『ICTalk: Infection Control Today Podcast』のカバーアート

ICTalk: Infection Control Today Podcast

ICTalk: Infection Control Today Podcast

著者： ICTalk: Infection Control Today Podcast
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今ならプレミアムプランが3カ月 月額99円

2026年5月12日まで。4か月目以降は月額1,500円で自動更新します。

概要

 ICTalk: Infection Control Today Podcast is a podcast that dives into the latest trends, challenges, and solutions in infection prevention and control. This podcast delivers expert insights, real-world strategies, and actionable advice, covering topics relevant to health care professionals at every level—from C-suite executives to infection preventionists, sterile processing, environmental hygiene staff, and more. Join us for conversations with leading infection preventionists, industry experts, and thought leaders as we explore how to create safer environments, improve outcomes, and navigate the evolving landscape of infection control. 科学
エピソード
  • 22: Contagious Conversations: How SPD Voices Are Shaping Patient Safety

    22: Contagious Conversations: How SPD Voices Are Shaping Patient Safety
    2026/04/07
    At the SoCal Sterile Processing Association (SPA) Chapter meeting on March 21, 2026, in Newport Beach, California, one message came through clearly: Leadership in sterile processing does not begin with a title. It begins with a voice.In this special edition of Contagious Conversations, hosts Jill Holdsworth, MS, CIC, FAPIC, NREMT, CRCST, CHL, AL-CIP; and Brenna Doran, PhD, MA, ACC, CIC, AL-CIP, turned the microphone toward Tori Whitacre Martonicz, MA, lead editor of Infection Control Today®, following her presentation, “Leadership Beyond the Sterile Processing Department: Expanding Professional Influence and Patient Safety Impact.” The conversation reflected broader themes echoed throughout the event, where leaders across sterile processing, infection prevention, and industry highlighted mentorship, communication, and systems thinking as essential to advancing patient safety.The event featured a diverse lineup of speakers, including Shahbaz Salehi, MD, MPH, MSHIA; Randalyn Harreld, CRCST, CIS, CER, CHL, CSPDT, CASSPT, CLS, AAS, FHSPA; Sharon Lashley, MS, MBA; Brian North; and Sarah B. Cruz, AS, CSPDT, CRCST, CHL, CIS, each addressing critical gaps in education, workflow, and system integration across sterile processing.“The March conference was highly successful, with over 100 attendees from Greater Los Angeles to San Diego coming together for a full day of impactful learning, collaboration, and advancement of the sterile processing profession,” said Jaime Amaya, CRCST, president of the SoCal SPA Chapter, and the sterile processing manager, Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian, Newport Beach & Irvine.To highlight their excellence, the chapter also recently won the Healthcare Sterile Processing Association (HSPA) Large Chapter of the Year award for 2026. Leadership Starts Before the TitleFor Whitacre Martonicz, the foundation of her presentation came from personal experience and observation. “Leadership is not a title,” she said. “It is a choice about whether you'll use your voice to make a difference.” She described how her understanding of infection prevention and sterile processing did not come from job titles or hierarchy, but from individuals willing to share their knowledge publicly.“The people that I was learning from were not necessarily the people with all the titles,” she explained. “It was always the person who had gone out beyond their comfort zone and given that information out.” That insight shaped the core message of her talk: that writing, speaking, and sharing experiences are powerful tools for influence across health care systems.Why Speaking Up Matters in SPDThroughout the discussion, both hosts reinforced the need for leadership development within sterile processing.Holdsworth emphasized the growing demand for these skills within the field. “They are probably one of the professions most hungry for leadership knowledge, and leadership training, and leadership discussions,” she said. Whitacre Martonicz agreed, noting that many professionals hesitate not because they lack expertise, but because they lack confidence. “I've gotten messages… ‘I'd love to write an article… but I don't know how,’ or ‘I'd love to give a speech… but I don't know how to speak,’” she said. “All you have to do is try.” Her advice was practical and accessible. Start small, build confidence locally, and expand outward. “Start in your own facility,” she said. “Even if it's just standing in front of your colleagues… or write a post… anything to get that conversation started.” The Power of Everyday ExpertiseA recurring theme throughout the panel was the value of everyday problem-solving in sterile processing.Whitacre Martonicz highlighted how even simple observations can lead to broader improvements. “If you have that problem, I guarantee you that there's somebody else… [who's] having the same problem,” she said. This perspective aligns closely with broader discussions at the event. Harreld’s session on fatigue and interruptions, Lashley’s focus on navigating IFUs, and North’s emphasis on technology and audits all reinforced the idea that small, consistent improvements drive system-level change.Cruz, the president-elect of the national HSPA, echoed similar principles in her focus on quality systems, while Salehi’s presentation on mentorship underscored the importance of guidance and professional growth across career stages.Overcoming Fear and Finding Your VoiceOne of the most candid moments in the discussion centered on fear, particularly around writing and public speaking.“I was surprised how many people were so terrified of writing,” Whitacre Martonicz said. She encouraged attendees to reframe the process and lower the barrier to entry. “If you can't think of what to write… write that,” she said. “‘I don't know what to write, but I still have to write, so I will just write that I can’t think of what to write’ and ...
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    30 分
  • 21: What Is Surgical Smoke, and Why Is it So Dangerous? An Expert Explains

