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This month we celebrate International Infection Prevention Week (IIPW). Infection Preventionists (IPs) play an indispensable role in safeguarding public health. Amidst global pandemics, measles outbreaks, respiratory virus seasons, and countless other infectious challenges, IPs work tirelessly to protect us. This year, IIPW's theme is "Celebrating the Fundamentals of Infection Prevention," emphasizing the importance of the basics to keep patients safe.
As we celebrate IIPW 2023 (Oct. 15-21), it's a time to appreciate the dedication and expertise the infection prevention and control community has shown before, during, and after the COVID-19 public health emergency to keep our healthcare communities safe and thriving. We extend our gratitude to all Infection Preventionists for the invaluable work they do, ensuring the well-being of patients, and invite you to reflect on how you can break the chain of infection.
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In the intricate web of healthcare, where germs lurk both inside and outside our facilities, Infection Preventionists have a critical mission—breaking the chain of infection. Tiny but powerful invaders, viruses, and bacteria can spread from person to person through a common chain of events. To safeguard our healthcare communities, every person needs to be ready to break a link in the chain.
There are six key points at which the chain of infection can be disrupted, preventing germs from infecting more people. You can be a part of this defense.
  The OHA Infection Prevention & Control Program offers voluntary Infection Control Assessment and Response (ICAR) consults for health care facilities, including hospitals, long-term care facilities, outpatient settings, dialysis facilities, etc. to identify how to break the chain of infection before there is a problem.
When you request a consult our regional infection preventionist will reach out to discuss your areas of interest and gather preliminary information. We'll arrange a meeting, virtually or in person, in which our IP will conduct a comprehensive assessment alongside you. We'll address your concerns, observe elements of care, and answer your questions. After the assessment, we'll provide detailed recommendations to strengthen your infection prevention practices and gather feedback to improve our program. We're here for you even after the consultation, ready to provide support and assist with any concerns.
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- Oregon hospitals, ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs), dialysis facilities, and skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) should have received a reminder letter from OHA regarding the Healthcare Worker Influenza Vaccination Survey for the 2023-2024 flu season in September. Facilities are required to report influenza vaccination, documented contraindication, and informed declination rates for staff in accordance with ORS 442.855 and OAR 333-018-0127.
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The September Carbapenem Resistant Enterobacterales report shows OXA-48 and NDM genes make up the largest proportion of Carbapenemase Producing Carbapenem Resistant Enterobacterales (CP-CRE) cases in Oregon, with an uptick in all cases of carbapenemase producing organisms (CPOs) in the last few months.
- It is common to get sick from respiratory viruses such as COVID-19, flu, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), especially in the fall and winter. You can take actions to protect yourself and others. Vaccines are the safest way to build immunity from a virus. The immunity you gain from vaccination can reduce your risk of infection and becoming very sick if you do get infected. CDC recommends that all people aged 6 months and older stay up to date on COVID-19 vaccines and receive a seasonal flu vaccine.
- CDC has released new resources to assist nursing facility staff to understand and implement Enhanced Barrier Precautions (EBPs). EBPs are practices that can proactively prevent the spread of dangerous pathogens. These new resources will help staff, residents, and loved ones learn why EBPs are important and when these practices should be used.
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New Sepsis Core Elements Webinar Series with Free CE: Starting in October, CDC’s Project Firstline is kicking off a five-part webinar series for healthcare professionals in collaboration with the American Medical Association to introduce the Hospital Sepsis Program Core Elements, a framework to help U.S. hospitals implement, monitor, and optimize institutional sepsis programs and sepsis outcomes. The Sepsis Core Elements complement existing sepsis guidelines and help facilitate implementation of guideline-recommended care practices at a wide variety of hospitals and healthcare systems in the United States.
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NACCHO Essential Skills Training Series: The National Association of County and City Health Officials’ (NACCHO’s) Emerging Infectious Disease Program, in partnership with Cardea Services and with support from CDC Project Firstline, is launching an Essential Skills Training Series. The series centers on essential skills for local health department staff engaged in infection prevention and control activities. Questions about the training? Contact achavezcalvi@naccho.org.
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Training 1: Introduction to Essential Skills for Healthcare IPC Webinar | October 19, 2023, 2-3:30pm ET | Register here
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Training 2: In-Person Event: Creating Safe and Inclusive Environments| November 16, 2023, Atlanta, GA | (registration is closed
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Infectious Insights
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Sinks, drains, and plumbing can secretly harbor bacteria, including multidrug-resistant organisms. Water can splash and contaminate items up to 3’ away. Don't place patient care items or medications on counters next to sinks, especially without splash guards in place.
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NHSN AUR Reporting Webinar Beginning in 2024, reporting to the NHSN Antimicrobial Use and Resistance (AUR) Module will be required under the CMS Promoting Interoperability Program.
- OHA’s Healthcare-Associated Infections Program will host an informational webinar Monday, October 23rd 12:00 - 1:00 p.m. providing an overview of the NHSN AUR module purpose, benefits, and reporting requirements. Please join us with questions and forward to colleagues who may be interested.
