Podcast
ICTalk: Infection Control Today Podcast
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ICTalk: Infection Control Today Podcast is a podcast that dives into the latest trends, challenges, and solutions in infection prevention and control. This podcast delivers expert insights, real-world strategies, and actionable advice, covering topics relevant to health care professionals at every level—from C-suite executives to infection preventionists, sterile processing, environmental hygiene staff, and more. Join us for conversations with leading infection preventionists, industry experts, and thought leaders as we explore how to create safer environments, improve outcomes, and navigate the evolving landscape of infection control.
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22: Contagious Conversations: How SPD Voices Are Shaping Patient Safety
Apr 700:29:44Tap to summarizeAt the SoCal Sterile Processing Association (SPA) Chapter meeting on March 21, 2026, in Newport Beach, California, one message came through clearly: Leadership in sterile processing does not begin with a title. It begins with a voice.In this special edition of Contagious Conversations, hosts Jill Holdsworth, MS, CIC, FAPIC, NREMT, CRCST, CHL, AL-CIP; and Brenna Doran, PhD, MA, ACC, CIC, AL-CIP, turned the microphone toward Tori Whitacre Martonicz, MA, lead editor of Infection Control Today®, following her presentation, “Leadership Beyond the Sterile Processing Department: Expanding Professional Influence and Patient Safety Impact.” The conversation reflected broader themes echoed throughout the event, where leaders across sterile processing, infection prevention, and industry highlighted mentorship, communication, and systems thinking as essential to advancing patient safety.The event featured a diverse lineup of speakers, including Shahbaz Salehi, MD, MPH, MSHIA; Randalyn Harreld, CRCST, CIS, CER, CHL, CSPDT, CASSPT, CLS, AAS, FHSPA; Sharon Lashley, MS, MBA; Brian North; and Sarah B. Cruz, AS, CSPDT, CRCST, CHL, CIS, each addressing critical gaps in education, workflow, and system integration across sterile processing.“The March conference was highly successful, with over 100 attendees from Greater Los Angeles to San Diego coming together for a full day of impactful learning, collaboration, and advancement of the sterile processing profession,” said Jaime Amaya, CRCST, president of the SoCal SPA Chapter, and the sterile processing manager, Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian, Newport Beach & Irvine.To highlight their excellence, the chapter also recently won the Healthcare Sterile Processing Association (HSPA) Large Chapter of the Year award for 2026. Leadership Starts Before the TitleFor Whitacre Martonicz, the foundation of her presentation came from personal experience and observation. “Leadership is not a title,” she said. “It is a choice about whether you'll use your voice to make a difference.” She described how her understanding of infection prevention and sterile processing did not come from job titles or hierarchy, but from individuals willing to share their knowledge publicly.“The people that I was learning from were not necessarily the people with all the titles,” she explained. “It was always the person who had gone out beyond their comfort zone and given that information out.” That insight shaped the core message of her talk: that writing, speaking, and sharing experiences are powerful tools for influence across health care systems.Why Speaking Up Matters in SPDThroughout the discussion, both hosts reinforced the need for leadership development within sterile processing.Holdsworth emphasized the growing demand for these skills within the field. “They are probably one of the professions most hungry for leadership knowledge, and leadership training, and leadership discussions,” she said. Whitacre Martonicz agreed, noting that many professionals hesitate not because they lack expertise, but because they lack confidence. “I've gotten messages… ‘I'd love to write an article… but I don't know how,’ or ‘I'd love to give a speech… but I don't know how to speak,’” she said. “All you have to do is try.” Her advice was practical and accessible. Start small, build confidence locally, and expand outward. “Start in your own facility,” she said. “Even if it's just standing in front of your colleagues… or write a post… anything to get that conversation started.” The Power of Everyday ExpertiseA recurring theme throughout the panel was the value of everyday problem-solving in sterile processing.Whitacre Martonicz highlighted how even simple observations can lead to broader improvements. “If you have that problem, I guarantee you that there's somebody else… [who's] having the same problem,” she said. This perspective aligns closely with broader discussions at the event. Harreld’s session on fatigue and interruptions, Lashley’s focus on navigating IFUs, and North’s emphasis on technology and audits all reinforced the idea that small, consistent improvements drive system-level change.Cruz, the president-elect of the national HSPA, echoed similar principles in her focus on quality systems, while Salehi’s presentation on mentorship underscored the importance of guidance and professional growth across career stages.Overcoming Fear and Finding Your VoiceOne of the most candid moments in the discussion centered on fear, particularly around writing and public speaking.“I was surprised how many people were so terrified of writing,” Whitacre Martonicz said. She encouraged attendees to reframe the process and lower the barrier to entry. “If you can't think of what to write… write that,” she said. “‘I don't know what to write, but I still have to write, so I will just write that I can’t think of what to write’ and so on… and then suddenly it's coming. It's kind of like the cork out of a bottle.” Doran added another perspective on building confidence through intentional reflection. “What do I want them to walk away with? If I know the ending… I can back design it,” she said. Together, these insights offered a practical roadmap for professionals looking to move from silent expertise to active leadership.Writing as a Patient Safety ToolBeyond professional development, Whitacre Martonicz framed communication as a direct pathway to improving patient outcomes. “If you don't have any words down… then I can't help you… and therefore [it cannot be] read by other people… and you saved the life of someone you never met,” she said. That statement resonated as one of the most powerful takeaways of her session. Writing, presenting, and sharing knowledge are not just career-building activities. They are mechanisms for spreading best practices across facilities and improving care at scale.Building a Culture of ContributionThe discussion closed with a call to action for sterile processing professionals to engage more actively in the broader infection prevention community.