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Infection prevention personnel are uniquely positioned to drive meaningful change in sharps safety, but only if we recognize and act on our critical role. Sharps injuries are not only a personal threat to health care workers; they also represent a preventable infection risk, a systems failure, and a missed opportunity for proactive intervention. 

In the interview, available in its entirety here, with Amanda Heitman, BSN, RN, CNOR, perioperative educational consultant for Periop Anew and supervisor of education for surgical services at WakeMed in Cary, North Carolina, she discusses the issues and the need for education about sharps safety. 

Despite the availability of engineering controls and regulatory guidance, facilities continue to face major barriers to ensuring sharps safety. It’s time for infection preventionists (IPs) to step forward as educators, advocates, and culture shifters.

One of the most persistent challenges is underreporting. Studies show that up to 50% of sharps injuries are never reported, often due to shame, fear of judgment, or a belief that the injury was the worker’s fault. This silence creates a dangerous illusion: facilities appear safer than they actually are. When leadership doesn’t see the problem, there’s little motivation to implement change. IPs can help break this cycle by fostering a non-punitive reporting culture, analyzing injury trends, and highlighting missed opportunities for safer practices.
Another common barrier is cost, particularly the perception that implementing safety-engineered devices is too expensive. 

However, IPs understand the true cost of an exposure event, including bloodborne pathogen testing, follow-up care, work restrictions, potential infections, legal liability, and staff burnout. These indirect and long-term costs far outweigh the price of a safety device. Infection prevention teams can use this data to build the business case for investment, linking worker safety to quality, staffing continuity, and even patient outcomes.

IPs are also well-positioned to advocate for safer technology. Passive safety devices, such as single-handed scalpel blade removers and retractable syringes, offer automatic protection with minimal user intervention, an essential feature in busy clinical environments. While active safety devices rely on the user to manually engage a safety feature (which often goes ignored), passive designs reduce error and boost compliance. 

Yet many facilities still don’t require or consistently provide these devices. IPs can serve on product evaluation committees, recommend device trials, and push for adoption of OSHA-aligned engineering controls.

Education is another critical area where IPs can lead. Sharps safety training should not be treated as a one-time competency. New hires may arrive with outdated habits, and experienced staff may have learned shortcuts that increase risk. Ongoing training, especially hands-on demonstrations, is essential. IPs can support perioperative leaders, sterile processing educators, and unit-based champions in providing regular instruction on safe handling, passing techniques, neutral zones, and use of protective equipment.

Sterile processing professionals are especially vulnerable to downstream injuries when sharps are improperly handled in the operating room (OR). IPs can help bridge the gap between departments by reviewing root causes of injuries, updating workflows, and reinforcing the expectation that blades are removed using proper devices before instruments are sent for decontamination. This type of interdepartmental collaboration improves both staff safety and instrument turnaround times.

Ultimately, IPs are already experts in systems thinking, surveillance, policy development, and education—all skills that align perfectly with the needs of a comprehensive sharps safety program. By collaborating with clinical teams, championing device innovation, and advocating for a culture of safety, IPs can help ensure that no health care worker suffers a preventable sharps injury under their watch.

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Sharps injuries remain a silent but serious threat in health care that infection preventionists are uniquely equipped to confront. With underreporting widespread and safety devices underused, it’s time for IPs to step into a leadership role, using their expertise in systems thinking, education, and policy to build a culture where staff protection is as prioritized as patient care.

Sharps Safety Starts with Us: Why Infection Preventionists Must Lead the Charge

Preventing sharps injuries in health care requires safety-engineered devices and a cultural shift, supported by clear policies, transparency, and communication across departments. One expert emphasizes that the responsibility for preventing sharps injuries does not begin and end in the operating room (OR), but instead it extends to sterile processing, pathology, and beyond.

) interview with Amanda Heitman, BSN, RN, CNOR, perioperative educational consultant for Periop Anew, and supervisor of education of surgical services at WakeMed in Cary, North Carolina, she explains how to encourage sharps safety responsibility.

Key strategies for improving safety include establishing robust administrative controls, promoting consistent incident reporting, and transparently reviewing injuries to learn from them rather than hiding them. When staff feel safe reporting an injury and see others do the same without fear of blame, it helps normalize the process and build a culture where safety is the expectation, not the exception.

