Summer 2023

Understanding resident, family, and caregiver experiences to inform the development of a multimodal hand hygiene program in long-term care

SEE PDF Florence Yip, BSc FHN MHA(c)1*; Leah Diamond, RN, BSN, MSc PH(c)1 1Vancouver Coastal Health, British Columbia, Canada *Corresponding author:Florence Yip Vancouver Coastal Health, B.C., Canadaemail:florence.yip@vch.ca ABSTRACTThe World Health Organization Guidelines on Hand Hygiene in Health Care provide an evidence-based framework to improve hand hygiene compliance through a multimodal approach which includes quality improvement, patient/resident engagement, and a commitment to safety. Long-term care (LTC) is considered both a resident’s home and a healthcare environment where healthcare workers provide professional care while balancing and honouring a homelike ambience. By engaging residents and their families (i.e., direct family members, friends, or caregivers) in ...

Surveillance definitions for infections in Canadian long-term care homes: 2023 update

Jennifer Happe, MSc1*, Nalini Agnihotri, PhD, CIC1,3, Jean Clark, RN, CIC4,5, Davenna Conrod, RN, BN4,6, Kevin Duran, RN, MD, CIC1,7, Betty Ann Elford, RN, BN4,8, Shawna Ferenc, RN, BN4,9, Yvette Gable, RN, BN2,4, Kasey Gambeta, RN, MN, CIC4,10, Debora Giese, BSc, MScPH, CIC1,11, Robin Johnson, MLT, BMLS, CIC4,7, Megan Lee, RN, BN4,12, Tammy MacDonald, RN, BScN, MBA, CIC1,13, Bois Marufov, MSc, MD, CIC1, Katherine Paphitis, BSc, BASc, MSc, CPHI(C), CIC1,10, Dana Scott, RN, BN, BSc4,6, Ashley Shackleford, BHSc, CIC4,14, Betty Soanes, RN, GNC(C), ...

Learnings from a rapid spread of COVID-19 in a suburban Canadian hospital

SEE PDF Jude Nwaokenye, MPH1, Justin M. Chan, PhD2, Xuetao Wang, MPH1, Katy Short, MPH1, Shazia Masud, MD3,5, Shannon L. Russell, PhD4,5, James Zlosnik EA, PhD4,5, Natalie Prystajecky, PhD4,5, Robert Shaw, MD6, and Calvin Cheng, ...

Evolving Education for Infection Prevention and Control Professionals

SEE PDF Devon Metcalf, MSc, PhD, BEdAE, CIC Associate Editor, Canadian Journal of Infection Control Appropriate and ongoing infection prevention and control (IPAC) education is essential to the success of every IPAC professional (ICP). ...

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PAST ISSUES

Frontline staff understanding of carbapenemase-producing Enterobacterales infection prevention and control measures – A cross-sectional survey conducted in Ontario, Canada

ABSTRACT Background: The Community of Practice (CoP) group, comprising members from Trillium Health Partners (THP), Halton Healthcare (HH) and William Osler Health System (WOHS) executed an education needs assessment survey. DOWNLOAD PDF Christopher De Vries, BSc, CIC1*, Dina Badawy, PhD, CIC1,...

Candida auris: What literature exists to inform control of outbreaks in healthcare settings?

ABSTRACT Background:Candida auris (C. auris) has been identified as an emerging pathogen of interest in healthcare settings. Its resistance to antimicrobials, high mortality rates, ability to persist in the environment and increasing instances of outbreaks in healthcare settings constitute major...

Strategies to attract and retain infection prevention and control nurses in the era of nursing shortage

ABSTRACT Background: One of the major challenges faced by healthcare facilities in Quebec, Canada, is the shortage of nurses specializing in Infection Prevention and Control (IPC), exacerbated by the broader nursing shortage. This survey aimed to identify effective strategies for retaining IPC...

Prevalence and factors associated with early neonatal sepsis in a neonatal intensive care unit in Medellín, Colombia

ABSTRACT Background: Early neonatal sepsis poses a significant public health challenge worldwide, especially in Colombia and Latin America. It remains a leading cause of morbidity and mortality among newborns, particularly affecting those born prematurely or with low birth weights. Despite...

COVID-19 screening and outcomes at hospitals in a large Canadian health authority

ABSTRACT Background: This study investigates factors associated with COVID-19 positivity among patients admitted to hospitals in British Columbia, Canada, and analyzes patient outcomes based on their screening question responses.

