’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.

Therapy Animals in Hospitals: Preventing Infection Risks

Hospitalized children may be scared and uncertain, and therapy animals can help ease their insecurities. But what is done to protect the humans—and the animals—from infectious diseases?

Students Helping Students During COVID-19: University Contact-Tracing Program

A student-led COVID-19 contact-tracer program reduced exposures and infections at start of the pandemic.

Bug of the Month helps educate readers about existing and emerging pathogens of clinical importance in health care facilities today.

Hot Topics: 2022 Holiday Season Begins: RSV Running Rampant, COVID-19 Spiking

Now is the time to enjoy the holidays, but it is not time to forget to protect against RSV, COVID-19, and influenza.

Artificial Intelligence Offers Advancements and Challenges in the IPC Sphere

Artificial intelligence increases infection prevention and control measures in health care facilities and beyond.

Surface Disinfection

Prevention

 prevention page contains news and information on the latest updates on all facets of infection prevention. From vaccinations and immunizations to controlling air and water flow in a health care system, preventing infections falls not only on the infection prevention staff, but on all who interact within the hospital, from environmental services teams to those planning and building new construction.   

Mask Respirator

COVID-19

 COVID-19 page brings readers the latest information and clinical updates on the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, from case counts and hospitalization rates to data on effective treatments for severe disease and the circulating viral variants.  

Bug of the Month

Bug of the Month helps educate readers about existing and emerging pathogens of clinical importance in health care facilities today. Each column explores the Bug of the Month's etiology, the infections it can cause, the modes of transmission, and ways to fight its spread. The pathogen profiles will span bacterial, viral, fungal and parasitic species. We encourage you to use Bug of the Month as a teaching tool to help educate healthcare personnel and start a dialogue about microbiology-related imperatives.

HAIs

 health care-acquired infections (HAIs) page presents updates on the latest techniques and strategies in the never-ending battle between infection preventionists and HAIs. Focusing on the latest in medical literature, we also present perspectives from the top infection preventionists and other medical experts in the country about how to put the growing knowledge of HAIs into use in the everyday world of infection prevention. Articles and videos often focus on methods to contain and control pathogens and multidrug-resistant organisms from spreading within the health care system.

Hand Hygiene

 hand hygiene page examines the practice of hand hygiene, from the proper methods to adherence among hospital staff. Will greater recognition of hand hygiene’s importance in curbing the spread of infections translate into better adherence among hospital staff and the public? This page features videos that demonstrate exactly how to conduct hand hygiene properly, articles recapping peer-reviewed literature on the latest advances in monitoring and adherence, as well as the popular "Bug of the Month" feature. 

Environmental Services

 environmental services (EVS) page recognizes the team responsible for sanitation and cleaning within the health care system. EVS personnel are an integral component of infection prevention in the hospital, working closely together with the health care staff to ensure patient safety and hygiene standards. 

 keeps a close eye on developments in the environmental services industry and reports on any peer-reviewed literature. This page also features video interviews with EVS and the professionals who interact with them.

Videos

Personal Protective Equipment

personal protective equipment page offers written and video content on the proper use and—during the time of COVID-19 surges—reuse of PPE, including masks, respirators, gloves, gowns, face shields, goggles, and more. What are the proper donning and doffing methods? How long can PPE be extended? How are these items decontaminated? What comprises proper fit testing? Our experts will tell you.

Operating Room

 operating room page provides news articles and videos on the intersection between surgery and infection prevention. The operating room is a prime breeding ground for harmful pathogens to spread, resulting in surgical site infections. The role of the infection preventionist, together with the perioperative nursing staff, is to craft policies and processes to cut down on these infections and ensure patient safety during surgical procedures. 

Long-Term Care

 chronic and long-term care facilities page provides news, updates, and guidance on tackling infection prevention in these unique environments, including nursing homes, skilled nursing centers, and assisted-living facilities. This page includes news on cleaning, disinfection, antibiotic stewardship, hand hygiene, isolation precautions, outbreak protocol, and more as administrators and infection prevention teams seek to curb outbreaks of pneumonia, influenza, 

, urinary tract infections, and skin and soft tissue infections, among others.


Take 5 minutes to catch up on Infection Control Today’s highlights for the week ending November 25, 2022.


Weekly Rounds: Therapy Animal Infection Risks, Bug of the Month, and More