“We have to help write policies for the sharp safety to ensure that adherence is going to happen with their practices because again, if you don't implement the policies, they may not do it,” Heitman told 

. “We got to encourage the reporting still, and then start investigating those reports, figuring out what happened, what process needs to be reevaluated, to see why the injury occurred, and being transparent about those incident reports, to look at the issues that is so useful and helpful, and learning from those issues rather than hiding them.”

Equally important is reevaluating practices and policies after an injury occurs. Investigating the root cause and adjusting workflows or retraining staff can prevent repeat incidents. This also means involving staff in the evaluation and adoption of safety-engineered devices, empowering them to be champions of safer practices.

Sharps safety must also include better coordination between the OR and sterile processing departments (SPD). If a used scalpel blade is not removed properly before being sent for cleaning, the risk of injury transfers downstream. In fast-paced environments where staff may be relieved midcase, that crucial step is sometimes skipped, which puts SPD personnel at risk. Proper use of blade removal devices at the field level can bridge this safety gap between teams.

Pathology departments also face exposure risks when using similar tools. This is why safety measures must be adopted facility-wide, not only in surgical areas.

Ultimately, building a culture of safety involves listening to staff, sharing accountability, and valuing every contribution. Whether it is implementing better tools or simply reporting an incident, each action helps make health care safer for patients and the people who care for them.

Sharps safety isn’t just an operating room issue—it’s a system-wide concern that demands stronger policies, consistent reporting, and cross-departmental collaboration to truly protect health care workers.

Building a Culture of Sharps Safety Requires More Than Just Tools

Despite advancements in safety protocols and the availability of engineered safety devices, sharps injuries remain a persistent threat in health care settings, particularly in perioperative environments. One of the biggest barriers to reducing these injuries is not just the tools or techniques being used, but the culture that surrounds reporting. Many health care workers, especially nurses new to the operating room, hesitate to report injuries due to feelings of shame or fear of being blamed.

) interview with Amanda Heitman, BSN, RN, CNOR, perioperative educational consultant for Periop Anew, and supervisor of education of surgical services at WakeMed in Cary, North Carolina, she explains how to create that transformation."When you give that [sharps safety] education to them, and they understand it and repeat it," Heitman said. "When we do that, we allow them to play with them right in front of them, so we can watch them do it, make sure they're doing it correctly...making sure that's happening, then that just builds their confidence. Then it just becomes part of their normal routine that this is the device I need to use."

This culture of silence is often reinforced by a perceived lack of support or inconsistent messaging. A staff member may learn safe practices in formal training but find those standards undermined by preceptors or colleagues in clinical settings who rely on outdated methods. This inconsistency can lead to preventable injuries and discourage early-career professionals from speaking up. Still, when staff are empowered—when they recognize their right to safety and are encouraged to advocate for it—they can become champions for change. In some cases, an injury has even served as a turning point, inspiring nurses to speak out and lead safety education efforts among their peers.

Engineered safety devices are part of the solution, but not all are created equal. Passive safety devices—those that activate automatically, like retractable syringes and single-handed scalpel blade removers—offer superior protection compared to active devices that require manual activation. Unfortunately, these tools are often overlooked, misunderstood, or even removed by surgeons who see them as impediments to their workflow. But with proper education and practice, these devices can become second nature to clinical staff, integrated seamlessly into routine care.

The key to changing the culture lies in education, confidence-building, and consistency. When staff are trained properly, given opportunities to handle and become familiar with the devices, and supported in reporting injuries without fear of blame, safety becomes a norm—not an afterthought. Culture change takes time, but with each empowered voice and each reported incident, the system grows safer for all. Infection preventionists, educators, and clinical leaders must work together to build and sustain this culture of protection.

Despite decades of progress in health care safety, a quiet but dangerous culture still lingers: many health care workers remain afraid to report sharps injuries, fearing blame more than the wound itself.

Breaking the Cycle of Silence: Why Sharps Injuries Go Unreported and What Can Be Done

As hospitals face layoffs and budget cuts, the need to demonstrate IPs' measurable impact has never been greater. For IPs, that means transforming your resume into more than a list of duties: it must tell the story of outcomes, savings, and lives protected. Now is the moment to redefine your role—not as a cost center, but as a catalyst for safety, efficiency, and organizational success.

