Slide Show: Insights from 2013 AORN Congress

Part 2 of 4: Recruitment may bring people into sterile processing. Development is what determines whether they stay.

Understanding current water quality is a starting point for ST108 implementation. John Kimsey, vice president of processing optimization and customer success for STERIS, spoke about his HSPA presentation on assessing readiness, distinguishing system qualification from routine testing, and understanding where water samples should be collected.

Behind every landmark in infection prevention, from antimicrobial stewardship guidelines to the COVID-19 town halls that reached flight attendants and teachers, is a generation of physician-scientists who led SHEA through crises, organizational change, and scientific breakthroughs. Infection Control Today traces 30 years of SHEA presidents and the lasting mark they left on the field.

What happens to a towel between uses? Natasha Terborg traces the laundry process from collection to storage and explains which practices from health care guidance can inform everyday laundry in shared facilities.

An infection preventionist examines the DRC’s Ebola response through contact tracing and community engagement, explaining why daily follow-up, timely investigations, and trust reveal challenges that cumulative case counts alone cannot capture.

Four vaccine experts discuss how sustained financing, local research leadership, and community trust can strengthen vaccine development in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), drawing on practical insights from India and Bangladesh.

GeoVax CEO David Dodd discusses how vaccine storage requirements, supplier diversification, and regional manufacturing shape outbreak preparedness, with considerations for infection preventionists and health systems preparing to receive and administer doses.

Part 4 of 4: Why better planning for surgical growth, operational performance, and patient safety requires sterile processing expertise early in the decision-making process.