INFECTION PREVENTION
The Contagion Contingent
2022 IP Operations Worth Watching by Kara Nadeau
Photo credit: muchmania |
stock.adobe.com T his year marks the 50th anniversary of
the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC). As APIC President Linda Dickey, RN, MPH, CIC, FAPIC explains, much has changed in healthcare and within the pro- fession during this time. “We came from a place where infections were thought to be part and parcel of the healthcare course. There was a belief that some percentage of infections would occur and
Linda Dickey
there was no way to prevent them,” said Dickey. “Fast forward 50 years where our goal is zero infections. While we recognize we will likely never live in a world without infections, and some germs are our friends, we do want to shoot for zero when it comes to pathogenic microbes that cause serious illness.”
While physicians, nurses, respiratory
therapists and other healthcare staff mem- bers had always done what they could to prevent infections, APIC established the role of the infection preventionist (IP), someone solely focused on this critical area of healthcare delivery. Today, IPs employ evidence-based practices to keep patients safe from device-associated infections, surgical site infections (SSI) and other healthcare associated infec- tions (HAI).
In honor of the IP profession, Healthcare Purchasing News presents its 2022 Infection Prevention Operations Worth Watching, highlighting U.S. health system and hospital IP teams that have demonstrated outstand- ing dedication, practices and successes in infection prevention.
A true team approach to IP in the time of COVID
The COVID-19 pandemic has complicated the work of IPs, with efforts now split between protecting patients and healthcare staff members from the SARS-CoV virus and the continued fi ght against HAIs. That is why this year’s list of IP success stories include efforts aimed at addressing both long-standing infection risks and the new challenges presented by COVID-19. “The pandemic has amplifi ed and magni-
fi ed the skill set needed to be an IP because you have to be very resilient and a team player who helps coordinate various stake- holders and move a lot of levers at the same time,” said Dickey. “You have to be able to multitask and keep your eye on several dif- ferent priorities simultaneously.” The IP Team members for Dartmouth- Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, N.H. have played a vital role in the success of IP goals despite the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. At the same time, they have con- tinued to strive for professional growth and development by earning graduate degrees, acquiring certifi cation in Infection Control, participating in local and regional infection control chapters, webinars and conferences, and more.
Here’s how the IP team members have suc- cessfully executed on their specifi c respon- sibilities to drive improved compliance and patient safety.
SSI standardization
Jessica L. Swain, MBA, MLT (ASCP), CIC, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Senior Infection Preventionist, leads the surgical site infec- tion (SSI) prevention efforts working with perioperative leadership, nursing, surgeons
30 March 2022 • HEALTHCARE PURCHASING NEWS •
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and ancillary staff. This team updated SSI prevention bundles to meet best practice requirements to standardize perioperative patient care and reduce SSIs.
Dartmouth-Hitchcock, like most U.S. health systems and hospitals, has struggled to reduce SSIs and other HAIs during the pandemic, but the IP team has successfully increased compliance with documentation of the SSI prevention bundles. And while patient acuity increased between 2020 and 2021, there was no increase in SSI infections. Swain also serves as the infection control
standards and regulatory compliance expert to ensure continuous regulatory readiness throughout Dartmouth-Hitchcock, which was reaccredited by the Joint Commission in 2021 with accolades on infection control processes.
50% CLABSI decrease Caitlin Adams Barker, MSN, RN, CIC is a Dartmouth-Hitchcock Senior Infection Preventionist and Nursing Assistant Clinical Instructor. She was Program Director for the APIC New England Chapter in 2020 and was elected Nominating and Awards Director Elect in 2021. APIC awarded her Fellow status (FAPIC) in recognition of her contributions to the profession. Barker has simultaneously served as the IP representative for the COVID Incident Command team and led the central line associated blood stream infection (CLABSI) committee and associated work. In 2021, Barker approved a central line insertion policy, which outlines the compe- tency requirements and insertion protocol for providers who insert central lines. This is critical to ensuring provider competency for patient safety and reduced risk of infection
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