    21: What Is Surgical Smoke, and Why Is it So Dangerous? An Expert Explains
    2026/04/06
    Surgical smoke has been part of operating room culture for decades, generated routinely by lasers, electrosurgical devices, and ultrasonic tools. Yet despite its constant presence, it remains one of the least understood and least consistently addressed risks in perioperative care.In a recent interview with Infection Control Today® (ICT®), Vangie Dennis, MSN, RN, CNOR, CMLSO, FAORN, FAAN, a former president of AORN and current member of the ICT’s Editorial Advisory Board, made it clear that this normalization has contributed to a dangerous blind spot in health care.“It is a hazard that sometimes we’ve been doing it for so many years… it is just part of the culture,” Dennis, who is also a health care consultant with Perioperative Consulting, LLC, said, describing how familiarity has dulled concern across the field. A Risk That Extends Beyond the Surgical FieldDennis, who is also a perioperative nurse executive and speaker, stressed that one of the biggest misconceptions about surgical smoke is who it affects. While many clinicians associate exposure primarily with surgeons, the reality is far broader.She pointed to overlooked patient risks, particularly in vulnerable scenarios such as cesarean deliveries or procedures under monitored anesthesia.“The patients are affected by the surgical smoke,” she said. “What about the baby’s first breath on a C-section… the nurse who’s pregnant… that unborn baby is exposed to surgical smoke.” This framing expands the conversation from occupational safety alone to a shared exposure risk across the entire perioperative team and patient population.“It really affects everybody in that perioperative platform when we generate smoke,” Dennis added, emphasizing that no one in the room is truly isolated from exposure. Understanding the Science Behind the SmokeDennis explained that the source of the smoke matters less than many clinicians believe. Whether generated by lasers, electrosurgery, or other heat-producing devices, the resulting plume contains harmful components.“Any heat-generating device will create a surgical plume or smoke… it’s all bad for you,” she said, underscoring that differentiation between technologies does not equate to differences in safety. She reinforced this point with a lesson from early in her career, recalling a physician who distilled the issue bluntly.“He said, there’s no such thing as safe smoke,” Dennis noted. To make the risk more tangible, she cited common comparisons used in education and research.“One gram of tissue vaporized by a laser is equivalent to 3 unfiltered cigarettes… by an electrosurgical device, 6 unfiltered cigarettes,” she said. However, Dennis emphasized that even this comparison may underestimate the danger, given the biological and chemical complexity of surgical smoke, which includes human tissue, blood particles, and toxic gases such as benzene and formaldehyde.Health Effects That Accumulate Over TimeDennis described both the immediate and long-term health consequences associated with repeated exposure. Early in her career, she experienced symptoms that many perioperative staff still report today.“You had headaches… your eyes are burning… nausea, fatigue,” she said, recalling the physical effects of prolonged exposure during smoke-heavy procedures. While these symptoms may seem transient, Dennis emphasized that chronic exposure could lead to more serious outcomes.“I know several of my friends… one has adult-onset asthma, and the other has stage 2 [chronic obstructive pulmonary disease],” she said, highlighting the potential progression from irritation to long-term respiratory disease. She also pointed to the presence of mutagenic and carcinogenic compounds in surgical smoke.“We’re being exposed to toxic gases and volatile organic compounds… these are all mutagenic and carcinogenic chemicals,” she explained, reinforcing that the risks are not hypothetical. In addition to respiratory concerns, Dennis discussed infection risks, noting that viable viral particles have been identified in surgical smoke.“There has been documented, proven risk,” she said, referencing studies involving pathogens such as [human papillomavirus (HPV)]. The Persistent Awareness GapDespite decades of research and guidance, Dennis believes the greatest barrier to progress remains a lack of awareness.“It is the unknown,” she said. “If you don’t see it, smell it, touch it, it’s not real, but it is real.” This gap extends beyond clinicians. Dennis highlighted that many ancillary staff, including environmental services personnel, are rarely educated about surgical smoke exposure.“If I walked up to anybody with [environmental services], I bet they would have no idea,” she said, pointing to missed opportunities for broader organizational engagement. For infection prevention professionals, this underscores the need to expand education beyond traditional ...
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    39 分
  • 20: The Invisible Heroes: Why Dental Assistant Recognition Week Matters