“I want to know what's going on in your facility,” Whitacre Martonicz said. “What works? What doesn't work?” She encouraged submissions across a wide range of topics, emphasizing that every question, observation, or improvement has value. “Send it in… we'll get that information,” she added. Looking AheadThe SoCal SPA will continue this momentum with two additional events in 2026: the Summer Symposium and Vendor Show on August 15 at Long Beach Memorial Medical Center, and the Late Summer Seminar and Vendor Show on September 26 in Riverside, California.If the March conference is any indication, those events will continue to elevate the voices of sterile processing professionals who are ready to lead, not by title, but by action. These are the speakers and topics for this conference:Shahbaz Salehi, MD, MPH, MSHIA, the director of infection prevention and control at Foothill Regional Medical Center, Instructor at UCLA Extension. Topic: “The Power of a Mentor: My Journey From SPD to Medicine.”Tori Whitacre Martonicz, MA, lead editor of Infection Control Today®. Topic: “Leadership beyond the Sterile Processing Department: Expanding Professional Influence and Patient Safety Impact.”Randalyn Harreld: Clinical Education Manager (US), SteelcoBelmed. Topic: “Common Breakdowns caused by Fatigue, Interruptions, and Assumptions”Sharon Lashley, Clinical Education for STERIS. Topic: “Lost in the IFU wilderness? Find your way today!”Brian North, platform specialist—Ascendco Health. Topic: “Modernizing SPD: How Technology, Staffing, and Audits Must Evolve Together”Sarah B. Cruz, Sterile Processing Program Instructor. Topic: “Clean, Sterile, and Streamlined: Quality Systems for Sterile Processing.”
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21: What Is Surgical Smoke, and Why Is it So Dangerous? An Expert Explains
Apr 600:39:02Tap to summarizeSurgical smoke has been part of operating room culture for decades, generated routinely by lasers, electrosurgical devices, and ultrasonic tools. Yet despite its constant presence, it remains one of the least understood and least consistently addressed risks in perioperative care.In a recent interview with Infection Control Today® (ICT®), Vangie Dennis, MSN, RN, CNOR, CMLSO, FAORN, FAAN, a former president of AORN and current member of the ICT’s Editorial Advisory Board, made it clear that this normalization has contributed to a dangerous blind spot in health care.“It is a hazard that sometimes we’ve been doing it for so many years… it is just part of the culture,” Dennis, who is also a health care consultant with Perioperative Consulting, LLC, said, describing how familiarity has dulled concern across the field. A Risk That Extends Beyond the Surgical FieldDennis, who is also a perioperative nurse executive and speaker, stressed that one of the biggest misconceptions about surgical smoke is who it affects. While many clinicians associate exposure primarily with surgeons, the reality is far broader.She pointed to overlooked patient risks, particularly in vulnerable scenarios such as cesarean deliveries or procedures under monitored anesthesia.“The patients are affected by the surgical smoke,” she said. “What about the baby’s first breath on a C-section… the nurse who’s pregnant… that unborn baby is exposed to surgical smoke.” This framing expands the conversation from occupational safety alone to a shared exposure risk across the entire perioperative team and patient population.“It really affects everybody in that perioperative platform when we generate smoke,” Dennis added, emphasizing that no one in the room is truly isolated from exposure. Understanding the Science Behind the SmokeDennis explained that the source of the smoke matters less than many clinicians believe. Whether generated by lasers, electrosurgery, or other heat-producing devices, the resulting plume contains harmful components.“Any heat-generating device will create a surgical plume or smoke… it’s all bad for you,” she said, underscoring that differentiation between technologies does not equate to differences in safety. She reinforced this point with a lesson from early in her career, recalling a physician who distilled the issue bluntly.“He said, there’s no such thing as safe smoke,” Dennis noted. To make the risk more tangible, she cited common comparisons used in education and research.“One gram of tissue vaporized by a laser is equivalent to 3 unfiltered cigarettes… by an electrosurgical device, 6 unfiltered cigarettes,” she said. However, Dennis emphasized that even this comparison may underestimate the danger, given the biological and chemical complexity of surgical smoke, which includes human tissue, blood particles, and toxic gases such as benzene and formaldehyde.Health Effects That Accumulate Over TimeDennis described both the immediate and long-term health consequences associated with repeated exposure. Early in her career, she experienced symptoms that many perioperative staff still report today.“You had headaches… your eyes are burning… nausea, fatigue,” she said, recalling the physical effects of prolonged exposure during smoke-heavy procedures. While these symptoms may seem transient, Dennis emphasized that chronic exposure could lead to more serious outcomes.“I know several of my friends… one has adult-onset asthma, and the other has stage 2 [chronic obstructive pulmonary disease],” she said, highlighting the potential progression from irritation to long-term respiratory disease. She also pointed to the presence of mutagenic and carcinogenic compounds in surgical smoke.