
Infection Prevention Spotlight
Podcast
hosted by
Kara Mullane
Infection Preventionist
RN, MSN, CIC

This podcast can help!
I know how hard it can be to find time to keep up, be heard, and connect -- so let me help.
Join me as we explore today's most pressing infection-prevention challenges and meet the amazing practitioners, researchers, and industry leaders working to solve them.
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You're not alone out there! Meet me here and we'll support each other on our way to better health outcomes for everyone.
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~ Kara
Episode 40
April 8, 2021
What is the Occurrence of Respiratory Viruses on School Desks?
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First, a discussion with Dr. Jordan Peccia about his team's findings in their study "Occurrence of Respiratory Viruses on School desks." Then, Dr. Mohamed Yassin summarizes Dr. Danielle Durant's research article "Can Patient-Reported Room Cleanliness Measures Predict Hospital-Acquired C. difficile Infection?" Today’s it's all about environmental cleanliness and how it can affect our health!
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This episode brought to you by the American Journal of Infection Control (AJIC) and Infection Prevention Spotlight
Episode 39
March 5, 2021
Effect of C. diff. Infection Reduction Bundle on Infection, Diagnosis, and Prevention!
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This episode we hear from Dr. Natalia Blanco about her and her team's study in the March 2021 issue of AJIC: "Impact of a C. difficile infection (CDI) reduction bundle and its components on CDI diagnosis and prevention."
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This episode brought to you by the American Journal of Infection Control (AJIC) and Infection Prevention Spotlight
Episode 38
March 2, 2021
Legionella and Water Management Safety in the time of COVID!
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Chris Boyd, General Manager for Building Water Health, NSF Health Sciences tells us why water management in healthcare settings is so vital to patients health. Chris is a wealth of information, you don't want to miss this!
Episode 37
February 11, 2021
MRSA SSI Survivor, Rosie Bartel, Shares her Story!
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We have the great fortune to be speaking with Rosie Bartel, Survivor of a massive MRSA SSI infection. Rosie shares her story and shows us how one person can help change the behaviors of healthcare professionals to keep other patients safe. You won’t want to miss this.
Episode 36
February 4, 2021
A Conversation with Dr. Elaine Larson, Infection Prevention Pioneer!
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Listen as Dr. Elaine Larson shares her personal journey over 50 years as a nurse and Infection Preventionist, the changes she's seen and what she sees ahead.
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This episode brought to you by the American Journal of Infection Control (AJIC) and Infection Prevention Spotlight
Episode 35
January 21, 2021
Are Your Endoscopes Fully Dried? Moisture Hinders Sterilization!
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Michelle Nerandzic and Nancy Robinson from the STERIS corporation discuss their findings on moisture left behind in endoscopes after cleaning and sterilization. We discuss the resulting infection risk and other patient safety issues. Join us!
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This episode brought to you by the American Journal of Infection Control (AJIC) and Infection Prevention Spotlight
Episode 34
January 14, 2021
Can Your Own Germs Make you Sick? Yes They Can!
Sue Barnes, RN, CIC, FAPIC spotlights: Mitigating Risk of Staphylococcus aureus Healthcare Associated Infections
​Patients with Staphylococcus aureus nasal colonization - both sensitive and resistant strains (MSSA) and (MRSA) - are at dramatically higher risk of peripheral and central line bloodstream infections along with Surgical site infections. This is especially true in high-risk populations such as ICU patients. Sue talks strategies. Join Us!
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Episode 33
December 17, 2020
Make High-Touch Surfaces Disinfect Themselves!
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In this episode we learn how one company is harnessing one of the oldest known antimicrobials -- copper -- to prevent infection transmitted from high-touch surfaces. We speak with Dr. Emily Hunt and Benton Allen, members of the team who developed Copper Cleanâ„¢ Patches, durable, antimicrobial copper stickers shown to be effective at killing dangerous microbes.
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Join us as we learn about this exciting new tool for preventing exposure from high-touch surfaces.
Episode 32
December 14, 2020
Stopping Routine Use of Contact Precautions for MRSA & VRE Management and the Impact on HAIs.
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Dr. Elise Martin discusses her research with Dr. Sarah Haessler, et al, in the December 2020 AJIC issue on stopping the routine use of contact precautions for management of MRSA and VRE. Then, Dr. Yassin's summary of another major article by Dr. Elizabeth Monsees, et al, on the "Implementation of a Nurse-Driven Antibiotic Engagement Tool in 3 Hospitals."
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This episode brought to you by the American Journal of Infection Control (AJIC) and Infection Prevention Spotlight
Episode 31
December 1, 2020
Stopping Infections with New Standards and Technology!
What if nursing school student hand hygiene failed 70 percent of the time? What if one-third of hand-rub dispensers failed to deliver the needed amount to sufficiently sanitize hands? Studies have found both to be so, so come on the hand hygiene journey with Tamás Haidegger, co-founder of HandInScan. We discuss the new International Organization for Standardization ISO 23447 that is being developed to address hand hygiene training, compliance bench marking, performance/feedback, and facility requirements for healthcare settings, including gel dispenser functionality.
Episode 30
November 3, 2020
The Research Behind Infection Prevention:
Do Care Bundles Really Stop SSIs?
Today is all about surgical site infection prevention bundles! We bring you two important AJIC summaries from the Nov 2020 issue and then Dr. Mohamed Yassin and I share our thoughts and experiences with bundle implementation and effectiveness.
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This episode brought to by the American Journal of Infection Control (AJIC) and Infection Prevention Spotlight.
Episode 29
October 8, 2020
The Research Behind Infection Prevention:
Cost of Prevention vs. Infection — And The Winner Is?
Meet physician & Infection Preventionist Dr. Mohamed Yassin & hear his key summaries from the October 2020 American Journal of Infection Control (AJIC): cost of nfection vs. prevention and then aerosol-disinfection of bacterial spores.
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This episode brought to by the American Journal of Infection Control (AJIC) and Infection Prevention Spotlight.
Episode 28
September 3, 2020
The Research Behind Infection Prevention:
Meet AJIC's new Editor-in-Chief and then hear about two important new C. diff. prevention articles in this month's AJIC.
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This episode brought to you by the American Journal of Infection Control (AJIC) and Infection Prevention Spotlight.
Episode 27
August 3, 2020
The Research Behind Infection Prevention:
Safer N95 usage by healthcare workers was achieved with "Reflective Practice Intervention" respiratory protection training -- find out how!
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This episode brought to you by the American Journal of Infection Control (AJIC) and Infection Prevention Spotlight.

Episode 13
January 23, 2018
Kara Reads the Abstract!
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[Dec 2017, Vol 45, No 12] A national collaborative approach to reduce catheter-associated urinary tract infections in nursing homes: A qualitative assessment; Successful strategy to decrease indwelling catheter utilization rates in an academic medical intensive care unit.

Episode 13
January 23, 2018
Kara Reads the Abstract!
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[Dec 2017, Vol 45, No 12] A national collaborative approach to reduce catheter-associated urinary tract infections in nursing homes: A qualitative assessment; Successful strategy to decrease indwelling catheter utilization rates in an academic medical intensive care unit.

Episode 11
November 17, 2017
Kara Reads the Abstract!
[Oct 2017, Vol 45, No 10] Prospective clinical trial to assess peripheral venous catheter-related phlebitis using needleless connectors in a surgery department; Outbreak of imipenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii in different wards at a regional hospital related to untrained bedside caregivers.