    20: The Invisible Heroes: Why Dental Assistant Recognition Week Matters
    2026/03/09

    Every time you sit in a dental chair, you witness a carefully choreographed performance. The dentist guides the instrument. The hygienist checks your bite. Behind the scenes stands the dental assistant, orchestrating the invisible work that keeps you safe.

    "Dental assistants do more than just assist the doctor," says Sherrie Busby, EDDA, CDSO, CDIPC, dental assistant speaker and trainer, with 42 years of experience, and a member of the Infection Control Today® (ICT®) editorial advisory board. "We're responsible for setting up rooms, breaking down rooms, following the entire chain of infection control from start to finish."

    Most states require dental hygienists to earn degrees and complete specialized schooling. Dental assistants? In most states, you can work in infection control without any formal training. Many learn on the job, sometimes absorbing bad habits along with good ones.

    Yet dental assistants manage staggering responsibilities: sterilizing instruments, documenting visits, managing lab cases, maintaining infection control protocols, and providing patient education. In hospitals, these tasks are divided among specialized roles. In dental offices, one person does it all.

    The compensation doesn't match the responsibility. The median wage hovers around $20 per hour, with some states paying just $16 to 17. "It's sad that the person with the most duties in the practice is the lowest paid," Busby notes.

    The infection control stakes are particularly high. Dental settings involve constant exposure to aerosols and instruments. Proper PPE use, meticulous cleaning, and sterilization are non-negotiable. C. difficile bacteria can survive on surfaces for up to 5 months. Failure in any step compromises patient safety.

    The COVID-19 pandemic exposed this vulnerability. Dental professionals faced harm's way, yet compensation didn't reflect that risk or the essential work they perform.

    The Dental Assistant National Board is pushing for standardized credentialing and education requirements across states, a long-overdue shift ensuring consistency in infection control practices and knowledge.

    This Dental Assistant Appreciation Week, it's time to acknowledge what's been invisible too long. Dental assistants aren't just assistants. They're infection control specialists, patient educators, and safety guardians. They deserve recognition, fair wages, and professional standards reflecting the critical work they do every day. The magic you see in the dental chair? Behind every moment is a dental assistant making it happen.
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    53 分
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