“We’re being exposed to toxic gases and volatile organic compounds… these are all mutagenic and carcinogenic chemicals,” she explained, reinforcing that the risks are not hypothetical. In addition to respiratory concerns, Dennis discussed infection risks, noting that viable viral particles have been identified in surgical smoke.“There has been documented, proven risk,” she said, referencing studies involving pathogens such as [human papillomavirus (HPV)]. The Persistent Awareness GapDespite decades of research and guidance, Dennis believes the greatest barrier to progress remains a lack of awareness.“It is the unknown,” she said. “If you don’t see it, smell it, touch it, it’s not real, but it is real.” This gap extends beyond clinicians. Dennis highlighted that many ancillary staff, including environmental services personnel, are rarely educated about surgical smoke exposure.“If I walked up to anybody with [environmental services], I bet they would have no idea,” she said, pointing to missed opportunities for broader organizational engagement. For infection prevention professionals, this underscores the need to expand education beyond traditional clinical roles and create a more unified approach to risk communication.Why PPE Alone Is Not EnoughDennis also addressed a common misconception regarding personal protective equipment (PPE), particularly surgical masks.“The surgical mask is designed to protect the patient from you… not you from the patient,” she said, clarifying its intended purpose. She explained that standard masks are not capable of filtering the fine particulate matter found in surgical smoke.“They will not protect you,” she added, emphasizing that reliance on masks alone is insufficient. Engineering Controls and Practical SolutionsInstead, Dennis pointed to engineering controls as the most effective intervention.“The first line of defense… is local exhaust ventilation, smoke evacuation systems,” she said. However, she stressed that proper use is just as important as availability. Smoke must be captured close to its source to be effective.“Within inches of the source… about 2 inches,” she explained, noting that even small deviations can allow contaminants to disperse widely in the room. Moving Toward System-Level ChangeDennis has been actively involved in legislative efforts to mandate smoke evacuation practices. While some states have adopted regulations, others continue to lag behind.“We have to go state by state by state,” she said, describing the slow and uneven pace of change. At the organizational level, she emphasized the importance of aligning safety initiatives with measurable outcomes and leadership priorities.“You can’t manage what you can’t make measurable,” she said, highlighting the need to connect exposure risks with operational and financial data. She also pointed to workforce implications, noting that safety investments can influence recruitment and retention.“They want to know you care,” Dennis said, reinforcing that culture and leadership play a critical role in sustaining change. The Bottom Line for Infection PreventionUltimately, Dennis believes the path forward requires a coordinated effort across education, policy, and practice.“Compliance and culture change is the biggest barrier,” she said, acknowledging that awareness alone is not enough. She urged health care organizations to act proactively rather than reactively.“Let’s not wait till we have hurt ourselves… before we make this compliance and culture change,” Dennis concluded. For infection prevention and control personnel, the message is clear. Surgical smoke is not a minor nuisance. It is a persistent and preventable exposure risk that demands attention, advocacy, and action across the entire health care system.
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20: The Invisible Heroes: Why Dental Assistant Recognition Week Matters
Mar 900:52:38Tap to summarizeEvery time you sit in a dental chair, you witness a carefully choreographed performance. The dentist guides the instrument. The hygienist checks your bite. Behind the scenes stands the dental assistant, orchestrating the invisible work that keeps you safe."Dental assistants do more than just assist the doctor," says Sherrie Busby, EDDA, CDSO, CDIPC, dental assistant speaker and trainer, with 42 years of experience, and a member of the Infection Control Today® (ICT®) editorial advisory board. "We're responsible for setting up rooms, breaking down rooms, following the entire chain of infection control from start to finish."Most states require dental hygienists to earn degrees and complete specialized schooling. Dental assistants? In most states, you can work in infection control without any formal training. Many learn on the job, sometimes absorbing bad habits along with good ones.Yet dental assistants manage staggering responsibilities: sterilizing instruments, documenting visits, managing lab cases, maintaining infection control protocols, and providing patient education. In hospitals, these tasks are divided among specialized roles. In dental offices, one person does it all.The compensation doesn't match the responsibility. The median wage hovers around $20 per hour, with some states paying just $16 to 17. "It's sad that the person with the most duties in the practice is the lowest paid," Busby notes.The infection control stakes are particularly high. Dental settings involve constant exposure to aerosols and instruments. Proper PPE use, meticulous cleaning, and sterilization are non-negotiable. C. difficile bacteria can survive on surfaces for up to 5 months. Failure in any step compromises patient safety.The COVID-19 pandemic exposed this vulnerability. Dental professionals faced harm's way, yet compensation didn't reflect that risk or the essential work they perform.The Dental Assistant National Board is pushing for standardized credentialing and education requirements across states, a long-overdue shift ensuring consistency in infection control practices and knowledge.This Dental Assistant Appreciation Week, it's time to acknowledge what's been invisible too long. Dental assistants aren't just assistants. They're infection control specialists, patient educators, and safety guardians. They deserve recognition, fair wages, and professional standards reflecting the critical work they do every day. The magic you see in the dental chair? Behind every moment is a dental assistant making it happen.
