Operating Room

A barcode-based tracking system for surgical instruments has slashed packing errors, boosted staff training, and dramatically improved patient safety through precise, real-time traceability.

As surgical procedures shift increasingly to ambulatory care settings, preventing surgical site infections is more critical than ever to protect patients and reduce avoidable costs.

From April 5 to 8, 2025, thousands of perioperative nurses will gather in Boston for the 2025 AORN Global Surgical Conference & Expo—a transformational experience designed to elevate nursing practice, build lifelong connections, and advance surgical care.

Veterinary infection control experts Leslie Kollmann, BS, AAS, CVT, CIC, Denise Waiting, LVT, and Leslie Landis, LVT, BS, discuss challenges, zoonotic disease risks, and the importance of education, collaboration, and resource development in animal care facilities.

Take 5 minutes to catch up on Infection Control Today’s highlights for the week ending March 23, 2025.

Health care-associated infections pose a global threat. In the op-ed, experts advocate for Far-UVC light as a safe, effective tool to reduce airborne pathogens, enhancing infection control in hospitals and public spaces.

Ultrasonic cleaners enhance sterile processing by removing microscopic bioburden, ensuring safer medical instruments, reducing infection risks, and improving efficiency compared to manual cleaning alone.

Silent threats lurk within—heart infections can stem from unnoticed bacteria, viruses, or fungi. Infection preventionists hold the power to stop these hidden killers before they strike.

Short-cycle sterilization offers a safe, efficient alternative to immediate-use sterilization, ensuring rapid instrument turnover while maintaining sterility. Proper protocols, validation, and staff training are critical for success.

Health care–associated infections like CLABSIs and CAUTIs threaten patient safety. Learn evidence-based strategies, new technologies, and prevention protocols to reduce these infections and improve outcomes.

Nonventilator hospital-acquired pneumonia (NV-HAP) is a deadly, overlooked infection impacting patient outcomes. With new diagnostic tools and prevention strategies, hospitals must prioritize oral hygiene to reduce risk.

New research reveals hospital ventilation and air purifiers may unintentionally spread viral particles, increasing infection risks. Infection preventionists must rethink airflow strategies to protect patients and staff.

A meta-analysis found alcohol-based antiseptics significantly reduce Staphylococcus aureus-related surgical site infections (SSIs), demonstrating efficacy comparable to mupirocin and iodophor, supporting their expanded use in infection prevention strategies.

From advanced sterilization methods to combating antimicrobial resistance, Infection Control Today’s top articles of 2024 delivered actionable strategies for safer healthcare environments and improved patient outcomes.

Discover how the NHSN 2022 Rebaseline initiative updates health care-associated infection metrics to align with modern health care trends, enabling improved infection prevention strategies and patient safety outcomes.

Today's Infection Intel discusses updates from Johnson & Johnson MedTech, Merck and Ridgeback, MicroLumix, and Evinature. Read on to learn the latest.

Discover SHEA's visionary 10-year plan to reduce HAIs by advancing infection prevention strategies, understanding transmission, and improving diagnostic practices for better patient outcomes.

Infection Control Today’s Infection Intel learns more about Stryker’s Oculan Lighting Platform and Hexaware Technologies’ Clinical Data Automation as a Solution (CDAaaS).

Mount Sinai Brooklyn’s expanded Candida auris screening protocols identified more cases, enabling timely isolation and disinfection measures to prevent outbreaks and enhance patient safety in hospital settings.

Madhavi Ponnapalli, MD, discusses effective wound care strategies, including debridement techniques, offloading modalities, appropriate dressing selection, compression therapy, and nutritional needs for optimal healing outcomes.

The Leapfrog Group enhances hospital safety by publicizing hand hygiene performance, improving patient safety outcomes, and significantly reducing health care-associated infections through transparent standards and monitoring initiatives.

Perioperative nurses bring vital skills in patient safety, infection control, and quality improvement. They enhance surgical outcomes and support health care systems during complex, high-risk procedures.

Postoperative pneumonia (POP) is a common surgical complication that increases hospital stay, costs, and mortality. Oral hygiene before and after surgery can significantly reduce the risk of POP.

Use this handout to explain the basics of why infection prevention and control and antimicrobial stewardship are essential and how the 2 fields must have a unified approach to patient and staff safety

If a patient receives treatment or therapy that they do not need, it can cause unnecessary harm. This is true for medications, surgeries, and medical procedures, especially blood transfusions. 

Infection preventionists focus on patient safety. Reducing CLABSIs requires meticulous care for all vascular access points, not just central lines, to prevent bloodstream infections.

NV-HAP significantly contributes to increased sepsis, mortality, and length of stay, negatively affecting hospital metrics, finances, and patient outcomes, underscoring the importance of targeted prevention strategies.

Sterilizing modern surgical instruments is challenging due to their complexity, increased size, and varied materials. Low-temperature methods are crucial, but overloading and rapid turnarounds heighten sterilization failure risks.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a highly virulent pathogen, poses significant risks to immunocompromised patients, presenting challenges in treatment due to its antibiotic resistance and environmental persistence.

Hospital-associated infections affect over 1 million US patients annually. Proper medical equipment cleaning and sterilization significantly reduce infection risks, improving patient outcomes and safety.