Optimizing Your Resume and Showcasing Your Value in an Evolving IP Job Market

In a world full of corrections and checklists, don’t underestimate the quiet power of encouragement. One sentence—spoken with sincerity—can spark confidence, courage, and change. Infection preventionists do more than monitor safety; they shape culture. So today, go beyond reminders. Speak life. Name the good. Someone’s future may depend on it.

IP LifeLine: You're a Mover and a Shaker 

Despite being a well-known occupational hazard, sharps injuries continue to occur in health care facilities and are often underreported, underestimated, and inadequately addressed. A recent interview with sharps safety advocate Amanda Heitman, BSN, RN, CNOR, a perioperative educational consultant, reveals why change is overdue and what new tools and guidance can help.

Reducing Hidden Risks: Why Sharps Injuries Still Go Unreported

Infection preventionists, once hailed as indispensable during the pandemic, now face a sobering reality: budget pressures, hiring freezes, and layoffs are reshaping the field, leaving many IPs worried about their future and questioning their value within health care organizations.

IP LifeLine: Layoffs and the Evolving Job Market Landscape for Infection Preventionists

The Certification Board of Infection Control and Epidemiology (CBIC) is calling on infection prevention professionals to help shape the future of the a-IPC exam through a vital new job analysis survey.

CBIC Seeks Input for Job Analysis Survey for the a-IPC Certification

Fewer than 14% of infection prevention departments receive staffing support from other hospital units—a gap experts warn undermines collaboration, strains resources, and weakens patient safety efforts.

Breaking Down Silos: Why Infection Prevention Needs Cross-Departmental Support

Fewer than 14% of infection prevention (IP) departments receive staffing support from other hospital departments, a startling figure that underscores the need for stronger integration across health care systems. In a recent discussion among infection preventionists (IPs), several experts reflected on the implications of this resource gap and offered ideas for moving forward that they found from their recent study.

, study authors spoke on siloed operations and how infection prevention and control (IPC) should not be done in isolation. Brenna Doran PhD, MA, hospital epidemiology and infection prevention for the University of California, San Francisco, and a coach and consultant of infection prevention; Jessica Swain, MBA, MLT, director of infection prevention and control for Dartmouth Health in Lebanon, New Hampshire; and Shanina Knighton, associate professor at Case Western Reserve University School of Nursing and senior nurse scientist at MetroHealth System in Cleveland, Ohio.

One of the strongest themes that emerged was the risk of siloed operations. “Our study highlights the fact that operations can be siloed and without collaboration, infection prevention efforts can be less effective,”

Knighton explained. The reality, she emphasized, is that infection prevention touches nearly every corner of a hospital.“It touches every department. And so, with us being able to collaborate more, I think that we can start to decrease missed opportunities as it pertains to patient safety.”

Yet collaboration alone is not enough—funding remains a pressing barrier. “There’s this minuscule budget sometimes for infection prevention and control, but it’s expected that infection prevention and control touches every aspect of the hospital,” Knighton continued. Without adequate investment, even the best cross-training and teamwork cannot fully address the scope of what IPs are tasked to accomplish.

Another critical issue is the unrealistic expectation that IPs can “wear all the hats.” As Doran said, “It’s really challenging to balance being a generalist… with also specializing. We can’t physically or logistically do both.” Areas such as data analytics, reporting, and technology integration often fall outside the natural skill sets of most IPs, yet these tasks are increasingly expected of them. The group agreed that allocating partial support from specialists—such as data analysts or IT professionals—would significantly improve infection prevention programs while allowing IPs to stay focused on their primary mission: preventing infections.

That mission, however, depends on strong relationships with other departments. IPs see themselves not as replacements for nurses, environmental services, or sterile processing professionals, but as allies who ensure safety across all workflows. “It’s not trying to be a nurse, or environmental services,” Knighton said. “It’s trying to enhance what they do best by making sure that they’re doing it safely, but being able to view things with an infection prevention and control lens.”

