ICTalk: Infection Control Today Podcast

Sterile Processing's Hidden Patient Safety Risk: When Cognitive Overload Meets Complex WorkSterile processing professionals perform high-stakes work requiring sustained attention to detail, yet burnout, fatigue, interruptions, and cognitive overload receive far less attention in SPD than in many patient-facing areas of health care.Randalyn Harreld, CRCST, CIS, CER, CHL, CSPDT, CASSPT, CLS, AAS, FHSPA, clinical education manager for Steelco Belimed, wants that to change.“This particular topic, I think, is pertinent and is not something that we talk about enough,” Harreld told Infection Control Today® following her presentation at the Southern California Sterile Processing Association chapter meeting in Newport Beach, California. “Because we're such a labor-intensive and hardworking environment, I just felt like it's important to bring it up.” One major concern is interruption.“We say, and I say this all the time, ‘I'm a multitasker, and I can multitask.’ And really, there's a study that talks about how humans, we're not multitasking; we're task switching,” Harreld said.Consider an employee assembling an implant tray with 200 components. After counting 40, the technician is interrupted and later returns to the tray.“You forgot where you were,” Harreld said. “Now we're introducing rework.”But cognitive demands are only increasing.Harreld pointed to the rapidly evolving complexity of medical devices and the IFUs sterile processing professionals must follow. Some instructions she has encountered contain more than 100 steps, while formatting and organization vary considerably among manufacturers.“Just the complexity of the information that we are expected to know is getting harder, is getting faster, is getting more, bigger and longer,” Harreld said. “But how are we making it easier, and are we making it achievable to adhere to?” Harreld would like to see greater standardization of IFUs, comparing the concept with safety data sheets, where information appears in predictable sections.Meanwhile, facilities can address human factors now.Harreld suggested standardized workflows, protected safe zones, micro-rests, staff rotation, technology aids, checklists, better access to IFUs, and reinforced training.“If your staff is tired or burnt out, try to come up with some strategies,” she said. “Really support your team to make sure that they feel like they're getting the relief before you lose them and before you have an injury.” 

What happens when we expect public health to respond immediately after years of inconsistent investment?For Brian C. Castrucci, DrPH, president and CEO of the de Beaumont Foundation, the current Cyclospora outbreak illustrates a much larger problem."It's about speed. It's about capacity," Castrucci told Infection Control Today®. "You can't underinvest in public health and then expect it to have a fast and swift response."In a wide-ranging conversation with ICT Lead Editor Tori Whitacre Martonicz, MA, Castrucci discusses foodborne disease surveillance, workforce capacity, misinformation, declining institutional trust, science communication, and why public health funding cannot follow a boom-and-bust cycle.He also argues that rebuilding trust will require more than telling Americans to "trust the science." Public health professionals must communicate plainly, listen empathetically, build relationships before emergencies occur, and show people how public health affects their everyday lives.Perhaps his simplest explanation came from his daughter:"A pediatrician helps one person at a time. My dad helps everybody all the time."

Reusable lead aprons have long been viewed as essential radiation protection for clinicians, but infection prevention experts say they may also represent an overlooked environmental hygiene challenge.During a recent Infection Control Today and Diagnostic Imaging roundtable, experts from infection prevention, perioperative services, and radiology discussed why lead garments often escape the scrutiny applied to other reusable equipment despite being used every day in patient care environments. Moderator Tori Whitacre Martonicz, MA, opened the discussion by asking whether reusable lead aprons have simply been overlooked rather than proven to be low risk. That question shaped a conversation focused on contamination, inconsistent cleaning practices, and the need for clearer guidance.Peter Graves, BSN, RN, CNOR, argued that lead garments should not be dismissed simply because they are covered by sterile gowns during procedures."We don't go back and culture the lead ever," Graves said. "When we think about radiation-attenuating devices, lead actually functions much like PPE."Several panelists pointed to the absence of standardized cleaning protocols as a significant barrier. Jill Holdsworth explained that organizations may document cleaning activities, but there is often little consistency in how those garments are actually disinfected.Justin McKay said ATP testing has proven to be one of the most effective ways to demonstrate the problem. In one comparison, he found lead garments in an operating room to be far more contaminated than a gas pump handle."When infection prevention sees the data, they say, 'We cannot ignore this,'" McKay said.The discussion also addressed practical challenges, including uncertainty about which disinfectants are compatible with lead garments, conflicting manufacturer recommendations, and questions over whether individual clinicians or hospitals are responsible for maintaining embroidered personal garments.Brenna Doran, PhD, MA, ACC, CIC, AL-CIP, suggested that hospitals would benefit from a practical implementation guide."I would love there to be a playbook that IPs can go to," she said. "It's so much easier to do something someone else has done successfully than to create the wheel on our own."The panel concluded that addressing lead garment hygiene will require multidisciplinary collaboration and standardized protocols. As hospitals continue to strengthen environmental hygiene programs, experts believe reusable lead aprons should no longer be an infection prevention blind spot. 

