VIPTA is a statewide infection prevention and control education collaborative, led by the Virginia Healthcare-Associated Infections Advisory Group. Through partnership, VIPTA curates IPC resources for Virginia’s healthcare, congregate care, and public health settings.
Cleaning with Purpose: EVS and the Fight Against HAIs
Infection prevention isn’t ONLY about hand hygiene and PPE—it starts with the very environment we work in. Environmental Services (EVS) professionals are on the front lines of infection prevention, playing a critical role in stopping multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs) and keeping patients, staff, and visitors safe.
What to Expect
These resources highlight the essential role of EVS teams in infection prevention, from stopping the spread of MDROs to creating a safe environment for patients, residents and staff.
- Association for the Health Care Environment’s EVS Educational Video Series (Now available in Spanish!): Short, focused videos that highlight why EVS work is critical to patient safety and how infection prevention best practices can be seamlessly integrated into daily workflows.
- California Department of Public Health/Project Firstline EVS Toolkit: A comprehensive resource pack with bite-sized training materials and interactive games that can be used in team huddles, staff meetings, or individual learning.
- EVS and the Battle Against Infection – Graphic Novel: A unique, engaging way to showcase the vital role of EVS professionals in infection prevention.
How to Use These Resources
- Incorporate them into EVS team huddles and training sessions.
- Use videos as onboarding tools for new EVS staff.
- Empower EVS teams by reinforcing their critical role in healthcare safety.
Target Audience: Essential IPC Education Level
Our Heart is for Patient Safety
This Valentine’s Day, LewisGale Hospital Pulaski’s theme was Our Heart is for Patient Safety. On 2/14, the entire facility celebrated 10 years without a central line-associated bloodstream infection (CLABSI)! This success was the result of an enormous amount of teamwork. It involved physicians ordering and placing lines appropriately, nurses caring for the lines properly, and many ancillary departments doing their part.
The team thanked Environmental Services for keeping the hospital clean, Supply Chain staff for ensuring necessary products are in stock and Interventional Radiology for carefully and consistently placing peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC) lines. A robust interdisciplinary team discusses every device including the plan for removal. A major contributor to this success is a culture where all staff feel empowered to speak up when there is a patient concern.
Leading up to the celebration of CLABSI prevention, the Infection Preventionists most enjoyed time spent gathering photographs of staff and talking about their contributions to this special event. This momentous occasion was celebrated with banners, balloons, t-shirts and cake for all!
-Becky McDonald, Infection Preventionist, LewisGale Hospital Pulaski
