News|Articles|September 6, 2024

Weekly Rounds: UV-C Disinfecting Ultrasound Probes, Reducing C difficile Testing, and More

Take 5 minutes to catch up on Infection Control Today’s highlights for the week ending September 6, 2024.

Here are 5 highlights from Infection Control Today®'s (ICT®’s) wide-ranging coverage of the infection prevention and control world. Everything from interviews with known opinion leaders to news reports about infection preventionists and other health care professionals can be used in their jobs.

The Evolution of Health Care Environmental Hygiene: A Long Overdue Shift in Infection Control
This new column, Clean Hospital with Alexandra Peters, PhD, explores advancements in health care environmental hygiene, highlighting its growing recognition as a key component of infection prevention and honoring pioneers like Professor Stephanie Dancer.




New UV-C Disinfection Technology for Ultrasound Probes Earns FDA Clearance
Chronos, a chemical-free UV-C disinfection device for ultrasound probes, received FDA clearance. It offers health care professionals a fast, automated solution to reduce cross-contamination and improve infection prevention.




Reducing Inappropriate C difficile Testing: A Diagnostic Stewardship Success Story
A Memorial Healthcare study shows updated C difficile testing guidelines led to a 20% reduction in inappropriate tests, improving diagnostic accuracy and preventing unnecessary treatments.



Infection Prevention Leadership Search: Insights and Advice From Tamara Behm, MSN, RN, CIC, FAPIC, CER, CQIA, CCSVP, CAIP

In this discussion with ICT's IPLifeline, Tamara Behm discusses her journey in seeking an IP leadership role, her passion for patient safety, and advice for job-seeking professionals in infection prevention.



Addressing Sterile Processing Instrument Errors With Advanced Technology and Data Insights
Surgical instrument errors, often linked to visualization failures during sterile processing, pose significant risks to patient safety and OR efficiency. Advanced technologies, including AI, are essential for reducing these errors and improving overall outcomes in sterile processing departments.




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Turnover pressure can leave critical OR cleaning steps unfinished. Karen deKay, MSN, RN, EBP-C, CNOR, CIC, FAPIC, examines common gaps in environmental hygiene and how shared responsibilities, attention to disinfectant contact time, and ongoing education can help teams strengthen practices between cases.
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How do you celebrate an infection that never happened? That's one of the unusual challenges infection preventionists share with teachers. Both can spend their careers changing outcomes they may never see. Both educate people who don't always want to listen. Both are second-guessed. Both face burnout. And both must somehow keep remembering why they started.