Viral hemorrhagic fevers (VHF), such as Ebola virus disease and Marburg virus disease, represent an ongoing threat even if their chance of occurrence on U.S. soil may seem low. These highly infectious diseases not only carry a high mortality rate but also present unique challenges for hospital...
As we leave 2024 behind us, laboratory safety officers and staff should look ahead to the challenges and promises 2025 will bring. Some lab safety issues will remain evergreen, such as sharps safety and personal protective equipment (PPE) compliance. Meanwhile, things like emerging diseases,...
The year draws to a close, and it’s time for laboratory safety workers to look back at all the laboratory safety stories and topics we’ve covered this year. After all, many lab safety issues from 2024 will cross over with us into 2025.
To frame the conversation, the state of New Jersey is in the process of implementing one of the (if not the) most comprehensive regulatory requirements relative to the management of water as a function of waterborne illnesses. Certainly, the folks in healthcare are already managing these risks,...
For those of you keeping tabs on the regulatory landscape, you might already know that the Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI) has initiated a new standard—ST108—that defines levels of water quality suitable for various stages of medical device processing, with the...
We continue our interview with Ivan W. Gowe, MS, MLS (ASCP)CM, CIC, FAPIC, a hospital infection preventionist in North Carolina, and Ashley Reyes, MPH, CIC, an infection preventionist from Pardee UNC Health, on bloodstream infections (BSI) and how to prevent them.
Within healthcare, bloodstream infections (BSI) are an evergreen danger for patients. Caused when bacteria enter a patient’s bloodstream via a laceration or the insertion of a medical device, BSI prevention is a topic that infection preventionists are constantly working on.To learn more about...
As children across the country head back to school, the risk of viruses and infections spreading increases. Teachers, students, and staff all come into close contact with one another on school grounds, making it extremely easy to transmit illnesses such as influenza, COVID-19, respiratory...
This is Part 2 of our interview with Rachelle Babin, MBA, BSN, RN, CEC, CMMT, certified executive coach and consultant at Rachelle Babin Leadership, on high-level disinfection (HLD) of medical equipment. Human error, missed cleaning steps, or not following manufacturer’s instructions for use (...
Despite the danger to patients and repeated citations from CMS and other accreditors, many healthcare organizations still struggle to properly perform high-level disinfection (HLD) of medical equipment, says Rachelle Babin, MBA, BSN, RN, CEC, CMMT, certified executive coach and consultant at...