New research presented at AIDS 2026 demonstrates that HIV treatment continues to evolve, with growing evidence supporting both simplified 2-drug regimens and long-acting injectable therapies designed to improve adherence and quality of life.Jean van Wyk, MD, chief medical officer at ViiV Healthcare, discussed with Infection Control Today®, said the expanding treatment landscape gives people living with HIV more choices than ever before."The important thing is clear communication and joint decision making," van Wyk said. "It's not for the physician to just decide what's best for the person sitting in front of them. It has to be a joint decision on what suits that person best."Among the studies presented was new data from the Long-Acting Treatment in Adolescents (LATA) trial, which found superior outcomes for long-acting injectable therapy compared with daily oral treatment in adolescents living with HIV."Adherence is a real issue in adolescents," van Wyk said. "That's why long-acting injectables are a really good option for adolescents."He explained that injectable therapy removes the challenge of remembering to take a daily pill, while clinic-administered treatment results in consistently high adherence rates.Long-acting treatment may also help reduce HIV-related stigma because patients no longer need to keep medications at home or take pills every day.Beyond long-acting therapy, van Wyk highlighted the VOGUE study comparing the 2-drug regimen Dovato with the 3-drug regimen Biktarvy. The findings demonstrated comparable efficacy while potentially reducing patients' lifetime exposure to medications.Despite these advances, van Wyk emphasized that significant challenges remain."We have great options, but why is it that between a quarter and a third of people around the globe do not have virologic suppression?" he said. "There's clearly a big unmet medical need still."Looking ahead, he remains optimistic that continued innovation, broader access to treatment, and stronger collaboration will help advance the global HIV response."The whole model needs to be rethought," van Wyk said. "It is possible, and I'm always an optimist. I know we will get there. We just have to all work together."

