Weekly Rounds: Device Reprocessing Policies, Long-COVID-19 Alarm, and LTC IPs.

Here are 5 highlights from ICT®’s wide-ranging coverage of the infection prevention and control world. Everything from interviews with known opinion leaders, to the news that infection preventionists and other health care professionals can use on their jobs.

Device Reprocessing Policies Must Be a Living Document

If the policies are not consistently updated, they are “just a piece of paper shoved in a logbook that is not going to effectively improve reprocessing…of ultrasound probes,” said Lisa Waldowski, DNP, RN, CIC.

Long COVID-19 and New Variants: Sounding a Continuing Alarm

It is easy to become complacent, but the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic is not over, and long COVID-19 and the new variants are causing rising concern.

LTC Infection Preventionists’ Responsibilities Have Doubled Due to COVID-19 Pandemic

In all areas, infection preventionists took on more responsibilities and expanded the ones they already had, including staff education and employee health.

Infection Preventionists and EMS Personnel: Nurturing a Relationship

They should be partners making each other and their patients safe through communication, education, and action plans.

Surgical Urology Is an Untapped Area for Infection Preventionists

Despite the initial reluctance for a urology team to work with infection preventionists, the collaboration is beneficial for both specialties.