Reporting Infectious Diseases & Outbreaks to the Alabama Department of Public Health (May 23, 2024 at 1pm CT)

This presentation will provide an overview of the reportable diseases and conditions required to be reported to the Infectious Diseases & Outbreaks (ID&O) Division within the Bureau of Communicable Diseases at the Alabama Department of Public Health.

  • Review the Infectious Diseases & Outbreaks Division (ID&O) Notifiable Diseases Rules
  • Discuss who should report, how to report, and when to report outbreaks and reportable diseases/conditions.
  • Review frequently asked questions from required reporters.

The webinar is presented by the Alabama Regional Center for Infection Prevention and Control and cosponsored by the Deep South Center for Occupational Health and Safety, and the Alabama Statewide Area Health Education Centers (AHEC).

Nursing and Social Work CEs Pending

SPEAKERS

Lori Lloyd, BSN, RN

Infectious Diseases and Outbreaks Nurse Coordinator·Alabama Department of Public Health, ADPH Northeastern District

Toni Richie, RN

Northern District ID&O Nurse Supervisor·Alabama Department of Public Health, Emerging Infectious Disease Unit Infectious Diseases & Outbreaks Division Bureau of Communicable Disease

Strategies to Prevent the Spread of MDROs and the Application of Transmission-based Precautions (May 2, 2024 at 12pm CT)

This session will highlight key points from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines for multi-drug resistant organisms (MDRO) and isolation precautions.  In addition, when and how to apply transmission-based precautions and enhanced barrier precautions, including patient placement will be discussed.  Session participants will also learn what needs to be considered when cohorting patients/residents that may be infected or colonized with a MDRO. This webinar is the 4th webinar which is part of our MDRO Webinar Series.

  • To identify strategies to prevent the spread of multi-drug resistant organisms (MDRO) in the healthcare setting.
  • To describe CDC’s transmission-based precautions and enhanced barrier precautions and when to apply them.
  • To discuss guidance for patient/resident placement.

The webinar is presented by the Alabama Regional Center for Infection Prevention and Control and cosponsored by the Deep South Center for Occupational Health and Safety, and the Alabama Statewide Area Health Education Centers (AHEC).

Nursing and Social Work CEs Pending

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A.C. Burke, MA, CIC

Vice President of Healthcare Quality,RB Health Partners, Inc

A.C. Burke has been working with RB Health Partners, Inc. since 2016 and has over 22 years of experience working in public health and healthcare. A.C. worked for the Florida Department of Health for 15 years; 5 of those years she served as the Healthcare-associated Infection Prevention Program Manager. She later was the Director of Infection Prevention for Mayo Clinic Florida. In her current role, she consults with long-term care facilities on infection prevention and control policies, procedures, and practices, and provides training to nursing homes and at conferences, including the 17-hour Nursing Home Infection Prevention Program (NIPP) Nipping Infections in the Bud. NIPP was created to meet the CMS infection prevention training required for a facility team member to be recognized as the designated Infection Prevention Control Official (IPCO). A.C. is nationally recognized in her field and is the primary author of this program. A.C. holds a master’s degree in health management and is nationally Board Certified in Infection Control (CIC) by the Certification Board of Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc. She is currently the chair of Florida Health Care Association’s Infection Prevention Council which was created to support Florida’s nursing homes in building and sustaining infection prevention and antibiotic stewardship programs that meet national standards. She works with clients to understand and implement national guidelines and best practices and supports program implementation by creating and delivering education materials, tools, and training.

Legionella Prevention and Water System Management in the Nursing Home (April 23, 2024 at 12pm CT)

Legionella and other waterborne pathogens have been associated with outbreaks in the nursing home setting causing infections in residents that may lead to severe illness or death.  This session will discuss factors that contribute to contaminated water sources and how this can lead to resident infections. CMS now requires nursing homes to have water management plans and this session will discuss CDC’s guidance for developing an effective water management program to not only meet this requirement but also help ensure the safety of nursing home residents.. This webinar is presented by the Alabama Regional Center for Infection Prevention and Control and cosponsored by the Deep South Center for Occupational Health and Safety, and the Alabama Statewide Area Health Education Centers (AHEC).

The Deep South Center for OH&S is an approved provider of continuing education units for nurses by the AL Board of Nursing (Provider ABNP0420 Expiration Date 12/22/2025) and has awarded this program 1.2 ABN CEUs. All other professionals awarded .1 CEUs, SW awarded 1.0 CEUs.

The Board of Examiners of Nursing Home Administrators has reviewed and approved this program 1.0 NHA CEs for licensed nursing home administrators in the State of Alabama.