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19: Contagious Conversations: The Bold New Series Tackling the Toughest Topics in Infection Prevention
Feb 1600:36:12Tap to summarizeContagious Conversations is a new video series by Infection Control Today® (ICT®) created to make space for the conversations infection preventionists (IPs) often avoid, not because they are unimportant, but because they are personal, complicated, and sometimes uncomfortable. In the premiere episode, the hosts, Isis Lamphier, MPH, MHA, CIC, AL-CIP; Heather Stoltzfus, MPH, RN, CIC; Brenna Doran, PhD, MA, ACC, CIC, AL-CIP; and Jill Holdsworth, MS, CIC, FAPIC, NREMT, CRCST, CHL, AL-CIP, introduce the series' purpose and set the tone for what is to come: honest dialogue about the profession, the people doing the work, and the pressure points shaping the future of infection prevention.The opening frames the problem clearly. “Infection preventionists are great about talking about pathogens, but we’re not so great at talking about ourselves,” said Stoltzfus. Doran added that the work can consume even the most resilient professionals, noting, “We spend so much time trying to manage the tasks of our job, but sometimes the most important work starts with a conversation.”Lamphier describes Contagious Conversations as an intentional space for those discussions that rarely happen in staff meetings and rarely make it into policy documents. “This series is our space to have those real human conversations,” she said, emphasizing that the goal is to “break down barriers, challenge assumptions, and remind us that we’re all still figuring it out.” The hosts reinforce that the series is not built around being right; it is built around being real. Stoltzfus underscores that approach by explaining, “These conversations aren’t about being right. They’re about being real.” A brief but memorable line from another panelist lands as the guiding theme. “Courage is contagious, and so are good conversations,” the hosts said.The first episode tackles a topic many infection preventionists say they are hearing everywhere but rarely address directly: what backgrounds belong in infection prevention, and how the profession is navigating tension around clinical and nonclinical career paths. Stoltzfus frames it as an issue that shows up across the workplace, from informal chats to formal processes. She calls it “a conversation that I keep hearing, that everybody’s having in hallways, in their direct messages and their meetings and human resources.” She also sets guardrails for the discussion, emphasizing that the series is not about taking sides but about creating space for curiosity, transparency, and psychological safety.Lamphier introduces her own path through public health, long-term care, and acute care leadership. She describes entering the field during the pandemic as both chaotic and catalytic, saying, “I graduated… during the pandemic,” and that the urgency of the moment accelerated opportunities and shifted hiring patterns in ways newer applicants may not experience today. Holdsworth, an IP with more than 16 years of experience, shares a different path, beginning with a master’s degree in exercise physiology and progressing into infection prevention. She recounts how discrimination can become more visible when you move from being the sole infection preventionist to being part of a larger team. “Once I became a member of a larger team… I really started seeing some of those discrimination-type things happening,” she said.Doran describes her pathway from clinical microbiology and teaching into public health epidemiology and infection prevention, along with the barriers she encountered in hiring systems that defaulted to nursing requirements. She remembers the repeated dead ends clearly. “I was not an eligible candidate because I wasn’t a nurse,” she said, describing how difficult it was to even apply to some positions. Together, the group begins mapping where the problem may actually sit, not just in individual bias, but in organizational structures and leadership assumptions that shape job postings, pay bands, and access to experience.By the end of the episode, the purpose of Contagious Conversations is clear. It is not a one-off discussion; it is a series designed to bring more voices into the room, including people from human resources, professional organizations, and training programs. The hosts also signal that future episodes will invite audience participation through surveys and feedback, with the goal of turning shared experience into shared solutions.
