The Infection Control Today® hand hygiene page examines the practice of hand hygiene, from the proper methods to adherence among hospital staff. Will greater recognition of hand hygiene’s importance in curbing the spread of infections translate into better adherence among hospital staff and the public? This page features videos that demonstrate exactly how to conduct hand hygiene properly, articles recapping peer-reviewed literature on the latest advances in monitoring and adherence, as well as the popular "Bug of the Month" feature.
April 12th 2024
Ramon Zegpi Lagos, DVM, PhD, discusses H5N1 (avian flu), risks, transmission dynamics, preventive measures, and ongoing research at The Ohio State University.
Direct Gloving vs Hand Hygiene Before Donning Gloves: A Hospital Infection Control Study
November 20th 2023Read about a cluster randomized clinical trial that found that direct gloving without prior hand hygiene significantly improved infection prevention practice adherence among health care personnel.
Hot Topics in IPC: Influenza, COVID-19, and Mechanical Ventilation and Drug-Resistant Pathogens
November 3rd 2023In this Hot Topics in IPC, Saskia v. Popescu, PhD, MPH, MA, CIC, FAPIC, discusses her concerns about COVID-19 and influenza for this winter, and mechanical ventilation and drug-resistant pathogens.
Leveraging BIM to Enhance Infection Control in Health Care Facility Development
October 17th 2023Building Information Modeling (BIM) plays a pivotal role in designing health care facilities that minimize infection risks, promoting efficient planning, and coordination while reducing construction challenges.
How to Prepare For Possible “Tripledemic” of RSV, Influenza, and SARS-CoV-2
September 25th 2023The interaction between the respiratory viruses SARS-CoV-2, influenza, and RSV, poses ongoing challenges. Personal protective measures, testing, and vaccination are critical components of our strategy to mitigate the impact of these viruses.
Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP) Bioluminescence Testing and Performance
September 4th 2023In 2003, the CDC recommended hospitals to clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces. Later, they advised hospitals to closely supervise cleaning procedures near patients. This article explains what IPC personnel need to know about ATP testing.
The Hardest Question in Infection Control: Did You Perform Hand Hygiene?
August 7th 2023Everyone in health care knows the importance of hand hygiene, but adherence in health care is often below 50%, and having a conversation regarding hand hygiene adherence with a coworker can be uncomfortable. What can an organization do to increase hand hygiene adherence?
IPC Pros Helping Other: Engaging Staff Through an Infection Prevention and Control Educational Fair
August 3rd 2023In this installment of IPC Pros Helping Each Other, a long-term care infection preventionists in New Hampshire describes the IPC educational fair her facility organized for the rest of the staff. Michele M, director of nursing services, said, “[The educational fair] was a creative and interactive way to engage staff in infection control education.”