A.C. Burke, MA, CIC

Vice President of Healthcare Quality,RB Health Partners, Inc

A.C. Burke has been working with RB Health Partners, Inc. since 2016 and has over 22 years of experience working in public health and healthcare. A.C. worked for the Florida Department of Health for 15 years; 5 of those years she served as the Healthcare-associated Infection Prevention Program Manager. She later was the Director of Infection Prevention for Mayo Clinic Florida. In her current role, she consults with long-term care facilities on infection prevention and control policies, procedures, and practices, and provides training to nursing homes and at conferences, including the 17-hour Nursing Home Infection Prevention Program (NIPP) Nipping Infections in the Bud. NIPP was created to meet the CMS infection prevention training required for a facility team member to be recognized as the designated Infection Prevention Control Official (IPCO). A.C. is nationally recognized in her field and is the primary author of this program. A.C. holds a master’s degree in health management and is nationally Board Certified in Infection Control (CIC) by the Certification Board of Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc. She is currently the chair of Florida Health Care Association’s Infection Prevention Council which was created to support Florida’s nursing homes in building and sustaining infection prevention and antibiotic stewardship programs that meet national standards. She works with clients to understand and implement national guidelines and best practices and supports program implementation by creating and delivering education materials, tools, and training.

Beyond the Basics – Cleaning & Disinfection to Mitigate the Spread of Infectious Diseases including MDROs for Healthcare Facilities (April 11, 2024 at 12pm CST/1PM EST)

This webinar is designed to help the infection preventionist take their cleaning and disinfection program to the next level. Efficient and effective evaluation of cleaning and disinfection of patient/resident rooms and use of supplemental disinfection strategies can mitigate the potential impact of the healthcare environment on the spreading of infectious pathogens, including MDROs. Webinar participants will learn about the pros and cons of different methods for evaluation of cleaning and disinfection practices, impact of how disinfectants are applied to surfaces, and the pros and cons of supplemental strategies for enhancing disinfection. This webinar is presented by the Alabama Regional Center for Infection Prevention and Control and cosponsored by the Deep South Center for Occupational Health and Safety, and the Alabama Statewide Area Health Education Centers (AHEC).

The Deep South Center for OH&S is an approved provider of continuing education units for nurses by the AL Board of Nursing (Provider ABNP0420 Expiration Date 12/22/2025) and has awarded this program 1.2 ABN CEUs. All other professionals awarded .1 CEUs, SW awarded 1.0 CEUs.

A.C. Burke, MA, CIC

Vice President of Healthcare Quality,RB Health Partners, Inc

A.C. Burke has been working with RB Health Partners, Inc. since 2016 and has over 22 years of experience working in public health and healthcare. A.C. worked for the Florida Department of Health for 15 years; 5 of those years she served as the Healthcare-associated Infection Prevention Program Manager. She later was the Director of Infection Prevention for Mayo Clinic Florida. In her current role, she consults with long-term care facilities on infection prevention and control policies, procedures, and practices, and provides training to nursing homes and at conferences, including the 17-hour Nursing Home Infection Prevention Program (NIPP) Nipping Infections in the Bud. NIPP was created to meet the CMS infection prevention training required for a facility team member to be recognized as the designated Infection Prevention Control Official (IPCO). A.C. is nationally recognized in her field and is the primary author of this program. A.C. holds a master’s degree in health management and is nationally Board Certified in Infection Control (CIC) by the Certification Board of Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc. She is currently the chair of Florida Health Care Association’s Infection Prevention Council which was created to support Florida’s nursing homes in building and sustaining infection prevention and antibiotic stewardship programs that meet national standards. She works with clients to understand and implement national guidelines and best practices and supports program implementation by creating and delivering education materials, tools, and training.

Yes: Having a Robust Hand Hygiene Program is Still Important (March 12, 2024, 12:00pm CT)

Hand hygiene has been the cornerstone of a strong infection prevention program for years. However, creating a robust hand hygiene program is not as simple as it sounds. This presentation will explain why every healthcare facility needs a hand hygiene program and identify the key elements that are needed. We will review what should be included in the audit, who should perform the audits, how to educate the auditors and what you can do with the results of the audits. We will explore some auditing tools and resources available. Finally, we will discuss some innovative ways to engage staff in the hand hygiene program. This webinar is presented by the Alabama Regional Center for Infection Prevention and Control and is cosponsored by the Deep South Center for Occupational Health and Safety and the Alabama Statewide Area Health Education Centers (AHEC).

The Deep South Center for OH&S is an approved provider of continuing education units for nurses by the AL Board of Nursing (Provider ABNP0420 Expiration Date 12/22/2025) and has awarded this program 1.2 ABN CEUs. All other professionals awarded .1 CEUs, SW awarded 1.0 CEUs

Mary M. Duncan

Senior Director of Infection Prevention· University of Alabama-Birmingham Health System.