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18: HSPA President Arlene Bush on Throughput, Standards, and Why Sterile Processing Must Celebrate Wins in 2026
Feb 1101:04:42Tap to summarizeSterile processing is often discussed only when something goes wrong. A tray defect. A missing instrument. A delayed case. But in this wide-ranging conversation with Infection Control Today®(ICT®), Arlene Bush, CRCST, CER, CIS, CHL, SME, DSMD, CRMST, the current president of Healthcare Sterile Processing Association (HSPA), makes a different case for 2026. If the field wants retention, resilience, and safer outcomes, it must start recognizing what works and how often.Bush is nearing the end of her presidency, calling it “a true labor of love,” and reflecting on what she has learned from serving the association, working with industry partners, and supporting her chapter network. Even with only “a couple of more months” left in her term, she remains focused on momentum: expanding education, strengthening certification, and pushing leadership to recognize sterile processing as the high-skill patient safety discipline it is.A Global View of Sterile ProcessingBush recently attended the World Federation for Hospital Sterilisation Sciences Congress in Hong Kong, where she said it was valuable “to sit at the table with other industry leaders who have input on sterile processing globally.” What stood out was not just innovation, but how different the practice looks outside the US. “The US has the [Food and Drug Administration],” she said. “I think some people forget that.”She also pointed to rapid product evolution, including “new robotic stuff,” and “new shorter biologicals,” emphasizing how cycle times that were once “hours long are no longer so.” For sterile processing teams under constant pressure, getting time back matters, but Bush grounded the conversation in the core mission: “to deliver safe, sterile equipment to every patient every time.”The Case for Celebrating Throughput, Not Just DefectsOne of Bush’s biggest themes was morale, and how sterile processing measures itself. “No one talks about the 2000 trays you did last week,” when everything went right, she said. “They talk about the one tray that was [wrong].” Her goal for 2026 is to shift that mindset and make throughput visible.Bush described reviewing department totals and being surprised by the volume, even during the holidays. What mattered to her was not just the number of surgeries, but the instrumentation processed “with little to no defects.” Her challenge to leaders is practical: “It’s hard to change a number you can’t see.”Certification Growth, and Why Membership MattersBush highlighted growth in certification as a marker of the field’s professionalization. “We’re like 67,000 [or] 68,000 certificate holders,” she said, noting that about “28,000 are actual members.” She encouraged certificants to consider membership, pointing out that for “the extra $10” members can vote and access reduced pricing and benefits.She also previewed changes to certification requirements and urged technicians to follow HSPA town halls and podcasts for the most current updates. Her message was clear: Education is not optional in a field where standards, device design, and instructions for use (IFUs) are constantly changing.IFUs Must Be Achievable, and Staff Need Real AccessBush repeatedly returned to a point that other infection control and prevention personnel hear in different forms across the hospital: Policies and instructions only work if they can be followed. “It needs to be achievable,” she said. “It needs to be interpretable, and it needs to be effective.” When IFUs are unrealistic, she encouraged technicians to call manufacturers directly. “This is the way you wrote this IFU; it can’t work that way,” she said, adding that some vendors change and others refuse.She also underscored how access affects adherence, sharing her own experience as a late-night technician who “never got access to the [Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI)] standards book” because it was “behind the door in the supervisor’s office.” Her commitment now is access for all shifts: “Doesn’t matter if it’s 3 o’clock in the morning or 9 AM.”Rounding as Competency, Culture, and PreventionBush described rounding as one of the most effective tools leaders have to reinforce standard work, identify drift, and prepare staff for surveys. She gave concrete examples, from submersion decisions to rinse times to stopping when uncertain. “If you don’t know if it swims, don’t make it swim,” she said.She also coached staff on what to say when asked a question they cannot answer. “Please don’t say ‘I don’t know,’” she said. Instead, staff should point to where the information lives: IFUs, policy, bottle label, or a supervisor.However, Bush also reframed rounding as relationship-building rather than interrogation. Sometimes it is as simple as, “How was your weekend?” because approachability creates psychological safety. “That’s rounding,” she said. “You broke ice.”
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17: Breaking the Silence: How to Talk About HIV and PrEP Without Fear
Nov 500:18:31Tap to summarizeFew issues embody the intersection of prevention, compassion, and communication more than HIV and PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis)—subjects that remain clouded by stigma, even decades after the epidemic’s darkest days. I recently spoke with Cariane Morales Matos, MD, medical director at Hope & Help of Central Florida, about how health care providers, parents, and infection preventionists can approach these conversations, especially with teens, with clarity and empathy.“Fear and stigma get attached to subjects related to sexual health,” Morales began. “We need to move away from the fear and the stigma and just start having these conversations like we would talk about anything related to our general health maintenance.”That normalization, she explained, is key. The US Preventive Services Task Force recommends HIV screening for everyone between the ages of 18 and 65, which is a higher rating than even routine blood pressure checks. Yet HIV is still often whispered about, creating unnecessary barriers to prevention. “It should be exactly the same,” Morales said. “We need to take the fear away from it so that we can start having conversations that are solely based on prevention and just trying to set us up for a successful, healthy life.”For those unfamiliar, Morales offered a quick refresher: “HIV is a sexually transmitted infection… The only way that you can get this infection is through sharing bodily fluids that have high amounts of the virus.” AIDS, she noted, is the advanced form that develops only without treatment. “Right now, we have so many great therapies that even if you were to get diagnosed with HIV, you can have a healthy, long life…by just taking one pill a day.”She went on to explain PrEP, preexposure prophylaxis, a medication that reduces the risk of infection by up to 99%. “We have 2 approved oral medications and 2 injectable medications… there’s literally an option for everybody,” she said. “It’s about starting this conversation with your provider and finding the right fit for your lifestyle.”Still, starting that conversation, especially with adolescents, can be daunting. “The first step… is reckoning with what you think these issues are, and finding what your biases might be,” she advised parents, educators, and health care professionals. “If you have doubts or uncomfortable feelings, that’s going to translate. Once you’re able to talk about this like you’re talking about going out to dinner or seeing friends—that’s the level of comfort you need.”She also emphasized that HIV does not discriminate. “It has nothing to do with who you’re having sex with,” she said. “If you are somebody who’s having unprotected sex, that is your risk factor. We have to move away from, ‘I’m not that person.’”For reliable information, Morales recommended the CDC’s HIV and PrEP resources, or local organizations like Hope & Help, which host community sessions and provide educational materials.Her final message was simple but powerful: “It’s okay to be uncomfortable, it’s okay to be fearful, but it’s important not to shy away from asking these important questions. Knowing your status is the first step.”In the end, talking about HIV and PrEP is not just about science; it is about breaking the silence. As Morales reminded Infection Control Today’s audience, information saves lives, but conversation opens the door.
