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.
Your Infection Prevention Week Game Plan Starts Here
International Infection Prevention Week (IIPW) is October 19–25! It is a great time to celebrate the people who make infection prevention happen. Get your team in the game with activities that build skills, raise awareness, and keep others safe.
What to Expect:
International Infection Prevention Week: Start with the official IIPW site. Be on the lookout for resources for this year’s theme, Generations of Infection Prevention: PAST. PRESENT. PROTECTED.
VIPTA Resource Library: Build your game plan with resources for each daily focus. Monday covers sterile processing, TB, and outbreaks. Tuesday focuses on hand hygiene. Wednesday covers vaccines and antibiotics. Thursday focuses on environment of care. Finish the week on Friday with technology.
VDH Infection Prevention Training Power Tools: Add some fun with ready-to-use puzzles, coloring pages, games, and step-by-step training guides.
How to use it:
- Make a daily play: Pick one resource for each day. Send it to unit leaders with a few discussion points or trivia questions to share with staff. (Hack: A Project Firstline Micro-Learn is ready to go if you don’t want to make something new.)
- Set up a game station: Put puzzles, coloring pages, or trivia in a break room or staff area. Add a prize drawing to boost play.
- Cheer on your team: Use Cheers for Peers certificates to thank staff for great infection prevention work. Or, create an IIPW Kudos Wall where staff can leave notes or shout outs to celebrate each other.
Target Audience: Foundational & Intermediate IPC Education Level
Ready for Anything: EVMS and Compassionate Crisis Care
The COVID-19 pandemic showed us the tough challenges faced by long-term care residents and their caregivers. It also led to a great team effort that we’re excited to share. Dr. Paul Aravich from Eastern Virginia Medical School of Macon and Joan Brock Virginia Health Sciences at Old Dominion University led a group from all over Virginia to create the Compassionate Crisis Care video series.
These videos are a valuable tool for healthcare workers, caregivers, and emergency responders. They teach how to provide compassionate care during emergencies like disasters and pandemics. The videos offer practical techniques for handling tough situations with empathy and skill. The Compassionate Crisis Care team has made a big impact by focusing on this important part of infection prevention and control.
We encourage you to watch these helpful videos and celebrate the Compassionate Crisis Care team’s important work. Congratulations to everyone involved for their outstanding contribution to improving crisis care!
Image: Behind the scenes peek of VPM videographers and actor preparing to do a nasal swab on a nursing home resident with dementia (not seen).
