Orientation for Infection Prevention Professionals — Seven-Part Virtual Series

Regular Sessions

Tuesday, June 11

Identification of Infectious Diseases: Chain of Infection, Organisms of Interest

This conference will prepare new infection prevention health care professionals to be facilitators and resources for surveillance, prevention and control of infections. It will aid professionals new to the responsibilities of infection prevention in managing the everyday duties of infection surveillance, analyzing disease data, and problem identification and resolution. This program will benefit acute, long-term, residential, ambulatory care, public health, rehabilitation, home health and mental health disciplines. It will enhance existing programs through a presentation of current guidelines and evidence-based practices applicable to infection control programs, product selection and evaluation. This conference allows participants to engage in hands-on case study group review activities and applications of user-friendly tools to enhance their infection prevention programs and goals.

Objectives

• review the chain of infection
• learn basic epidemiology terms
• discuss health care pathogens and multiresistant organisms

Kathleen McMullen, MPH, CIC, FAPIC
Director Infection Prevention
Mercy
Chesterfield, Mo.

Tuesday, June 18

Identification of Infectious Diseases: Microbiology, Antimicrobials and Resistance

The information gained from this presentation will set the foundation for this eight-week course. Learners will use and apply this information throughout the course as they learn the various elements and roles that define an infection preventionist. It will teach attendees the basic principles of microbiology, specimen collection and antimicrobial stewardship.

Objectives

• describe basic characteristics of microbiology/virology
• discuss appropriate specimen collection, transport and storage to ensure quality results
• identify normal flora and pathogens based on body site
• discuss antibiotic susceptibility testing methods and results
• differentiate between prophylactic, empiric and therapeutic uses of antibiotics

Cassandra Milnes, MSN, CIC
Infection Prevention Consultant
Boone Health
Columbia, Mo.

Tuesday, June 25

Preventing and Controlling the Transmission of Infectious Agents

This presentation provides a high-level overview of the key components for preventing and controlling infectious disease transmission within various health care settings, including hand hygiene, standard precautions, transmission-based precautions and process improvement initiatives.

Objectives

• explain the role of hand hygiene
• define standard precautions and transmission-based precautions
• define commonly used epidemiological and infectious diseases terminology
• describe the chain of infection and necessary steps to break the chain of infection

Laken Chaney
Infection Prevention Consultant
Barnes Jewish Healthcare
St. Louis

Tuesday, July 2

CAUTI/LabID, Data and Reporting Requirements

This interactive presentation will describe how to apply healthcare-associated infection criteria to cases for surveillance. HAI types include CAUTI and LabID events. The speaker will provide case examples to work through and apply the surveillance definitions. Common situations and FAQs will be discussed, along with resources to assist the learners when doing surveillance.

Objectives

• explain the CAUTI definitions, and identify resources to assist with applying the definitions
• identify which isolates are LabID events
• navigate additional resources to assist with CAUTI and LabID

Theresa Gratton, BSN, R.N., CIC
SSM Health Senior Infection Preventionist
SSM Health
St. Louis

Tuesday, July 9

Environment of Care and Cleaning/Disinfecting/Sterilization

This presentation provides information to the novice infection preventionist about the three categories of risk that guide disinfection and sterilization of medical equipment. Examples will include the different types of equipment and what level of disinfection or sterilization is required. An emphasis is placed on cleaning as the first step in any disinfection and sterilization process. Next, the role of the environment of care will be discussed, including a focus on air and water in disease transmission.  The important concepts of protecting patients during construction will be relayed.

Objectives

• identify best practices for low level, high level and sterilization
• discuss the role of environmental surfaces in disease transmission
• identify the infection preventionist’s role in maintaining a safe environment for care delivery

Kathleen McMullen, MPH, CIC, FAPIC
Director Infection Prevention
Mercy
Chesterfield, Mo.

Tuesday, July 16

Survey Readiness

This session provides an overview of hospital regulatory readiness for new infection prevention professionals. Topics will include suggestions on how to prepare for a regulatory survey, elements to consider in the hospitals’ infection prevention plan, and how to access and interpret the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Conditions of Participation.

Objectives

• identify how to access the infection prevention requirements of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services contained in the hospital Conditions of Participation
• identify suggested elements to include in the hospital’s infection prevention plan

Luann Growe, MBA, BSN, R.N. CIC
Infection Control Coordinator
Overland Park Regional Medical Center
Overland Park, Kan.

Tuesday, July 23

Surveillance and Epidemiology

This presentation provides a high-level overview of surveillance, as well as the key components to preventing and controlling infectious disease transmission within various health care settings. This includes types of surveillance, mandated requirements, data collection tools, hand hygiene, standard precautions, transmission-based precautions and process improvement initiatives. The information gained from this presentation will assist the new practitioner with the development of a written surveillance plan.