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16: Veteran Infection Preventionists Chat: What Are The Soft Skills That Make Strong IPs?
Nov 100:15:10Tap to summarizeWhen most people think of infection prevention, they picture data dashboards, surveillance reports, and regulatory checklists. But ask any experienced infection preventionist (IP) what really determines success, and you’ll hear something different—it is the people skills.During a recent Infection Control Today® roundtable, veteran infection prevention professionals representing diverse roles and backgrounds reflected on the nonclinical skills that shaped their careers, the lessons learned the hard way, and the advice they would give to new IPs entering the field.Their message was clear: Technical expertise may get you in the door, but emotional intelligence, communication, and systems thinking keep the door open.Learning to Communicate Upward — and Effectively“Short and sweet and to the point,” began Joi A. McMillon, MBA HA, BSN, CRRN, WCC, CIC, CJCP, HACP-CMS, AL-CIP, the CEO of JAB Infection Control Experts. “I wish I had understood better how to communicate effectively.”She was reflecting on the early days of her career. “When I came in, I was very young and very passionate, but I didn’t have a mentor. I didn’t have anyone to help me translate that passion into communication that resonated with leadership,” she said. “When you’re not able to communicate effectively, you’re not just holding yourself back, you’re holding the entire program back.”Her experience underscores a common challenge for new IPs who may know the science inside out but struggle to gain traction with the C-suite. Infection prevention is a field where evidence meets advocacy, and communication gaps can mean stalled initiatives or lost resources.Emotional Intelligence: The Quiet Skill That Changes EverythingICT contributing editor Carole W. Kamangu, MPH, RN, CIC, the CEO, founder, and principal infection prevention strategist for Dumontel Healthcare Consulting, took that point further, stressing the importance of self-awareness and emotional intelligence.“I wish I had realized earlier that I needed emotional intelligence,” she said. “I was naturally good at challenging the status quo, but early on, I wasn’t doing it effectively. I knew what I wanted to change, but I didn’t always communicate it in a way that kept people engaged. When someone pushed back, I would take it personally and have the worst day.”It took her years, she admitted, to learn to pause before entering a unit and ask herself: How am I feeling? How are they likely to react? That reflection transformed her interactions from combative to collaborative. “It’s about being aware of your own emotions before you even start the conversation,” she said. “That’s when productive dialogue can actually happen.”Don’t Take It Personally — Take It ProfessionallyLerenza L. Howard, DHSc, MHA, CIC, LSSGB, manager of infection prevention and quality improvement at La Rabida Children’s Hospital in Chicago, added another layer to the conversation: perspective.“In the professional world, don’t take it personal,” she advised. “As IPs, we’re partnering with a multitude of stakeholders, all with competing priorities. You need emotional intelligence and effective communication to empathize with that, and still strategically navigate your initiative to the finish line.”She emphasized systems thinking — understanding how infection prevention fits into the larger operational web of a hospital. “Knowing where your department fits in helps you propose initiatives and request resources more effectively,” she said. “It’s not just about infection control. It’s about how infection control supports the system as a whole.”Top Three Skills for Every IPWhen asked for her essentials, Nathaniel Napolitano, MPH, the CEO of Nereus Health Consulting and a health care epidemiologist for Harborview Medical Center in Seattle, Washington, didn’t hesitate.“Interpersonal communication for relationship management — that’s number 1. Otherwise, nothing gets done, or it gets done painfully,” she said. “Number 2: confidence in decision-making. Trust your gut. And number 3: creative problem-solving. Because you will face problems you never imagined would fall within your scope.”Kamangu quickly added with a laugh, “Nathan is a very creative person. I love working with him,” highlighting that creativity isn’t just a “nice to have” in infection prevention; it’s survival.The Ripple Effect of Systems ThinkingEchoing earlier remarks, Missy Travis, MSN, RN, CIC, FAPIC, a consultant for IP&C Consulting and a former nurse, described the “ripple effect” mindset as essential.“Realize it’s not all about you,” she said. “What you do has a ripple effect. We’re all connected. What I do affects you, and what you do affects me. That awareness changes how you communicate — it makes you listen as much as you speak.”Her point struck a chord with the group: infection prevention doesn’t exist in isolation. It depends on relationships, interdepartmental trust, and shared accountability.Say It So They Can’t Misunderstand ItThen came one of the most memorable takeaways of the session, from Garrett Hollembeak, CRCST, CIS, CHL, CIC, system infection preventionist for medical device reprocessing at Bon Secours Mercy Health in Cincinnati, Ohio:“There’s a difference between saying something so the person understands and saying something so they can’t misunderstand it.”Too often, she said, communication breakdowns happen even when everyone has good intentions. “You send the email, you tell them what to do, and then it doesn’t happen,” she said. “So ask yourself: Is there any other way this could be misunderstood? It may take a few tries [to figure out a way.]”Perseverance and Mentorship for New IPsAs the discussion shifted to advice for new IPs, Howard, offered a story of resilience. “It took me years to transition into infection prevention,” she shared. “My background was in medical technology, and every application came with rejection. But perseverance is key. Keep