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.
Navigating the Hand Hygiene Galaxy
Hand hygiene remains one of the most important — and powerful — actions we can take to protect patients and ourselves. This year, in honor of World Hand Hygiene Day on Monday, May 5, 2025, we’re inviting you to chart a course for cleaner hands — and a healthier galaxy — with some stellar tools.
What to Expect: To support your hand hygiene efforts this May, here are a few resources that are out of this world:
- WHO Hand Hygiene Game: Step into a futuristic hospital in space and stop the spread of infections by completing all five levels in this interactive, free training game.
- CDC Hand Hygiene Program Video Series: A four-part educator video series built around the “4 Es” — Engage, Educate, Empower, and Evaluate — providing plain language tools and strategies to invigorate hand hygiene teaching.
- VDH Hand Hygiene In-Service Slide Deck: Ready-to-use PowerPoint training that covers essential hand hygiene practices will get you ready for training in the blink of an eye. It is one of many VDH hand hygiene resources.
How to Use These Resources:
- Host a Hand Hygiene Challenge: Encourage staff to compete to complete all five levels of the WHO Hand Hygiene Game. Participants who complete the mission can be entered into a prize drawing — and help boost team engagement!
- Inspire Champions with the CDC Video Series: Use CDC hand hygiene program videos to energize your Champions of Healthcare Infection Prevention (CHIP) and prep them to deliver quick, relatable education to peers. Turn everyday moments into hand hygiene wins across your facility.
- Expand World Hand Hygiene Day into a Week with the VDH Slide Deck: Pull key slides to create daily huddles leading up to May 5th. A quick message each day builds momentum, keeps clean hands top of mind, and turns a single event into a weeklong celebration.
No matter where your healthcare journey takes you — from bedside to breakroom — navigating the hand hygiene galaxy starts with clean hands.
Target Audience: Essential IPC Education Level
Cuppa Tea with an IP
Let’s raise a mug and celebrate the one-year anniversary of the Virginia Department of Health’s Cuppa Tea with an IP weekly meeting! It’s been a year of forging connections and sharing knowledge among infection prevention pros, all thanks to Cuppa Tea. Inspired by the cozy chats over tea (or coffee!) between Ginger Vanhoozer from the VDH HAI & AR Program and Eva Anderson an IP at VCU Health (shoutout to Eva for the awesome name!), Cuppa Tea has become the go-to hangout for IP enthusiasts.
Forget stuffy office vibes—Cuppa Tea was designed to feel like a laid-back coffee shop catch-up. With tunes setting the mood before each meeting, you’ll feel the camaraderie and warmth that make sharing ideas a breeze. And can we talk numbers? In its debut year, Cuppa Tea drew in 1,397 attendees, with many making it a weekly tradition.
But Cuppa Tea isn’t just about the numbers—it’s about the positive vibes. It’s your weekly quick check-in for the latest infection prevention updates, a chance to pick up some educational nuggets, and a safe space for bouncing ideas off fellow IPs and VDH subject matter experts. Participants have called it “a fun and interactive way to stay in the loop,” “like catching up with old friends who know their stuff,” and “a breath of fresh air for IPs in Virginia.” With its easy-to-digest format and treasure trove of resources, Cuppa Tea has become a staple in the calendars of healthcare professionals across Virginia.
To grab your mug and join this group any Wednesday at 2pm, get your invite at the VDH HAI & AR Training and Education website or at the Cuppa Tea registration link. Here’s to another year of meaningful connections, shared insights, and many more cups of tea (or coffee) with colleagues and friends! Cheers to Cuppa Tea with an IP!
