Cheers for Peers

Infection prevention is a critical topic in healthcare, but engaging staff in learning can often be challenging. Jennifer Kemp, RN, CRRN, CBIS, CIC, Infection Preventionist at Sheltering Arms Institute, a nationally ranked physical rehabilitation provider located in Richmond, Virginia, decided to break away from the traditional lecture style and bring a new level of energy and interaction to infection prevention education. Her solution? A Jeopardy-style game combined with hands-on demonstrations, and the feedback was overwhelmingly positive.

Turning Learning into a Game: With only a short time to capture attention and convey essential information, Jennifer opted for a format that encouraged participation and fun. The Jeopardy game included categories such as:

• Isolation Signage and Precautions
• Cleaning and Disinfection
• Odds and Ends
• Germ Matching 

This interactive approach kept participants engaged while reinforcing key infection prevention concepts.

Hands-On Demonstrations: To further enhance learning, Jennifer introduced practical demonstrations that allowed participants to apply their knowledge. Some highlights included:

• Hand Hygiene with a Twist: Participants put on gloves, applied paint, closed their eyes, and sang “Happy Birthday” while performing their usual hand hygiene. The paint revealed commonly missed areas like between the fingers, around nails, and at the wrist driving home the importance of thorough technique.
• Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Donning and Doffing Challenge: Teams competed to correctly put on and remove PPE. This exercise exposed common errors such as incorrect sequencing and failure to tie gowns, emphasizing why attention to detail matters for safety.
• Cleaning and Disinfection Drill: Participants cleaned shared medical equipment like vital signs monitors, learning why one wipe is not enough. This activity underscored the importance of using multiple wipes for different parts of the equipment to ensure complete disinfection.
• Germ-to-Isolation Matching: Teams matched pathogens (e.g., MRSA, C. difficile, COVID-19) with the appropriate PPE and cleaning products. This reinforced understanding of isolation precautions and environmental cleaning requirements.

Why It Worked: The interactive format fostered teamwork, critical thinking, and practical application. Even seasoned nurses benefited by revisiting proper protocols and correcting habits that had drifted from best practice. Jennifer’s creative approach was so effective that participants called her booth the best skills fair of the year.

Jennifer’s innovative approach demonstrates that infection prevention education can be both fun and effective.

The Carilion Clinic Infection Prevention and Control team recently took part in an exceptional community outreach event at the annual Hollins University Student Health Fair on April 23, 2025, engaging directly with students and staff on important health topics.

Carilion’s Infection Preventionists (IPs) brought energy, expertise, and education to the event, delivering interactive presentations focused on:

• Hand hygiene
• Sun safety
• Sexual health and STD prevention

In an inspiring show of mentorship and collaboration, the IP team was joined by a student intern who contributed a powerful perspective on mental health, especially as it relates to substance abuse and infectious diseases such as Hepatitis C.

Together, the team connected with the Hollins community, reinforcing the importance of everyday practices that protect personal and public health. Their efforts reflect the vital role IPs play not only in healthcare settings, but also in community outreach and education.

Thank you to the Carilion IP team for your commitment to health promotion and prevention. Your involvement in events like this strengthens the bridge between healthcare and the communities we serve!

Congratulations to the incredible APIC Virginia members – and all attendees from our state – who represented Virginia with excellence at the APIC 2025 Annual Conference in Phoenix, Arizona!
Their dedication to advancing infection prevention was on full display as they shared their expertise, innovative practices, and real-world insights with colleagues from around the world.

These presenters exemplify the spirit of collaboration and commitment to infection prevention and patient safety that defines our Virginia infection prevention community:

Karen McGoldrick, MT (ASCP), CIC, CHOP of Sentara Leigh Hospital – Presented on “Fridays @ 4” highlighting the critical role IPs play in emergency and outbreak responses. Karen was also part of the conference planning committee, and she moderated eight presentation sessions.

Sue Felber, LPN, AAS, CIC and Krista Byalik, BS, CIC of Sentara Health System – Shared findings from “Mentorship Adaptations When Team Structure, Experience and Geography Present Unique Barriers” focused on the importance of mentorship and tailored approach to new IP onboarding.

