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TOPIC: The Emerging Threat of Antimicrobial-Resistant Bacteria in Hospital Water Systems: Strategies to Improve Patient Safety

PRESENTATION DATE: May 20, 2025 11:00 AM EST

Description

Hospital water systems have emerged as important sources of antimicrobial-resistant organisms (MDROs), such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa, which can contribute to the development of serious healthcare-associated infections (HAIs), particularly among immunocompromised patients. Attendees will examine the vital connection between hospital water infrastructure and patient safety and learn how water systems can serve as reservoirs and a route of transmission for pathogenic organisms. The session presenter will also introduce practical strategies and innovative infection prevention technologies designed to minimize these risks and protect vulnerable patient populations.

Learning objectives:

1. Describe the phases of biofilm proliferation in hospital water systems.
2. Explain how biofilm formation promotes the survival of pathogenic organisms.
3. Review the relationship between hospital water systems and the occurrence of healthcare-associated infections.
4. Discuss innovative strategies for addressing the challenges to patient safety posed by hospital water systems.

Educational Credits: 

• 1 CE Nurses credit was provided for this webinar to those that attended the live session on May 20, 2025

Full video of our Tuesday May 20, 2025 Webinar:

• Download PDF Presentation here: TIPS Presentation May 2025

SPEAKERS

Joan Hebden MS, RN, CIC, FAPIC, FSHEA

Joan received her baccalaureate and master’s degrees from the University of Maryland School of Nursing.  She is currently the President of IPC Consulting Group LLC, a Maryland-based company providing infection prevention consultation in acute and non-acute healthcare settings and is a IPC consultant for the University of Maryland School of Medicine, Department of Epidemiology and Public Health. She served as the Director of Infection Prevention and Control for 28 years at the University of Maryland Medical Center in Baltimore, Maryland. An accomplished practitioner, Ms. Hebden is an invited speaker at national epidemiology conferences, participates in research to identify best practices for the prevention of healthcare-associated infections, and has multiple publications in medical and infection control journals. She is certified in infection prevention and control through the Certification Board of Infection Control and Epidemiology, is an active member of the Society for Healthcare Epidemiologists of America (SHEA) and the Association for Professionals in Infection Control (APIC), serves as a board member and reviewer for the American Journal of Infection Control and is a fellow of APIC and SHEA. She was the recipient of the 2018 SHEA Advanced Practice IP award.