Operating Room

A new lawsuit alleges a contaminated Olympus duodenoscope transmitted a VRE infection during an ERCP, renewing concerns about endoscope reprocessing, device design, biofilm, and infection prevention and control (IPC) practices. What should IPC professionals know?

Think you know your infection control acronyms? Test your expertise with our ICT Expert Acronym Challenge! From CLABSI to VRE, this 20-question puzzle covers essential health care-acquired infection prevention terminology that every infection control professional should master. How many can you match correctly? Try the challenge now! Perfect for IPC specialists, infection prevention coordinators, and health care epidemiologists!

Emerging breath analysis technologies could provide faster, less invasive detection of bacterial infections and help clinicians monitor antibiotic response, though significant research and regulatory hurdles remain before widespread clinical adoption.

After identifying 2 colon surgical site infections in 2024, Orlando Health South Lake Hospital implemented a standardized perioperative checklist to improve adherence with colorectal SSI prevention practices. Presented at APIC 2026, the project increased appropriate antibiotic prophylaxis, reduced inappropriate antibiotic use, maintained 100% adherence with clean-dirty instrument protocols, and was associated with the elimination of additional colon SSIs during 2025.

A poster at the APIC Annual Conference and Exposition held from June 15 to 17, 2026, in Nashville, Tennessee. After managing bloodborne pathogen exposures affecting more than 3,000 patients, Providence Health & Services developed a multidisciplinary playbook to improve preparedness, communication, and response during future large-scale events.

An APIC26 poster described a systemwide initiative at Memorial Hermann Health System that improved staff understanding, consistency, and confidence in medical device cleaning and disinfection through education, manufacturer collaboration, and hands-on demonstrations.

A quality improvement initiative at Ocean University Medical Center found that reinstating hands-on urinary catheter competency training was associated with a 46% reduction in CAUTIs and improved infection metrics.

When it comes to CLABSIs, the problem is not a lack of knowledge. It is that prevention still depends too heavily on perfect execution inside imperfect systems.

How plastic‑free wipes are helping hospitals reduce waste while delivering disinfecting performance.

A 7-year study at a 1,900-bed academic medical center in Singapore found no epidemiological link between contaminated endoscopes and postprocedural bloodstream infections, despite routine microbiological surveillance detecting residual contamination.

Sterile processing departments are often called the invisible backbone of surgical care, but a recent investigation involving Penn State Health and Milton S. Hershey Medical Center highlights what can happen when those systems come under pressure. Reports of contaminated instrument trays, sterilization backlogs, staffing strain, and communication breakdowns are raising broader questions about patient safety, infection prevention infrastructure, and operational priorities across health care. ***Updated with an answer from Penn State Health.

On World Hand Hygiene Day (May 5), new insights highlight a critical gap: even when compliance is documented, sanitizer dose size may limit effectiveness, making proper ABHR dosing essential for true infection prevention.

A Kansas jury awarded $7.65 million in a fatal KU Medical infection case tied to contaminated heater-cooler devices, renewing attention on Mycobacterium chimaera risks, device disinfection failures, and patient safety in cardiac surgery.

A case study presented at HSPA 2026 revealed how 2 VA facilities overcame persistent bacteria, conductivity, and biofilm issues in sterile processing water systems through recirculation, system mapping, and multidisciplinary collaboration.

Improper glove use in health care can turn protective barriers into vectors of infection, increasing contamination risks, cross-transmission, and HAIs when hand hygiene and proper protocols are not consistently followed.

At AORN 2026, Colleen Becker, PhD, MSN, RN, CCRN-K, highlights how nursing education must evolve with technology, generational learning styles, and workforce shortages to better prepare nurses for modern health care challenges.

At AORN 2026 in New Orleans, a colorectal SSI bundle shows how standardized intraoperative nursing practices, interdisciplinary collaboration, and data tracking can reduce infections and improve surgical outcomes.

At AORN26 in New Orleans, a poster highlights surgical smoke risks, urging nationwide evacuation policies to protect health care workers and patients and strengthen nurse-led advocacy for safer operating rooms.

AORN26 highlights a colorectal SSI prevention bundle using evidence-based isolation techniques, interdisciplinary collaboration, and audit tracking to improve compliance and reduce infection risk in perioperative practice.

AORN26 highlights a multidisciplinary, culture-driven approach that reduced colon surgical site infections by over 27%, demonstrating how standardized bundles, collaboration, and perioperative alignment can significantly improve patient outcomes.

AORN26 highlights how using the teach-back method during PACU discharge education improved patient understanding and reduced surgical site infections, demonstrating the critical role of communication in infection prevention beyond the OR.

AORN26 highlights how collaboration between the operating room and sterile processing department (SPD) reduced instrument contamination, minimized case delays, and improved patient safety, reinforcing the critical role of SPD partnerships in perioperative infection prevention.

AORN26 highlights a hands-on Scrub Bootcamp program that improves perioperative nurse readiness, confidence, and procedural skills, offering a scalable model to strengthen operating room training and patient safety.

This 6-part series chronicles the journey of 2 infection prevention leaders, Brenna Doran and Jessica Swain, who partnered to research and shed light on the critical issue of IP staffing in the current health care landscape. The fourth article in the series will focus on the impact of geographic variations and staffing models on the support for infection prevention programs.

A former infection prevention professional shares his battle with MRSA and sepsis, revealing the lasting impact of health care–associated infections and why vigilance, accountability, and patient advocacy matter more than ever.