Embedding infection prevention principles directly into other departments emerged as a promising solution. By training and empowering champions within nursing, environmental services, and sterile processing, hospitals can ensure that IP practices are reinforced even when an IP cannot be physically present. “We cannot be at everybody’s elbow all the time,” Swain said. “So to have those embedded people to be more specialized in infection prevention, and be looking at it from that lens, is going to impact our programs and make them that much better and increase patient and staff safety.”

The takeaway is Clear: without dedicated cross-departmental support and leadership buy-in, infection preventionists will continue to face an uphill battle. However, with the right collaboration, hospitals can create safer environments for both patients and staff.

IP is not a person; it's a program, and that program truly encompasses everybody working within the confines, not just of the hospital but also our external partners. So again, we're trying to build a tribe,” Doran said.

This is the third installment of the interview. The first can be found 

Doran B, Swain J, Knighton S. Quantifying the progressing landscape of infection preventionists: A survey-based analysis of workload and resource needs. 

. 2025;53(6):669-677. doi:10.1016/j.ajic.2025.03.012

Fewer than 14% of infection prevention departments receive staffing support from other hospital units, leaving infection preventionists stretched thin. Experts warn that this lack of collaboration undermines patient safety and strains already limited resources.

Video Series

Survey data reveal rising hours and responsibilities for infection preventionists, with staffing shortages fueling burnout risks and threatening the safety of both patients and health care workers.

Infection Preventionists Under Strain: More Work, Fewer Resources

A recent study found that infection preventionists (IPs) are working an average of 43.6 hours per week. The voices of those on the frontlines highlight what is driving this increase and what it means for patient safety.

, study authors shared how this increase affects the mental and physical health of IPs. The authors include Brenna Doran PhD, MA, hospital epidemiology and infection prevention for the University of California, San Francisco, and a coach and consultant of infection prevention; Jessica Swain, MBA, MLT, director of infection prevention and control for Dartmouth Health in Lebanon, New Hampshire; and Shanina Knighton, associate professor at Case Western Reserve University School of Nursing and senior nurse scientist at MetroHealth System in Cleveland, Ohio.

“We know that, like just beyond traditional infection control duties, we're now involved with emergency preparedness, antimicrobial stewardship, data analysis,” Knighton explained. “There have been enhanced regulations and reporting obligations, which have demanded us to be more meticulous, as well as it's taken up more time. And I think that, overall, in the broader nursing and health care [sector], staffing shortages have led to increased responsibilities for existing staff. Staffing levels should be more aligned with workload demands. However, because things are constantly changing, it is currently still leading to a bigger strain.”

Swain added: “As an IP, we took on more responsibilities, like some of those things, like being part of emergency management, and now there's no way for us to sort of step away from those things, and there are new regulatory requirements around special pathogens and educating the staff. We’re now more involved in a lot of other areas that we just haven't been involved in. So there's no ability to step back and work fewer hours, because there's just too much to do. The staffing hasn't really changed, and in some spaces, it's actually decreased, leaving fewer people to handle that larger bucket of work.”

The pandemic has brought about lasting changes. “There are responsibilities that we have now, kind of post-COVID, that we didn't have before,” Doran said. “During COVID-19, there was a lot of work around exposures, outbreaks, tracing, and regulatory reporting. And we're in this space now where we still deal with COVID-19 outbreaks, exposures, increased regulatory reporting, and beyond that… we've been asked to get more intricately involved in other spaces. The work itself… is significantly more than it was before COVID, except the staffing resources haven't increased. There is this universal discordance about what our institutions expect of us in our physical capacity to handle the hours and workload.”

The consequences of short staffing are serious. “For one, I would say delayed detection," Knighton said. "When we're talking about fewer IPs, it will automatically equate to slower identification and response to outbreaks, as well as higher rates of hospital-acquired infections. We're compromising patient safety just within that. We're also talking about overworked IPs, which leads to a higher risk of burnout, and it's going to impact the quality of infection prevention and control practices.”

Swain said succinctly: “We can do the bare minimum with the bare minimum staff, but it all really depends on what your hospital leadership wants their infection prevention program to accomplish. If we want to be at our best, then we must have the staff to be at our best.”

