APIC Announces Infection Prevention Film Festival Winners

Healthcare worker hand hygiene was the subject of a poignant video that received first prize today during the 38th Annual Educational Conference and International Meeting of the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC).

"Hands," created by Daniel Lieu, a student at the University of the Pacific in California, depicts the tragedy and irony of healthcare-associated infections, transforming the statistics into a story of a patient who gets an infection. Using a contemporary musical style with a haunting melody and provocative lyrics, the video pleads with healthcare workers to remember that patient safety is in their hands. Lieu worked with his father, an infectious disease physician, to develop the concept for the film.

The prize for first runner up was presented to Paradise Valley Hospital in National City, Calif. for "Clean Hands Save Lives," a video that features the 'Clean hands save lives' phrase repeated in different languages, showing the diversity of facilitys staff.

Driscoll Childrens Hospital of Corpus Christi, Texas was named second runner up for "Washem," a video in which staff clean their hands and move to the beat of "Whip it" by Devo.

The William S. Middleton Memorial Veterans Hospital in Madison, Wis. received an honorable mention for "H1N1 Avoid da Chill," in which doctors and nurses in sunglasses and pig noses rap about preventing the flu.

APIC Annual Conference attendees will have the chance to view the nearly 40 films entered in the festival and vote for the Peoples Choice award, to be presented at the closing plenary. Received from APICs infection preventionist members, the video submissions offer compelling messages about the impact of healthcare-associated infections and the role of healthcare personnel in protecting patients.

"We are excited to honor the winners of APICs inaugural Film Festival," said Vickie Brown, RN, MPH, CIC, APIC 2011 Annual Conference Chair. "We hope everyone enjoys the videos and is inspired to create their own for next years festival."

To view the submissions, visit APICs YouTube page.