Category: Latest Articles from KyIP

Respiratory season is upon us once again, bringing an increased risk of illnesses such as influenza, RSV, and other viral infections. As an infection prevention professional, now is the time to ensure that your teams, patients, and communities are ready. Reinforce your facility’s infection prevention plan, review respiratory hygiene protocols, and help others understand the critical role of everyday precautions in limiting the spread of respiratory illnesses. Take time to assess your facility’s readiness by ensuring that respiratory hygiene stations are well-stocked with masks for patient use, signage is visible, and staff are trained to recognize and respond to respiratory symptoms quickly. Foster open communication so everyone feels empowered to report concerns and follow prevention measures consistently. Encourage vaccination among staff and patients, as immunizations remain the most effective way…

It’s a busy time of year for employee health! Recent graduates from nursing and medical school are entering the field of healthcare. These folks bring energy, skill, and new potential to your healthcare team. But before they can jump into patient care, there is an essential stop the must make: Employee Health. Employee Health (EH) plays a critical role in onboarding safely and efficiently, ensuring that new staff are protected, cleared to work, and ready to join the healthcare team. Incomplete records or missed steps can delay start dates, create patient safety risks, or lead to gaps in care. In this newsletter, we break down what new hires will likely need to meet EH requirements—and how you can help set them up for success. Here’s what your new staff must…

Read KyIPs 2024 Annual Report. KyIP Annual Report for 2024Download

With spring in full swing, many of us are planning trips to beautiful destinations. Whether you’re heading to the mountains, the beach, or simply enjoying a staycation, you likely conduct a mental risk assessment before you go. What’s the weather forecast—should you pack a sweatshirt? Do you plan to fly—do you need extra clothes in your carry-on? Are you taking your car- does your car need maintenance before a long drive? These small but important considerations help ensure a smooth and enjoyable experience. The same principle applies when conducting an annual risk assessment for your infection prevention program. What pathogens pose a threat in your facility? Are effective processes in place to prevent their spread? What infections are you monitoring? Do you have prevention bundles to help reduce rates? IF…

As 2024 comes to a close, we at Kentucky Infection Prevention Training Center wanted to reflect on the progress we’ve made together and express our gratitude for your dedication and commitment to continuous learning. This year has been one of transformation, growth, and resilience in healthcare and we are honored to have been part of your educational journey. Over the past year, our team came together to strengthen infection prevention and control. Check out some of the highlights from 2024!   10 Newsletters (News and Articles - Kentucky Infection Prevention Training Center) RSV Holiday Travel and Health Pertussis Sickle Cell Disease Awareness Month Back-To-School Health Tips Summer Skin Infections HPV IP Steps for a Safe Summer Measles Spring Illnesses   3 IP Educational Series (Preventative Measures Series - Kentucky Infection…

As we kick off 2025, the Kentucky Infection Prevention Training Center remains dedicated to providing impactful and practical training tailored to your needs. To achieve this, we need your input! We invite you to participate in our 2025 Learning Needs Assessment. This quick survey is your chance to tell us what topics and skills you want to see covered in our future trainings. Your feedback directly shapes the programs we create and ensures we’re meeting your needs. In 2024, the responses we received guided us in developing some of our most impactful trainings, including focused sessions on foodborne illnesses. wound care, and many more through CE development and educational webinars. We also continued programs, like our Infection Prevention Boot Camp, which covered critical topics like compliance, diagnostic stewardship, and enhanced…

Cold and flu season is here, and that means Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) is too. Recent years have shown some variability in the RSV season, but it typically peaks in December through January. This may vary based on your geographic location. RSV is a common respiratory virus, similar in presentation, but more severe than other respiratory viruses. Babies are some of the most vulnerable of peoples, among others like young children and older adults to the threat of RSV. RSV can be particularly serious for babies and can escalate quickly. While there are hundreds of respiratory viruses, RSV is the leading cause of hospitalizations of infants in the United States. Approximately 58,000-80,000 children under age 5 are hospitalized every year due to RSV. Additionally it is estimated that almost all…