Objectives

• identify the recommended and required surveillance activities to reduce and prevent healthcare-associated infections
• describe surveillance methods applicable to various practice settings
• explain the role of hand hygiene
• define standard precautions and transmission-based precautions
• define commonly used epidemiological and infectious diseases terminology
• describe the chain of infection and necessary steps to break the chain of infection

Megan Dethloff
System Director Infection Prevention  
BJC HealthCare 
St. Louis

Bonus Sessions 

Thursday, June 20

Infection Prevention in the Operating Room

This interactive presentation will describe the crucial role of infection prevention in the operating room. Infection preventionists should engage and collaborate with the entire surgical suite, sterile processing department, environmental services, facilities management and supply chain to eliminate preventable surgical site infections and other healthcare-associated infections.

Objectives

• describe the importance of collaborating with disciplines across the surgical suite
• describe the importance of SSI data and quality metrics
• describe methods to prevent SSIs
• explain the role of the HVAC system in preventing surgical site infections

Danielle Wilson, MSN, R.N., CIC
Manager, Infection Prevention
Mosaic Life Center
St. Joseph, Mo.

Thursday, July 11

Occupational Health: A Primer for Infection Preventionists

A robust partnership between occupational health and infection prevention is essential to protect health care personnel patients and visitors from communicable disease. Realizing the potential strength of this relationship is essential for a streamlined, efficient and cohesive strategy to healthcare-associated infections and communicable disease risks.

This presentation will describe the role of occupational health, including respiratory protection, vaccination, exposure management and injury tracking. Particular emphasis will be placed on opportunities for partnership between occupational health and infection prevention to reduce risk from communicable disease threats.

Lastly, the presentation will discuss opportunities for learning and adoption of new methods by occupational health and infection prevention through interdisciplinary cooperation.

Objectives

• describe the role, responsibilities and priorities for occupational health for managing risks from communicable disease and noncommunicable disease challenges
• explain processes used by occupational health to manage respiratory protection, vaccination, exposure management and injury tracking
• explain the importance of a strong, collaborative relationship between occupational health and infection prevention
• identify commonly encountered challenges that benefit from collaborative approaches

Christopher Blank
Infection Preventionist
BJC HealthCare
St. Louis

Emerging Infectious Diseases and Introduction to Preparedness

This presentation discusses the national strategy of all hospitals being able to identify, isolate and inform appropriate partners when facing an emerging infectious disease or special pathogen. Infection preventionists will learn fundamental operational aspects of the implementation of this strategy. Best practices and lessons learned will be provided as participants customize this strategy to their own facility. Participants will learn the underpinnings of safe patient care at their facility.

Objectives

• explain the principles of identify, isolate and inform for disease outbreaks
• explain how to operationalize these principles in the emergency department
• describe the EMS special pathogen transport plan
• explain the basic principles of performing safe care until transport to an appropriate facility is available

Keri Barclay, R.N., CHEP
Manager of Clinical Preparedness
Missouri Hospital Association
Jefferson City, Mo.

Keri Barclay, R.N., CHEP, is the Manager of Clinical Preparedness at the Missouri Hospital Association. She supports hospitals and health care coalition partners in planning and responding to patient care needs in disasters. Barclay has worked at MHA since 2019 and is a registered nurse that has actively worked in the areas of labor and delivery, the emergency room, infection prevention, and as a disaster coordinator. Barclay has more than 22 years of experience in addressing emergencies, providing contingency interventions and working with the incident command system. She has an Associate of Applied Science in nursing from North Central Missouri College and holds certifications as a Certified Healthcare Emergency Professional and Healthcare Coalition Response Leadership.

Barclay has extensive training in Advanced and Basic Disaster Life Support and has had the opportunity to train at the Center for Domestic Preparedness – Highly Infectious Disease, and NETEC National Ebola Training and Education Center. Additionally, Barclay believes in hands-on learning and real-world helpful initiatives. She lives with her husband and children in northwest Missouri and knows firsthand the importance and impact of rural health.

Christopher Blank is an infection preventionist for occupational health and emergency preparedness at BJC HealthCare in St. Louis. He received his master’s degree in public health from Saint Louis University where his concentration was biosecurity, disaster preparedness and epidemiology.

At BJC, his responsibilities include policy development and coordination among infection prevention, occupational health and emergency preparedness departments. BJC HealthCare employs about 30,000 people in eastern Missouri and southern Illinois with services that include acute care hospitals, primary care, community health and wellness, workplace health, home health, community mental health, rehabilitation, long-term care and hospice.