applying, keep connecting, and get strategic.”She credited mentorship and networking with making the difference. “Join your local APIC chapter, reach out for informational interviews, shadow an IP if you can,” she said. “Put a face to your name. Even if you’re not in the IP space yet, start building those relationships.”Taking Initiative and Building ConfidenceKamangu followed up with advice rooted in experience: “For aspiring or new IPs, taking initiative is key,” she said. “You have to learn to be independent quickly. Get involved in a project — even if it scares you.”She recalled volunteering for a Candida auris project at her facility without knowing where to start. “That project…boosted my self-confidence.” She said that if you don’t take initiative, imposter syndrome will take over. You’ll always stay in the background.The Power of Mentorship and Paying It ForwardReturning to the theme of guidance, McMillon emphasized how much mentorship would have changed her early trajectory. “If we’d had programs like this back then, we would’ve avoided a lot of [struggle],” she said. “Mentorship helps you navigate the challenges of the role, communicate effectively, and challenge the status quo professionally.”She paused and added warmly, “As a mentor now, it’s so fulfilling to know you can be that difference-maker in someone’s career — to empower them to step up, no matter their…background.”Expect the Unexpected“Be dynamic and expect disruption,” said Napolitano, drawing laughter from the group. “What’s on your calendar might not be what you end up doing. That one thing that pops up could become your focus for the next week — or the next 5 years.”Lifelong Learning and Self-ReflectionTo that, Hollembeak added, “Learn whatever you can. Every advancement we’ve made in public health and infection prevention started with someone discovering something new. Take the webinars, read the textbooks, soak up every bit of knowledge.”And Travis closed the loop with humor and wisdom: “As my kids say, I grew up in the 1900s. We used to say, ‘Check yourself before you wreck yourself.’ That’s my advice.”The Takeaway: IPs as Leaders, Not EnforcersInfection preventionists often wear the hat of educator, advocate, diplomat, and crisis manager — all before lunch. What unites the best among them, this panel revealed, isn’t just what they know, but how they connect.From emotional intelligence and mentorship to creative problem-solving and perseverance, the modern IP isn’t defined by sterile technique alone, but by their ability to lead through influence and empathy.
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15: Bug of the Month: I'm Older Than Empires
Oct 3100:03:36Tap to summarizeBug 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 health care personnel and start a dialogue about microbiology-related imperatives. Find more Bug of the Month articles on www.infectioncontroltoday.com!
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14: NDM-CRE Surge Demands Stronger Infection Prevention and Testing Strategies, Study's Author Says
Oct 3100:07:23Tap to summarizeIn the second part of our conversation with Danielle Rankin, PhD, MPH, CIC, epidemiologist with the CDC, she expanded on the infection prevention strategies and surveillance needs surrounding the rise of New Delhi metallo-β-lactamase carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales (NDM-CRE). She is the lead author of a recent study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine. Rankin emphasized that early infection control measures are critical when a case is detected. “It’s really important that IPs work with their state and local health care-associated infections and antimicrobial resistance programs to prevent spread,” she said. Patients hospitalized with NDM-CRE should be placed on contact precautions, while long-term care residents require enhanced barrier precautions. She also underscored the basics: “Reinforce the importance of hand hygiene…before touching a patient, before performing an aseptic task, after contact with bodily fluids, and, of course, after glove removal.” Environmental hygiene remains equally vital. High-touch surfaces, such as bed rails, call buttons, and light switches, should be disinfected regularly. Additionally, shared equipment like portable X-ray machines must be cleaned thoroughly between patients. “You also want to make sure that staff are not pouring patient waste down sink drains,” Rankin cautioned, citing sinks as a known environmental reservoir. Hand hygiene options prompted a practical discussion. “Hand sanitizer should be used and can be used in all instances except if a provider’s hands are contaminated from blood or bodily fluids—then they need to actually perform hand washing,” Rankin explained. Beyond daily practices, Rankin highlighted the importance of timely surveillance and mechanism-specific testing. “The primary need is to really obtain prompt mechanism testing for CRE so this information can be used for treatment selection,” she said. Yet she acknowledged barriers, including the lack of guaranteed reimbursement for clinical laboratories. Expanding testing capacity while maintaining strong public health laboratory support is essential for rapid response. Her message for infection preventionists and epidemiologists was clear: “Historically, the most common carbapenemase was KPC [Klebsiella pneumoniae carbapenemase], but now we’re seeing this surge of NDM-CRE in the United States, which really threatens to reverse years of stable or declining CRE rates.” With only 2 approved beta-lactam drugs effective against NDM-CRE, Rankin urged facilities to integrate mechanism testing into their workflows and use the CDC’s AR Lab Network when local resources are unavailable. “Infection control interventions must be timely,” Rankin concluded, “to ensure patients receive appropriate therapy and facilities can prevent further spread.” Read Rankin and her colleagues’ study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine here. Find the first installment of the interview here.
