Protecting Healthcare Workers

Kerri A. Thom, MD, MS, Assistant Professor of Medicine at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, puts a spotlight on the healthcare environment and its role in spreading bacteria that cause healthcare-associated infections. She discusses this topic in context of the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America(SHEA) spring meeting, where professionals in healthcare epidemiology and infection prevention are focusing on evidence-based research and policies to further identify the impact of the healthcare environment on healthcare-associated infections.

"At the meeting, several sessions examine motivation and behavior change techniques that

can optimize the efficacy of a good old-fashioned cleaning and disinfection. While hospital cleaning staff often focus on the disinfection of patient rooms’ bathrooms, other near-patient surfaces and equipment can be overlooked. SHEA believes educating staff on the role of the healthcare environment and optimizing worker performance can be one of the most effective measures to adequately disinfect patient rooms.

Click here to read more about the CDC initiative to protect healthcare workers.