Infection prevention and control (IPC) has long been recognized as a multidisciplinary field, yet the pathways into the profession vary dramatically across the globe. In the latest installment of Contagious Conversations, hosts Heather Stoltzfus, MPH, RN, CIC, and Brenna Doran, PhD, MA, ACC, CIC, AL-CIP, brought together 2 international infection prevention leaders to discuss how their countries educate, recruit, and support IPC professionals and what the future workforce may look like.Joining the discussion were Sinead Creedon, PhD, RGN, LLB, PCICP, MAAPP, director of the postgraduate certificate in infection prevention and control at University College Cork in Ireland, and Mohammed Halwani, PhD, professor, consultant, and infection control pioneer in Saudi Arabia. Together, they offered a fascinating look at how different health care systems approach the same mission: preventing infections and protecting patients.Both guests described unique journeys into infection prevention. Creedon began her career in infectious diseases and tropical medicine in London before returning to Ireland and transitioning into infection prevention. Halwani first became interested in IPC while pursuing graduate studies in medical microbiology in the United Kingdom, then completed additional training at Johns Hopkins Hospital and helped establish infection control programs throughout Saudi Arabia.Despite differences in geography and health care systems, both agreed that infection prevention has become increasingly complex, data-driven, and interdisciplinary.Traditionally, infection prevention roles in Ireland have been dominated by nurses. However, Creedon explained that modern IPC teams increasingly include microbiologists, pharmacists, surveillance scientists, and public health professionals. She noted that newer educational programs are also attracting professionals from diverse backgrounds, including veterinarians, physiotherapists, laboratory scientists, dental professionals, and public health specialists."We've had a vet on our course because of the introduction of One Health," Creedon said. "We've had lab scientists, surveillance people, physiotherapists, [and] dental staff. It's really broad, and it's really nice to get all of those different people involved because each person brings a different flavor to the table."Halwani described a similar evolution in Saudi Arabia. While nurses continue to comprise many infection preventionists, professionals from microbiology, laboratory sciences, medicine, and public health are increasingly entering the field. He emphasized that public health professionals often contribute valuable expertise in epidemiology, statistics, and surveillance while receiving additional clinical training after joining IPC departments.The conversation quickly turned to a debate that has gained attention in the United States: Should infection prevention be reserved primarily for nurses, or should the profession actively recruit individuals from diverse disciplines?Both guests argued strongly for broader inclusion.Creedon believes the future of IPC depends on expanding opportunities for professionals with expertise in epidemiology, surveillance, behavioral science, quality improvement, and systems thinking."IPC has become so scientific and data-driven," she said. "If we don't engage with that and if we're not able to do that, then we're just going to be left behind."She also highlighted the growing importance of behavioral science and patient safety competencies."We've always had a role with quality patient safety. IPC and quality patient safety go hand in hand," Creedon said.Halwani offered an even more ambitious vision. Looking toward the future, he hopes universities will eventually establish dedicated bachelor's degrees in infection prevention and control."I would love to see a bachelor’s degree in infection control," Halwani said. "You can teach some clinical nursing parts, microbiology parts, and then the public health and epidemiology part. If we did a 4- or 5-year program, that would be perfect."Such programs, he argued, would create professionals specifically trained for infection prevention from the start of their careers rather than requiring them to enter through nursing, microbiology, or public health pathways first.“That's an opportunity for us,” Doran said. “Many people who want to get into infection prevention, if they're not clinical or don't already work in a hospital, are dependent on someone taking a chance on them. Much of that training, that cross-training, happens internally within that department, and not all hospitals or departments have the bandwidth to provide the level of education and cross-training necessary. So, it sounds again like you're able to leverage this external, internal infection prevention training that allows people to get up to speed without really taxing the department.” Another striking difference discussed during the conversation involved professional certification. While certification is highly valued in the United States, both guests noted that advanced academic degrees often carry greater weight within their healthcare systems.In Saudi Arabia, Halwani explained that certifications such as CIC are respected and common among infection preventionists, but master's degrees and doctoral education tend to be more influential when it comes to hiring and career advancement. Similarly, Ireland places significant emphasis on postgraduate qualifications, although new guidance from the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control may eventually lead to broader certification frameworks across Europe.The panel also explored how the COVID-19 pandemic altered perceptions of infection prevention. Halwani described how the profession gained visibility and influence during the pandemic, leading more healthcare workers to pursue careers in IPC."We actually had a stronger role in the hospitals, and people do respect infection control," he said. "After COVID, a lot of people wanted to do infection control."Throughout the discussion, a common theme emerged: there is no single path into infection prevention.Whether professionals arrive from nursing, microbiology, medicine, public health, epidemiology, pharmacy, or another discipline entirely, the field benefits from diverse perspectives. As healthcare becomes increasingly complex and data-driven, future infection prevention programs may need to embrace broader educational models and multidisciplinary teams to meet emerging challenges.As Stoltzfus noted during the conversation, the future of infection prevention will be shaped by professionals willing to learn from one another and build on their collective strengths. The more the global IPC community shares ideas, experiences, and approaches, the stronger the profession becomes. If this conversation demonstrated anything, it is that while infection prevention may look different from country to country, the commitment to patient safety remains universal.This conversation is part of the ongoing Contagious Conversations series exploring the future of infection prevention and control through diverse global perspectives.