Prevention

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.

New evidence suggests UV-C disinfection may do more than reduce pathogens. Repeated exposure can also damage common health care plastics, potentially creating microcracks and roughened surfaces that harbor microorganisms. Experts say material compatibility must become part of every UV-C infection prevention strategy.

This 6-part series will chronicle the essential strategies and professional insights needed to empower infection preventionists (IPs) in their job search. In partnership with Jonnie Jacobs, an executive recruiter at Clutch Recruitment, this series will offer a comprehensive guide to navigating the current health care job market. This third article in the series focuses on connecting with specialized recruiters and navigating the hiring process.

A new podcast, The Safety Spectrum, explores workforce challenges in infection prevention, particularly the barriers faced by qualified professionals without nursing credentials, despite CMS and other regulatory bodies recognizing infection prevention as a multidisciplinary field. The article highlights ongoing staffing shortages, evolving workforce demographics, and the need for more inclusive hiring practices to strengthen patient safety and rebuild the infection prevention profession.

Why should infection preventionists pay attention to a rare hantavirus cruise outbreak? Because it underscores a critical reality: pathogens do not follow expected patterns. This case highlights the need for system-wide vigilance, environmental hygiene, and preparedness in high-density travel settings. For IPs, it’s a powerful reminder that effective infection prevention extends beyond health care facilities and must anticipate emerging risks before they escalate.

As people with HIV live longer due to ART, new challenges are emerging. Aging with HIV is linked to higher risks of comorbidities, chronic inflammation, and drug interactions, while gaps in clinical trial inclusion and care models highlight the need for more integrated, patient-centered treatment strategies.

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.

Handwashing gaps persist despite high awareness, according to Bradley’s 2026 survey. As World Hand Hygiene Day (May 5) marks 17 years, experts stress clean restrooms, access, and behavior change are key to 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.

Research presented at HSPA 2026 shows multiple endoscope cleaning methods achieve similar outcomes, but pump-assisted and enhanced approaches reduce staff fatigue, injury risk, and missed steps, highlighting the importance of human factors in infection prevention.

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.

The Clean Bite's Sherrie Busby and Becki McFadden write on how proper PPE use in dental settings reduces infection risk from aerosols and sharps, protecting providers and patients through consistent use of masks, gloves, face shields, and protective apparel.

A new oral therapy, TP-05, could transform Lyme disease prevention by targeting ticks before transmission, offering a flexible, on-demand option beyond traditional behavioral strategies in high-risk populations.

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.

At AORN 2026, Erica Smith, DrPH, MBA, shares a practical framework for turning infection prevention guidelines into flexible, sustainable policies that help perioperative teams improve compliance without overwhelming staff or overcomplicating protocols.

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.

Clean linen isn’t risk-free after washing. Storage, handling, environment, and transport can reintroduce microbes—making proper separation, minimal handling, and controlled conditions essential for infection prevention.

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.