Even as hospitals emerge from the pandemic, infection prevention programs continue to feel the strain. “[Health care associated infection] rates, I think understandably, were higher during [COVID-19],” Doran said. “As we exited [the COVID-19 pandemic], there was an immediate pivot to addressing these high HAI rates. When you're working with limited staff, or you're constantly rehiring staff, or you have travelers, it's hard to get everybody on the same page and working towards a shared mission.”

The risks extend beyond patients, as the moderator said, “The one thing you also need to consider is health care workers’ safety as well, not just the patients, because it's anyone who's going to be in that space. And sometimes I think IPs forget to worry about themselves too.

As the study underscores, infection preventionists are doing more than ever before with fewer resources. “There is this universal discordance about what our institutions expect of us in our just physical capacity to do those number of hours, do that work,” Doran said. The voices of IPs themselves reveal the urgent need for staffing models that match the expanding scope of infection prevention.

This is the second installment of the interview. The first can be found 

This installment of the interview with study authors, survey data reveal rising hours and responsibilities for infection preventionists, with staffing shortages fueling burnout risks and threatening the safety of both patients and health care workers.

Infection preventionists  emerged from the COVID-19 crisis carrying heavier workloads, broader responsibilities, and fewer resources. A new study reveals the toll and the urgent need for support.

Quantifying the Pressures: Study Reveals Infection Preventionists’ Expanding Workloads

Infection preventionists (IPs) have long been the backbone of patient safety; however, the COVID-19 pandemic has pushed their responsibilities to new limits. A recent study published in the American Journal of Infection Control reveals how IPs continue to face escalating workloads, stretched resources, and shifting expectations across acute care facilities. The findings highlight not only the resilience of these professionals but also the urgent need for systemic support to sustain infection prevention programs nationwide.

Infection preventionists emerged from the COVID-19 crisis carrying heavier workloads, broader responsibilities, and fewer resources. A new study reveals the toll and the urgent need for support.

The COVID-19 pandemic illuminated the essential role of infection preventionists (IPs), but it also pushed them into uncharted and unsustainable territory. A recent study published in the 

Quantifying the Progressing Landscape of Infection Preventionists: A Survey-Based Analysis of Workload and Resource Needs

” sheds light on just how far the role has stretched and why organizations must rethink their approach to supporting these professionals.

Brenna Doran, PhD, MA, hospital epidemiology and infection prevention for the University of

California, San Francisco, and a coach and consultant of infection prevention

; Jessica Swain, MBA, MLT, director of infection prevention and control for Dartmouth Health in Lebanon, New Hampshire; and Shanina Knighton, associate professor at Case Western Reserve University School of Nursing and senior nurse scientist at MetroHealth System in Cleveland, Ohio, shared their insights on how the project evolved and what the findings mean for the future.

According to Swain, the project began in 2023 with reflections on the workload of infection preventionists during the height of the pandemic. “Infection preventionists were asked to take on more and more, and our hands were really touching so many different departments throughout the hospital,” she explained. As the pandemic subsided, the team realized the added responsibilities had not gone away. Instead, IPs were expected to maintain expanded roles with fewer resources.

Duran emphasized that the issue was not new but had been building over time. “Coming out of [COVID-19], we were all just kind of recognizing we were in a space where we had been working so many hours—not just for a couple of months, not just for a year or 2, but this situation started even before [COVID-19],” she said. “Here we are trying to come out of it somehow or another, working more hours than we did when this all began.”

For many IP leaders, a 50- to 60-hour workweek became the norm, and postpandemic financial constraints only compounded the strain.

One of the most striking findings from the team’s survey analysis was the variability of infection prevention programs. Knighton pointed out that “it was not a one-size-fits-all model,” noting her own observations and conversations across facilities. “If you have been introduced to 1 infection prevention program, you've only seen 1 infection prevention program, because no 2 are the same.”

This variability, the authors explained, underscores both the adaptability and the vulnerability of the IP workforce. Some programs are adequately resourced with supportive infrastructure, while others are left fragile, understaffed, or reliant on professionals who wear multiple hats.

While the survey initially drew responses from a range of health care settings, the authors narrowed their analysis to acute care facilities to ensure validity. Doran clarified, “We didn’t have enough responses from other types of health care facilities to really articulate what was happening in their space in a way that would be value-added.” Acute care, however, provided a robust sample that helped illustrate the broader workforce challenges.

