birth canal or from the mother’s genital tract.
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World Hepatitis Day: The Fight ContinuesThis Sunday, July 28, is World Hepatitis Day, a time to raise awareness and support research for infection prevention and treatment.
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Ultrasound in Percutaneous Procedures: One Size Does Not Fit All for ReprocessingAccurate device information and proper sterilization or disinfection are crucial to ensure safety during ultrasound procedures.
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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?
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Silent Threat: The Overlooked Infection Crisis in Dialysis PatientsPatients undergoing dialysis are especially vulnerable to infection due to weakened immunity, invasive access procedures, and frequent hospitalizations, making stringent infection control essential.
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How to Be Confident in Your Disinfection: UV-C Disinfection, Dosimeter Cards, and AuditsRecent 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.
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What Flat Earthers Can Teach Public Health ExpertsWill 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.
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What You Need to Know About 3 Rare Infectious Eye DiseasesEric D. Donnenfeld, MD, discusses 3 uncommon yet highly infectious eye diseases, emphasizing the importance of timely treatment and preventative measures.
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The Key to Sterile Processing Success: Leadership Engagement and Team CollaborationEffective 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.
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Alcohol-Based Hand Sanitizers Ineffective Against Norovirus: Effective Alternatives and Infection Control StrategiesAlcohol-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.
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5 Advantages of automating the manual procedures in your ultrasound probe reprocessing workflowAutomation of probe reprocessing can have multiple benefits for patients, clinicians and facilities, including improvements in efficiency, accuracy, compliance, standardization and safety. When considering process options for high level disinfection of ultrasound probes, automated systems can be an efficient and cost-effective way to prevent patients from the risk of infection. It’s time to work smarter, safer, happier, more efficiently, and accurately… not harder.
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The 90’s Club: A Successful Hand Hygiene Adherence CampaignThe "90’s SwipeSense Club" significantly improved hand hygiene adherence at Novant Health Thomasville Medical Center. By incentivizing adherence through 1990s-themed rewards and using SwipeSense technology to track hygiene practices, the hospital increased adherence rates from 53% in 2021 to 84% by May 2024.
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Development of a Novel Influenza A Standard Operating Procedure to Fulfill Public Health Reporting RequirementsRobust infectious disease surveillance, including rapid subtyping of influenza A, is essential for early detection, containment, and public health reporting of novel viral threats.
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How to Become a Certified Infection PreventionistInfection prevention certification is not what it used to be—it is more valuable. It’s not for a few experts; it’s for the frontline IP in any health care setting that chooses to demonstrate competency.
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How Climate Change Impact Is Changing Infectious Disease PatternsPeter Rabinowitz, MD, MPH, discusses how climate change, including extreme weather and temperature shifts, is reshaping the spread of infectious diseases like dengue, leptospirosis, and Valley fever.
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Beating Biofilm Is Key to Fighting Surgical InfectionsAt the intersection of surgery and infection prevention resides a sometimes-neglected opportunity to further minimize infection risk by modernizing choices and innovation.
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Infection Control Today Exclusive: The Challenge of Health Care-Associated Infections (HAIs) and Evolving Prevention: A Focus on Hand HygieneHealth care-associated infections (HAIs) significantly impact patient outcomes, hospital expenses, and mortality rates in the United States. Hand hygiene stands as the most effective preventive method. While manual observation often produces biased results, Electronic Hand Hygiene Monitoring Systems (EHHCM) offer evolving methods for more accurate adherence assessment.
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From Blueprints to Ribbon Cutting: Infection Preventionists’ Role in ConstructionWhen constructing a health care facility of any size, it is crucial to seek the advice and expertise of an infection preventionist. This article provides guidance on how to do so effectively.
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The Rising Concern of Malaria and Mosquito-Borne Diseases in the USDiseases transmitted by mosquitoes are not new to the US, but with malaria in Florida and Texas showing up, protecting against getting bit is even more vital.
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Even in Shadow of COVID-19, Influenza Poses Pandemic ThreatThe ability of any infectious agent to maintain constant transmission enables it to be an ongoing threat to public health. Few pathogens have achieved greater success at ongoing transmission potential than the influenza virus.
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Retaining and Developing the IPs of Tomorrow: How to Find Meaning as an Infection PreventionistInfection preventionists come from many different backgrounds. However, many left the field during the COVID-19 pandemic. It will require creative methods to preserve existing IP staff and educate those entering the field.
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The 2020 Flu: Dud or Devastation, It is Up To YouThis year we have to do more than just rely on the flu vaccine. Avoiding the flu plus COVID-19 catastrophe is contingent on the US widely embracing public health guidance of wearing masks, meticulous hand hygiene and social distancing.
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Happy World Hand Hygiene Day!Maintaining proper hand hygiene is crucial in ensuring our safety and that of those around us and is rightly celebrated worldwide.
