Moving the Need on Infection Prevention. International Infection Prevention Week: October 13-19, 2024.

International Infection Prevention Week (IIPW): October 13–19, 2024

This year’s theme, “Moving the Needle on Infection Prevention,” is all about advancing infection prevention efforts and making infection prevention fun and engaging for your team.

APIC provides activities like the Build a Bug Contest or daily infection prevention Wordles. These interactive events are designed to spark creativity, teamwork, and excitement while reinforcing the best practices that keep everyone safe.

Ways to Use This Resource:

Build a Bug Contest: Challenge your team to create their own superbug and showcase how they would stop it!

Daily Wordle: Add some brain-teasing fun to your day with infection prevention-themed Wordles.

Infection Prevention Challenges: Bring out the competitive spirit with trivia, scavenger hunts, and more.

Target Audience: Essential to Foundational IPC education level

Guidance & Regulation Updates

VIPTA members track guidance and regulation resources to share source documents that guide infection prevention and control practices for public health staff and clinical and non-clinical healthcare personnel.

The date of the regulation or guidance update is included in each post. Please check linked content to be sure it is the most up to date and recommended practice.

Disruption in Production of IV Fluid Due to Impacts from Hurricane Helene

VDH

Any Practice Setting

Emergency Preparedness & Operations

Addresses the disruption in production of IV solutions as a result of Hurricane Helene on the Baxter International Inc. North Cove manufacturing facility in Marion, North Carolina. Includes updates, recommendations to mitigate the impact, and VDH’s response to the situation.

Pneumococcal Vaccine Recommendations

CDC

Acute Care Hospital

Adult Day Care

Ambulatory (Outpatient) Care

Department of Health

Home Health

Mobile Clinic

Nursing Home / Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF)

Vaccination

The recommended age for receiving the pneumococcal vaccination was lowered from 65 to 50 years to give more adults the opportunity to protect themselves from pneumococcal disease at the age when risk of infection substantially increases.

Marburg Virus Disease Update

VDH

Any Practice Setting

Emergency Preparedness & Operations

Update on the situation summary and CDC recommendations regarding the Marburg Outbreak in the Republic of Rwanda.

Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza and Pharmacist Influenza Testing

VDH

Any Practice Setting

Emergency Preparedness & Operations

Information on VDH’s continued monitoring of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) A (H5N1) in poultry and dairy cattle that has resulted in a small number of human infections in parts of the U.S.

Marburg Virus Disease Outbreak in the Republic of Rwanda

CDC

Any Practice Setting

Emergency Preparedness & Operations

Information for clinicians and health departments about the Republic of Rwanda’s confirmed outbreak of Marburg virus disease (MVD). The Health Advisory summarizes recommendations for public health departments and clinicians in the U.S. on case identification and testing and clinical laboratory biosafety considerations.

Image of educational posters and learning areas.

Virginia Long-Term Care Infrastructure Pilot Project (VLIPP)

Carilion Clinic’s Virginia Long-Term Care Infrastructure Pilot Project (VLIPP) is a grant-funded program focused on improving infection prevention and control practices within local long-term care (LTC) facilities. The team has been working on various projects since the program’s launch, collaborating with LTC facilities across the Southwest Region. A keystone of the project is staff education on setting-specific infection prevention and control practices. The team provides education in fun and engaging ways including escape rooms and simulated training that incorporates real-life scenarios. The program also hosts a quarterly “Staying in the Know” webinar series aimed at providing updates and guidance on current infection prevention and control issues. Visit Carilion Clinic Infection Prevention and Control for additional information about Carilion Clinic VLIPP.

In addition to education, training, and onsite technical support, a peer-to-peer network has been launched for LTC facility infection preventionists (IPs). The network’s goal is to create a safe space for LTC IPs to connect, share resources and perspectives, and support one another. The network provides an avenue for IPs to talk about IP challenges in the facility, problem solve, and promote mentorship relationships between the IPs. The inspiration for the network arose from feedback received from facility IPs. Interest in knowing how other IPs practice in the LTC setting and navigate their roles and responsibilities was identified as a recurring theme.

The successful launch of the peer-to-peer network demonstrates the devotion of the LTC IPs to the work they do. The Carilion Clinic VLIPP team is excited to see a positive response to the network. LTC IPs in Virginia are welcome to join the network. For additional information about joining, reach out to either of the Carilion Clinic VLIPP infection preventionists listed below.

Steve Carter – stcarter@carilionclinic.org

Matthew Skinner – mrskinner@carilionclinic.org