The study highlights a critical tension: Health systems cannot achieve quality and safety goals without IPs, yet these professionals are consistently stretched beyond capacity. Layoffs, hiring freezes, and financial restructuring in the post-COVID environment have left many infection prevention programs operating with fewer staff despite higher demands.

For leaders, the message is clear. Effective infection prevention is not simply about adherence or crisis management; it is an investment in patient safety, staff well-being, and organizational resilience. By understanding the realities of IP workload and resource needs, C-suite executives and clinical leaders can make more informed decisions about staffing, program design, and cross-departmental collaboration.

The authors believe their work is just the beginning of a larger conversation. By quantifying workload and resource gaps, they aim to provide IPs and health care leaders alike with data to advocate for sustainable practices.

For IPs across the country, the study validates what many already know from personal experience: the work is essential, but without adequate resources and recognition, it is unsustainable. The challenge—and opportunity—for health care organizations now is to ensure the infection prevention workforce has the tools and support needed to thrive long after the immediate crises have passed.

This is the first of a series of installments of this interview.

Infection preventionists emerged from the COVID-19 crisis carrying heavier workloads, broader responsibilities, and fewer resources. A new study reveals the toll and the urgent need for support.


Showcase Your Impact: Apply Now for the Advanced Leadership Certification in Infection Prevention & Control (AL-CIP™)

Your Leadership Deserves Recognition—Apply Now for AL-CIP

If you’ve spent years driving measurable change in infection prevention and control, you know that leadership is more than a title—it’s the ability to turn vision into results. Now is your opportunity to have that leadership formally recognized on a global stage.

Advanced Leadership Certification in Infection Prevention & Control (AL-CIP)

, offered by the Certification Board of Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc. (CBIC), is designed for experienced infection preventionists who have made significant, documented impacts in their organizations, communities, and beyond. This is not a test you take at a computer—it’s a rigorous, portfolio-based assessment that validates the depth of your expertise, the breadth of your influence, and the measurable results of your work.

) spoke with Jessica Dangles, MBA, MS, PMP, CAE, executive director at CBIC; and Gail Fraine, RN, MMHC, BSN, AL-CIP, CIC, LTC-CIP, the system director of infection prevention for Ascension Saint Thomas in Nashville, Tennessee, and CBIC’s 2026 president-elect.

 evaluates 2 critical domains: Leadership and Professionalism. Within these, you will select competencies and subcompetencies that align with your body of work. You’ll submit 2 key components, Rationale and Evidence, for each, detailing the problem or challenge you addressed, the strategies you implemented, the collaborators you engaged, and the quantifiable outcomes achieved.

This is your chance to highlight projects

 thatadvanced infection prevention, such as developing innovative protocols, leading multiyear quality improvement initiatives, influencing policy changes, or making an impact at the state, national, or international level. For many who have earned the AL-CIP, the process itself has been a valuable career reflection, helping them see the scope and significance of their contributions.

Do you have questions about what a successful application looks like?

 Listen to what Fraine says in this exclusive interview. “We don't want you to write a rationale on one topic and then your evidence be presented on something, something totally opposite,” Fraine said. “It has to support that. We also offered information sessions within the development in advance of the ALC IP cohorts, and they were well attended.”

Global Recognition for a Global Profession

 from 10 different countries, representing a wide range of practice settings and specialties. This diversity reflects both the universal importance of infection prevention and the value of recognizing excellence wherever it is found.

For successful candidates, the credential is more than a line on a résumé. It’s a career-defining milestone that employers, colleagues, and peers recognize as a mark of advanced capability and commitment. Portfolios become tangible demonstrations of leadership that can be shared during performance reviews, in job interviews, or when pursuing new professional opportunities.


Dangles and Fraine discuss how CBIC offers multiple tools to support applicants, including informational webinars, live Q&A sessions, and clear, detailed application handbooks. These resources help you identify eligible projects, frame your leadership story, and ensure your evidence aligns with your rationale. As Dangles said, you do not have to wait until the application window opens; many successful applicants begin compiling their portfolios months in advance, organizing documents and drafting rationales, so they are ready to submit with confidence.