- If you are unable to attend, there will be more AUR module learning opportunities. The NHSN Team will be hosting office hours October 30th. The CDC and the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy will co-host a webinar on November 14th.
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International Infection Prevention Week (Oct. 15-21) focuses attention on the importance of infection prevention in saving lives and healthcare dollars.
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US Antibiotics Awareness Week (Nov.18-24) raises awareness of the threat of antibiotic resistance and the importance of appropriate antibiotic use.
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Get to know the exceptional members of our HAI team. This quarter, we introduce Mary Martin.
Mary is our Region 2 Infection Preventionist and covers the counties of Lincoln, Linn, Benton, Polk, Yamhill, and Marion. She received her Bachelor of Science in Athletic Medicine from the University of Nebraska—Lincoln, Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Creighton University in Omaha, and Master of Science in Public Health from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine. Before joining OHA, she worked as a travel nurse in Level I trauma ICUs across the country before transitioning to Endoscopy. Her role with OHA includes on-site and virtual consultations with hospitals, long-term care facilities, assisted living, and skilled rehab facilities. She works closely with the six counties’ Local Public Health authorities and the OHA Epidemiology team in her region.
Mary worked on the outbreak investigation team for the first Candida auris case in Oregon in 2021, and that ignited her passion for fighting multi-drug resistant organisms! Her region keeps her busy with multiple responses a month these days!
Fun facts: Mary has explored 38 countries; her first experience was a three-month solo trip in Ghana when she was 20 years old. It’s also where she got malaria (she would not recommend!). Her hobbies include traveling, reading, yardwork, gardening, and DIY projects.
“Science knows no country, because knowledge belongs to humanity, and is the torch which illuminates the world” – Louis Pasteur
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Penicillin has saved an estimated 200 million lives since it was first used as a medicine in 1941.
10% of the U.S. population reports a penicillin allergy, but when evaluated, fewer than 1% of the population are truly allergic to penicillin.
Careful assessment of patients’ penicillin allergies—or lack thereof—can improve appropriate antibiotic prescribing, decrease the unnecessary use of broad-spectrum antibiotics, and help slow the spread of antimicrobial resistance.
Broad-spectrum antibiotics are often used as an alternative to penicillins. The use of broad-spectrum antibiotics in patients labeled “penicillin-allergic” is associated with:
- Higher healthcare costs,
- Increased risk for antibiotic resistance,
- Less effective antibiotic therapy,
- Increased risk of side effects and adverse events.
In the hospital setting, history of penicillin allergy has been associated with:
Many people who are labeled “penicillin allergic” would benefit from further allergy assessment from their healthcare provider, particularly if:
- Reaction or side effects patient experienced is not consistent with an allergy.
- A penicillin antibiotic was tolerated after their initial reaction.
- Reaction was non-severe and more than 10 years ago.
Learn more about when and how to assess penicillin allergies.
Visit the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology Penicillin Allergy Center.
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I’ve heard that hand washing is the preferred method of hand hygiene, but I’ve also heard that hand sanitizers are better. Which should I use?
This is a great question. If accessible at home, washing hands with soap and water is the best way to remove many types of germs and chemicals, especially if hands are visibly soiled. Soap and water also have the benefit of removing spore-forming bacteria that can cause gastrointestinal illness (e.g., norovirus or C. difficile).
However, in a health care setting CDC recommends the use of alcohol-based hand sanitizers in most situations. Why the difference? Health care workers need to clean their hands between every single patient - and often multiple times during care of a single patient - to avoid spreading germs. This can add up to more than 7 times in an hour! Scrubbing so often with soap and water may not be feasible. Alcohol-based hand sanitizers work great to reduce the number of germs, while still protecting the hands of health care workers.
While hand sanitizer is preferred in most health care situations, health care workers should still wash their hands with soap and water when:
- hands are visibly dirty
- before eating
- after using the restroom
- after caring for people with infectious diarrhea.
Enjoy a dose of infectious humor with a HAI-larious joke that's sure to brighten your day! Have a great joke in mind? Send us your jokes and we’ll feature you in one of our upcoming newsletters.
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Oregon Health Authority works to transform the health care system in Oregon by lowering and containing costs, improving quality and increasing access to care to improve the lifelong health of Oregonians. OHA is overseen by the nine-member citizen Oregon Health Policy Board working toward comprehensive health reform in our state.
The HAI program within the OHA Public Health Division is dedicated to preventing and containing healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) and addressing the growing challenge of antimicrobial resistance (AR). Through initiatives such as the Antimicrobial Resistance Laboratory Network (AR Lab Network) and the National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN), we are bolstering our ability to detect and respond to antibiotic resistance while strengthening the nation's most widely used HAI tracking system. We also focus on antibiotic stewardship to improve the appropriate use of antibiotics, and we provide comprehensive infection prevention and control (IPC) education and training to equip the health care workforce with the necessary skills. Our team further offers IPC consultations to health care facilities throughout the state, providing expert guidance and support in implementing effective infection prevention strategies and responding to outbreaks. Together, we are committed to enhancing patient safety and reducing the impact of HAIs and antimicrobial resistance.
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