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13: At IDWeek, Dr Tom Frieden Urges a Simple Formula to Tackle Outbreaks and Drug Resistance: “See. Believe. Create.”
Oct 3100:07:57Tap to summarizeAmid the bustle of IDWeek in Atlanta, Georgia, held from October 19 to 22, 2025, former CDC director Tom Frieden, MD, MPH, now president and CEO of Resolve to Save Lives, laid out a crisp playbook for infectious-disease professionals: a 3-step formula he says can prevent outbreaks, reverse drug resistance, and save “millions of lives.”In a conversation with Infection Control Today, before the conference, Frieden previewed the themes of his new book, The Formula for Better Health: How to Save Millions of Lives, Including Your Own, and the talks he gave at the meeting. “I’ll be talking in a couple of presentations about a new approach,” he said. “It’s an approach that can prevent and stop outbreaks, that can prevent and reverse drug resistance, and that can save millions of lives. It is, ‘see, believe, create’—a 3-step formula for a healthier world.”Step 1: See the InvisibleFrieden argues that public health’s “superpower” is the ability to detect what others miss and then turn those insights into action. “First, see the invisible,” he said. “See not just the numbers and drug resistance or things like the genomic epidemiology to understand the spread; see also the path to progress and see whether our programs are succeeding or failing. This is public health’s superpower.”That vision, he added, requires nimble use of surveillance data, feedback loops that measure performance at the bedside, and the willingness to change tactics when results lag. It also means recognizing that many infections we accept as inevitable are, in fact, preventable.Step 2: Believe Change Is PossibleThe second step is psychological but no less essential. “Believe that we can change it. Believe the impossible,” Frieden said. “All too often, we assume that things are inevitable, when in fact, we can change them.”That mindset shift is especially important for health care-associated infections (HAIs). “I’m confident that in 20, 30, 40 years, we will look back on the burden of hospital-associated infections in the US today and think, ‘How could they have let that happen?’” he said. “This is not a criticism of any 1 individual. We have great tools to have a better understanding to see the invisible, how infections are spreading in hospitals and other healthcare facilities.”Step 3: Create a Disciplined, Organized ResponseThe third step turns belief into execution. “Work together to create a healthier future with organized, simple, well-communicated strategies that overcome the barriers to progress,” Frieden said. He pointed to practical elements that high-reliability organizations embrace checklists, empowered infection-prevention units that track and reduce infections, and clear communication with patients, frontline staff, and leadership. “Systematically overcoming the barriers…including inertia…is the path to lower infection rates,” he added.A Lineage That Began in 1662Frieden’s formula is anchored in history as much as modern analytics. “One thing that surprised me was that public health surveillance actually started in 1662, with a cloth merchant named John Grant,” he said, describing what is widely regarded as the first epidemiologic analysis of community health. Grant “described emerging diseases such as rickets” and even the economic implications of epidemics. Plague, Grant showed, sometimes killed most of a community, but other fevers were “more economically disruptive, because they caused so much illness that they were, as he put it, ‘scarce hands enough to bring in the harvest.’” For Frieden, the lesson is timeless: measure what matters, then act.From Multidrug-Resistant Tuberculosis to Carbapenem-Resistant Enterobacterales: Lessons LearnedFrieden’s stance is shaped by hard-won experience. “Over the past decades, I’ve worked on issues like multidrug-resistant tuberculosis, Ebola, the spread of Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales and other resistant organisms,” he said. The through line: when leaders see clearly, believe improvement is possible, and create a disciplined plan, progress follows.The 7-1-7 Target: “Find a Problem, Fix a Problem”Frieden’s company, Resolve to Save Lives, has translated that mindset into a measurable target for outbreak detection and control. “The policy is 7-1-7—7 days to find every outbreak after it emerges, 1 day to report it to public health, and 7 days to have all essential control measures in place,” Frieden explained. “What we’re finding is that the 7-1-7 approach allows a ‘find a problem, fix a problem’ kind of worldview. Every single outbreak is an opportunity for continuous improvement with a simple yes/no—was it met or not? If not, not a blame to anyone—identify the bottlenecks and enablers and use that data to improve performance.”What This Means for IPC LeadersFor infection preventionists, epidemiologists, environmental services leaders, sterile processing professionals, and infectious disease clinicians, Frieden’s message is both a challenge and a charge: Make the invisible visible. Use surveillance, point-prevalence checks, and genomic/epidemiologic tools to map how infections move through your facility. Set bold but concrete goals. Treat HAIs as unacceptable, and back that position with transparent metrics tied to accountability at every level. Organize for reliability. Standardize with checklists, empower your infection prevention and control unit to drive change, and ensure leadership communication keeps momentum high. Practice 7-1-7. Build the reflexes to detect, report, and control quickly—and debrief every event to get faster next time. Frieden summed up the ethos in one sentence: “What we need to be doing in health care and public health is using data to improve performance, and that’s what ‘see, believe, create’ is all about—see the invisible trends, strengthen belief that we can change them, and then work together systematically to create a healthier future.”For a field accustomed to complexity, the appeal is obvious: a simple, memorable framework grounded in evidence and experience that turns vision into action.
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