Dangles also discussed the judging process in the interview. “Every portfolio has 3 judges who score each portfolio in its entirety. Therefore, we have every judge fill out a conflict of interest form prior to being assigned any of the portfolios, just to make sure they don't know the applicant, don't work with them, or have any kind of professional or personal relationship.”

Don’t Wait—Your Leadership Matters Now


The current application cycle is open July 10, 2025 to August 15, 2025. The portal closes at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on August 15, and late submissions are not accepted. The first 2026 application cycle will run January 20, 2026–March 2, 2026.

If you have led initiatives that reduced infection rates, improved patient outcomes, strengthened teams, or influenced policy locally or globally, this is your moment. The AL-CIP exists to recognize leaders like you, whose expertise and dedication are shaping the future of infection prevention and control.

, review the AL-CIP handbook, register for an info session, and begin building a portfolio that captures the full scope of your achievements. You have already made the impact; now earn the recognition you deserve.

If you’ve led projects that measurably improved infection prevention and control, it’s time to showcase your impact. The Advanced Leadership Certification in Infection Prevention & Control (AL-CIP) recognizes experienced professionals whose vision, innovation, and expertise have made a difference locally, nationally, or globally. 

Many of HCWs either were taught a specific way, and that may not be the best way, but it's just the way they've always known. And so again, allowing them to have that education of what else is out there, that there are better implementations, and trying to create a change to the workers environment is also helpful. Sharps safety

From Awareness to Action: Educating Staff on Sharps Safety Standards

(This is the third of a series of articles from the conversation with Heitman. Find the first 

Adherence with sharps safety standards among new and seasoned health care staff is not simply a matter of training—it is a matter of cultural transformation. According to Amanda Heitman, BSN, RN, CNOR, education is just the beginning. True safety comes from creating an environment where workers feel heard, supported, and empowered to protect themselves as much as they protect their patients.

) interview with Heitman, perioperative educational consultant for Periop Anew, and supervisor of education of surgical services at WakeMed in Cary, North Carolina, she explains how to create that transformation.

New hires often come into health care settings with ingrained habits, some of which may be outdated or unsafe, Heitman said. The first step is offering education that raises awareness of updated standards and introduces engineering control devices designed to reduce risk. But knowledge alone isn’t enough. To truly improve adherence, the work environment itself must shift to support safety practices.

“[Many of] them either were taught a specific way, and that may not be the best way, but it's just the way they've always known,” Heitman said. She is also a member of the 

 Editorial Advisory Board. “And so again, allowing them to have that education of what else is out there, that there are better implementations, and trying to create a change to the workers’ environment is also helpful, instead of just relying on that worker to change their behaviors because that can be a little bit more difficult.”

That means involving staff in the selection and implementation of safety devices. When health care workers have a say in what tools they will use, and time to understand how those tools integrate into daily routines, they are more likely to embrace them. Seeing firsthand how a safety-engineered scalpel remover or needle shielding system works can turn skepticism into adoption.

Leadership plays a crucial role in sustaining these efforts. While physicians often influence final decisions, it is frontline staff who are exposed to sharps risks every day. Identifying safety “champions” among surgical teams and clinical units can drive ongoing engagement and consistent usage of protective tools.

Importantly, sharps injury prevention must be woven into the broader fabric of patient safety culture. Historically, patient outcomes have dominated safety initiatives, but staff protection must be given equal priority. Every sharps injury—no matter how minor—has the potential to cause lasting harm and ripple effects throughout a team.

Fostering a culture where injuries are reported without fear of blame is vital. Underreporting remains a major barrier, and shifting to a culture of safety requires trust. Workers must understand that reporting injuries leads to improvement, not punishment.

Ultimately, sharps safety depends on education, equipment, environment, and a shared commitment to speaking up, staying engaged, and protecting every hand on the team.

Sharps safety in health care isn’t just about knowing the rules—it’s about changing the culture. In a recent interview with Infection Control Today®, perioperative educator Amanda Heitman shares how fostering a supportive, informed environment can turn safety standards into daily practice.

Sharps safety in health care goes far beyond personal protective equipment. Amanda Heitman outlines a layered strategy of training, communication, and device innovation aimed at reducing needlestick injuries in even the busiest clinical environments.

Sharps Safety Starts with Communication, Not Just Devices

(This is the second of a series of articles from the conversation with Heitman. Find the first 

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