Laken Chaney earned a Bachelor of Science in cardio-respiratory care from the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in 2011. In 2015, she earned a Master of Healthcare Administration from Webster University. Prior to becoming an Infection Prevention Specialist in 2017, she worked as a registered respiratory therapist at Barnes-Jewish Hospital with experience primarily in surgical and neuro ICUs and leadership. In 2022, she became an Infection Prevention Consultant for BJC HealthCare. Her current areas of focus include emerging infectious diseases, high-level disinfection and environmental services. Laken is board certified in infection prevention and control and serves as a member of the local APIC chapter in her area.

Megan Dethloff, MPH, BSN, R.N., CIC, is the Chair of the Bi-State Infectious Disease Committee at BJC HealthCare. She currently serves as the Regional Manager of Infection Prevention for SSM Health in St. Louis and Southern Illinois, covering 10 hospitals and multiple outpatient facilities. Dethloff has a background in microbiology and nursing, and she holds a Master of Public Health in epidemiology from Saint Louis University.

Theresa Gratton, BSN, R.N., CIC is an SSM Health System Senior Infection Preventionist with surveillance and data responsibility for 22 acute care/critical access hospitals. She attended Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in nursing. During her career with SSM Health, she has worked as an ICU RN and then as an infection preventionist until 2018 when she assumed a senior infection preventionist role. She is passionate about educating others in NHSN surveillance definitions and developing processes in the electronic health record to enhance and simplify surveillance at all levels of health care. She enjoys facilitating ways to visualize and understand the NHSN data and healthcare-acquired infections while working with multidisciplinary teams to promote patient safety and reduce harm.

Luann Growe, MBA, BSN, R.N. CIC, earned her R.N. from Iowa Methodist School of Nursing and continued her education at the University of Iowa, receiving a Bachelor of Science. She then earned a Master of Business Administration from Keller Graduate School of Business. She is board-certified in infection prevention and control. Growe has over 39 years of nursing experience, including 18 years in infection prevention. Currently, she is the Director of Infection Prevention at Research Medical Center, a 590-bed hospital that offers a range of services to patients, including emergency care with a Level I Trauma Center, certified Comprehensive Stroke Center, burn center, transplant program, oncology center, and comprehensive behavioral health center for teenager, adults and seniors. Prior to her current position, she was in managerial infection prevention roles in large facilities, which included adult and pediatric populations. Her expertise includes survey readiness, policies and surveillance.

Kathleen McMullen, MPH, CIC, FAPIC, received a bachelor’s degree in biology and a master’s in public health, concentrating in epidemiology and biostatistics from St. Louis University. She is the Director for Infection Prevention at Mercy, coordinating efforts for 40 hospitals and health care facilities in Missouri, Arkansas, Oklahoma and Kansas.

McMullen is board certified in infection prevention and control and is a Fellow of APIC. She has been an active participant in APIC, serving as the past chair of the Practice Guidance Committee, and she has held several positions on her local APIC chapter board (Chapter 073, St. Louis, Mo.). She represents APIC on the SHEA Disinfection and Sterilization guidelines and AAMI guideline committees. She has been a presenter at APIC, SHEA and ID Week national meetings and is the author of many IP-related papers and abstracts.

Cassandra Milnes, MSN, CIC, received her Bachelor of Science in nursing in 2009 and Master of Science in nursing in 2014. She has practiced in pediatrics, medicine, labor and delivery/postpartum, and infection prevention. She has been an Infection Prevention Consultant for a 392-bed acute care hospital for the past seven years. Milnes also loves to teach, and she serves as a part-time clinical instructor during the school year. On three occasions, Milnes had the privilege of speaking at the National APIC conference and once at the Magnet Conference. What she enjoys most about her role in infection prevention is that there is never a dull moment, and she is constantly learning something new.

Danielle Wilson, MSN, R.N., CIC, has been a registered nurse since 2001, with experience in medical telemetry, critical care, staff development and infection prevention. Wilson has worked in infection prevention since 2014 and CIC since 2018. She is the Infection Prevention Manager at Mosaic Life Care at St. Joseph – Medical Center. She is a member of the local Greater Kansas City APIC chapter and a National APIC member. 

Accreditation Statement 

Please note that your registration request will be submitted to the organizer for approval. Upon approval, instructional materials will be sent to the email address indicated on the registration form.

If you have special needs addressed by the Americans With Disabilities Act, please contact the Missouri Hospital Association.

MHA Health Institute
P.O. Box 60
Jefferson City, MO 65102
Phone: 573-893-3700
Fax: 573-893-2809

For cancellations received in writing before the established deadline date, the registrant will receive a full refund — minus a $50* processing fee per registrant. After the deadline date, no refunds will be granted. Registrants not in attendance will be responsible for the full registration fee. Substitutions are encouraged. We reserve the right to cancel this program because of insufficient registration.

*Unless otherwise specified in the program details.