Maimuna Jatta, MSN, RN, CIC, CPHQ, FAPIC of Carilion Clinic – Delivered a session on “Transforming IPC Outcomes Through Strategic Staffing Expansion” discussing the value of the IPs and how resource allocation for IPC ensures both patient safety and financial stewardship. Maimuna was also named as a Fellow of APIC, joining a list of leaders in the field of infection prevention.

Abigal Cunanan, MS, MLS(ASCP), CPHQ, CIC of Inova Health System – Presented a poster on “Redefining Isolation Practices: Streamlining Discontinuation Protocols for Multidrug-Resistant Gram-Negative Bacteria in a Multi-Hospital Health System” highlighting a protocol aimed to improve patient experience, reduce excessive personal protective equipment use, and expedite room turnover.

Kathleen Manchin, MPH, BSN, CIC of Carilion Clinic – Shared findings from “Engaging Travel Nurses to Improve Infection Prevention Bundle Compliance and HAI Reduction” focused on ensuring contract travel nurses follow and adhere to organization-specific infection prevention standards and practices.

Heather Gutierrez, MSI, BSN, RN, CIC of Riverside Health System – Delivered a poster on “Implementation of Copper Silver Ionization System to Control Legionella in a Community Hospital Water System” discussing innovation in healthcare focused on the use of copper silver ionization system in healthcare water system management.

Awards and Accolades: The Virginia Infection Prevention Training Center (VIPTC), led by Kaila Cooper, MSN, RN, CIC of VCU Health brought home to our state the GRAND PRIZE of APIC25 Film Festival with their video submission titled “Chain of Transmission with C. difficile”. Congratulations on shining bright at APIC and highlighting the incredible work at VIPTC.

Each speaker made us proud by contributing to the advancement of infection prevention and control practices not only in Virginia, but globally. Thank you to all the presenters and attendees who represented Virginia at APIC25. Your leadership and knowledge-sharing are vital to our profession and the health of our communities.

This month, we are featuring the UVA Health Infection Prevention and Control (IP&C) team and their Bug Busters program!

Attending the IP Roadshow with Ginger Vanhoozer from the Virginia Department of Health (VDH) inspired Julianna Felsher, Jim Hovanec, Ann Sidebottom, and Fati Craighead to bring fun infection prevention and control education to acute care at UVA Health University Medical Center in Charlottesville, Virginia.

In August 2024, the IP&C team launched a mobile poster board initiative to deliver timely, engaging education across units. The cart (with candy, of course!) features rotating content on key topics like catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs), central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs), and other relevant infection prevention efforts. Each section is updated monthly, with educational materials attached via Velcro® for easy customization. The team spends about 30 minutes per unit, giving staff the flexibility to engage around their clinical duties. Creative themes–such as December’s festive “Grinch Busters”–help draw attention and boost participation.

Bug Busters has been very well received by the staff who have commented on how much they love the colorfulness of the board, the informal setting, and of course, the candy! The casual nature of education encourages staff to ask questions that they may not have realized they even had. They have even had departments such as wound care ask how they can create their own education programs just like this one.

Thank you to the UVA Health IP&C team for sharing your program with us and helping our readers find creative ways to bring education to the masses!

This month, Paige Bordwine, Southwest Regional Epidemiologist with the Virginia Department of Health (VDH) is highlighting the successes of an infection prevention mentorship program among health department staff in her region.

The Southwest Virginia Regional Infection Prevention team consists of three infection preventionists (IPs), supported by regional containment team members who assist with COVID-19 investigation and prevention. To strengthen IPC expertise and expand regional support, the IPs began mentoring containment team members. Through shadowing during on-site IPC assessments, mentees gained hands-on experience in conducting observations, providing education, and offering resources to address facility needs.

After facilities receive their recommendations report, an IP mentee follows up to address questions and needs, as well as provide education, observations, and interventions based on the IPC assessment. Notably, many skilled nursing and congregate care facilities lacked trained N95 fit testers. In response, the regional team assigned a specialist to conduct train-the-trainer sessions and assist with initial fit testing.

The Southwest Region has received excellent feedback on the value of the IP mentee program. Facilities benefit from mentee support, while mentees gain infection prevention experience, often using the program as a pathway to becoming infection preventionists and pursuing certification in infection control. Mentees describe the experience as rewarding, impactful, and an invaluable learning opportunity.