Mary Duncan is an experienced, certified Infection Preventionist who has spent the last 18 years implementing best practices at various facilities to prevent infections in patients. She is currently the Senior Director of Infection Prevention at the University of Alabama-Birmingham Health System. This is an 1100+ bed Level 1 trauma center in the city of Birmingham, AL.  Through her passion and innovative approaches, she strives to decrease infections by working with front-line staff to make sure they are educated on best practices and have access to the tools they need to do the right thing. Mary is skilled in the ability to listen and identify issues or problem areas and form innovative solutions that increase the safety for both patients and staff.


Understanding Multidrug-Resistant Organisms (February 7, 2024, 12pm CST)

In this webinar, Kate Draper, Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists Applied Epidemiology Fellow with the Infectious Diseases & Outbreaks Division at the Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH), will provide an overview of Multidrug-Resistant Organism (MDROs), their impact, causes, and potential solutions. Also, She will discuss MDROs and causal factors for rapid spread, describe surveillance, colonization screenings, and laboratory testing methods, review infection prevention and control strategies and highlight state, national, and international initiatives to combat MDROs. This webinar is presented by the Alabama Regional Center for Infection Prevention and Control and cosponsored by the Deep South Center for Occupational Health and Safety, the Alabama Public Health Training Network at the Alabama Department of Public Health, and the Alabama Statewide Area Health Education Centers (AHEC).

The Deep South Center for OH&S is an approved provider of continuing education units for nurses by the AL Board of Nursing (Provider ABNP0420 Expiration Date 12/22/2025) and has awarded this program 1.2 ABN CEUs. All other professionals awarded .1 CEUs, SW awarded 1.0 CEUs.

Kate Draper

Kate Draper is currently a Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists Applied Epidemiology Fellow with the Infectious Diseases & Outbreaks Division at the Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH). She received a Bachelors of Science in Molecular Microbiology and Immunology in 2019 and a Masters in Public Health with a concentration in Epidemiology in 2022 from the University of Nevada at Reno. In her current position, she assists with outbreak activities related to foodborne diseases and healthcare acquired infections (HAI) as well as pursues projects related to health equity in HAI and shadows other ADPH departments for a holistic understanding of public health.

What Parents Need To Know About The COVID Vaccine For Children Under 5

For many months, parents have been told COVID vaccines for their children under 5 were on the way. But shifting timelines, delays and misinformation have left many parents frustrated and confused. In addition, as COVID restrictions are relaxed, many parents of young children are desperate to know when they can expect a vaccine to be authorized for their young children. To bring some clarity to this conversation, we have invited Dr. Candice Dye, an Associate Professor at the University of Alabama at Birmingham and Academic General Pediatrician at Children’s of Alabama, to join us to talk about the latest updates on the COVID vaccine approval for children under 5.

Thank you to our co-sponsor for this podcast, the Alabama Public Health Training Network at the Alabama Department of Public Health a community-based training partner of the Region IV Public Health Training Center.

Using QATs, Hydrogen Peroxide and Phenol as Disinfectants Safely in Schools and Healthcare

Proper disinfectant usage is of paramount importance in the fight against COVID-19 and other viruses. Join Dr. Ziad Kazzi from Emory University as he shares with the ARC IPC his expertise on three common disinfectants: Quaternary Ammonium Compounds (QATs), Hydrogen Peroxide and Phenol. Dr. Kazzi will explain how and why to learn more about and properly, safely use these chemicals to disinfect against COVID-19 and other viruses.

Omicron’s Impact

This past week the U.S. reported a record single-day number of daily Covid cases, with more than 1 million new infections, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University, as the highly infectious omicron variant continues to spread throughout the country and beyond. The The Omicron variant continues to shatter records in the U.S. We’re learning more about the new variant, and, so far, it seems to spread faster but cause less severe illness than previous variants. There is a lot of speculation about the Omicron surge and its aftermath. To help us answer these questions, and for a look at how 2022 might unfold, we invited Dr. Suzanne Judd to join us for this podcast. Dr. Judd is the Director of the Lister Hill Center for Health Policy and a Professor in the School of Public Health at UAB.

Thank you to our co-sponsor for this podcast, the Alabama Public Health Training Network at the Alabama Department of Public Health a community-based training partner of the Region IV Public Health Training Center.

Omicron, Booster Shots – Staying Healthy in 2022

This past week the U.S. reported a record single-day number of daily Covid cases, with more than 1 million new infections, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University, as the highly infectious omicron variant continues to spread throughout the country and beyond. The U.S. also has the highest seven-day average of daily new cases in any country tracked by Johns Hopkins. Even though Omicron has only been around a short period time, it has quickly made its mark. We have invited Dr. Rachael Lee, Associate Professor in the UAB Division of Infectious Diseases and UAB Health Epidemiologist, to talk about all things related to the Omicron variant.

Thank you to our co-sponsor for this podcast, the Alabama Public Health Training Network at the Alabama Department of Public Health a community-based training partner of the Region IV Public Health Training Center.