Surfaces Webinar Series

Surfaces: New Trends and Strategies to Prevent HAIs

3 One Hour Webinar Series

January 29, February 4 and February 12, 2020
Click here to register for FREE

SESSION #1: January 29, 2020 (12pm EST)

C. difficile: New Trends and Prevention Strategies

Ruth M. Carrico, PhD, DNP, APRN

Division of Infectious Diseases | University of Louisville

C. difficile infection remains the most problematic and impactful infection seen in the healthcare setting. Alarmingly, this infection also continues to make its presence known in the community where we have difficulty understanding risk factors and subsequent preventive interventions. During this session, participants will learn more about the changing epidemiology of C. difficile and the roles healthcare personnel play in diagnostic stewardship. Using this new knowledge, participants will also explore existing and new control strategies that will impact patient safety.

SESSION #2: February 4, 2020 (12pm EST)

Surface Biofilm: Disinfection Challenges and New Approaches

Marcia Ryder PhD MS RN

Biofilms are the most common mechanism of growth for microorganisms and are a key survival factor in harsh environments. Bacteria encased in biofilms have been shown to be 1500 times less susceptible to disinfectants than free living bacteria Biofilms are ubiquitous in the healthcare environment, however, the risk in terms of infection transmission by biofilms within the environment may be under appreciated. Recent studies indicate dry surface biofilms containing MDROs are found on hospital surfaces despite terminal cleaning with commonly used disinfectant methods. Although biofilms are a well-documented cause of infection, they receive only a degree of the attention they clearly merit. Recent data indicate dry surface biofilms containing MDROs are found on ICU surfaces despite terminal cleaning with commonly used disinfectant methods. New methods and technology provide opportunity to impact biofilms which augment HAI rates.

Learning Objectives:
The formation of biofilm as the strategy for microbial survival in abiotic and biologic environments

Prevalence of biofilms to protect bacterial pathogens in the healthcare settings

The challenge of surface disinfectants to kill pathogens in the hospital environment.

New approaches to overcome the biofilm challenges in hospitals

SESSION #3: February 12, 2020 (12pm EST)

How do you Measure Clean? Myth and Facts of ATP.

Christine Greene MPH, PhD

Board Member TIPS | Co-founder HITS | President EVS Protects

How do measure clean? Are you cleaning correctly? Does your processes, products and methods clean and disinfect as you well as you think they do? What is ATP? How should it be used? Should ATP be used as a reliable assessment of the quality of clean? What are the alternative methods to measure environmental contamination? Christine Greene MPH, PhD discusses the State of Clean and myths and facts of ATP.

The Infection Prevention Strategy presents a Master Class Showcase entitled

Surfaces: New Trends and Strategies to Prevent HAIs

3 One Hour Webinar Series

January 29, February 4 and February 12, 2020
Click here to register for FREE

Topics will include:

The changing epidemiology of C. difficile in hospitals, long term care, home environments and the community. New approaches toward diagnostic stewardship that include actions of medicine, nursing, environmental services, microbiology, pharmacy, and infection prevention. Specific infection and environmental control strategies that have, or will have, important impacts on patient safety. Dry Biofilms and environmental cleaning The role biofilms play in persistence of pathogens in the environment and on surgical equipment Tolerance of biofilms to biocides What does clean mean? The Limitations of ATP Monitoring in Healthcare Aesthetic vs Bacterial cleanliness How to set and meet environmental disinfection expectations Misunderstanding of ATP Systems The Chemistry behind Commercial ATP Systems Cleaning or Disinfection? Recommended Benchmark for Cleanliness (CFU/cm2), The formation of biofilm as the strategy for microbial survival in abiotic and biologic environments, Prevalence of biofilms to protect bacterial pathogens in the healthcare settings, The challenge of surface disinfectants to kill pathogens in the hospital environment, New approaches to overcome the biofilm challenges in hospitals

Continuing Education Credits have been applied for

Earn 1 CE per Webinar
This Master Class series is open to anyone in public health; however you must be a registered nurse to receive the CE Credit. If you are a registered nurse you will receive 1 CE credit per webinar participation.