Développement professionnel des infirmières en prévention et contrôle des infections: une revue de la portée des formations spécialisées et référentiels de compétences

Samy Taha, RN, BSc, MSc1*, Laurence Bernard, RN, BSc, MSc, PhD2, Houssem Eddine Ben-Ahmed, RN, BSc, MSc, PhD3, Cassandra Garcia, RN, BSc1, Saoussen Maaroufi, RN, BSc, MSc1, Mélanie Lavoie-Tremblay, RN, BSc, MSc, PhD1, Agnès Bernard, RN, BSc, MSc, PhD4, Thibault Dubois, RN, BSc, MSc2, Lucie...

Factors associated with the implementation and adoption of point-of-care diagnostic tests to detect antimicrobial resistance: A qualitative study in Quebec, Canada

ABSTRACT: Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) represents a major public health concern worldwide. To effectively combat AMR, the use of point-of-care (POC) diagnostic tests is recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO). In this qualitative study, we investigated the drivers that influence the...

Improving infection prevention practices through a novel safety coaches program

ABSTRACT: Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) contribute to extended hospital stays and heightened in-hospital mortality rates. Effective infection prevention and control (IPAC) strategies are crucial for curtailing infection rates. The COVID-19 pandemic amplified disease burdens, compelling...

An assessment of the validity and reliability of SARS-CoV-2 infection surveillance data from the Canadian Nosocomial Infection Surveillance Program

ABSTRACT: Tracking healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) is crucial for reducing and preventing transmission. This study aimed to evaluate the validity and reliability of the Canadian Nosocomial Infection Surveillance Program (CNISP) COVID-19 surveillance data by assessing key metrics, including case...

Leveraging modified work program for infection prevention program implementation and professional development

ABSTRACT: Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the daily responsibilities of the Infection Prevention Department (IPD) have been exacerbated by heightened regulatory and licensing requirements, increasing demands from medical staff and patients, and an expanded scope of work. Consequently,...

Best practices for flexible endoscope high-level disinfection – an integrative review

Kenneth Romito, DNP, RN, APRN, AGCNS-BC, CNOR, CSSM, FAORN1*, David F. Bradley Jr., DNP, RN, APRN, AGCNS-BC, CNOR, FCNS1, Christy V. Mitchell, DNP, RN, APRN, AGCNS-BC, CNOR1, Bethany Atwood, BSN, RN, CNOR1, Gina L. Eberhardt, MSN, RN, CNOR, CSSM1, Joshua D. Smith, MA, BSN, RN, CNOR1, Gaston Baza, DNP,...

A chickenpox outbreak among international students in a post-secondary institution residence in Ontario, Canada

Marissa L. Ledger, MD, PhD1, Perrine Tami, MD2, Shanker Nesathurai, MD3,4, Mehdi Aloosh, MD, MSc2,5* 1 Department of Pathology and Molecular Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada2 Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence, and Impact, Michael G. DeGroote School of...

Assessing long-term sustainability of a large-scale infection prevention and control routine practice improvement initiative in ambulatory care units located at cancer care centres and acute care hospitals

Heather Gagnon, MPH1*, Maureen Buchanan-Chell, BScN, RN1, Melody Cordoviz, BScN, RN1, Sibina Fisher, BSc, BScN, RN1, Jennifer Happe, MSc1, Linda Kamhuka, MSc1, Roberta McCombie, MSc1, Sharon Pelletier, BScN, RN1, Angele Vaters, MSc1,2, Gwyneth Meyers, PhD1 1 Infection Prevention and Control,...

A summary of reported infection prevention and control assessments conducted in long-term care and retirement homes during COVID-19 pandemic in Ontario, Canada

Tanya Denich, BSc, MSc, CIC1*; Jacquelyn Quirk, MPH1, Catherine Richard, PT, CIC2 1 Public Health Ontario, Canada2 Retired *Corresponding AuthorTanya DenichPublic Health OntarioOntario, CanadaEmail:tanya.denich@oahpp.ca

The use of dogs for the detection of infectious diseases; an emerging diagnostic option

SEE PDF James Ayukekbong, BMLS, MSc, Ph.D., CIC1 * and Adenike Oguntimehin, BMLS, MPH, LTC-CIP2 1Editor-in-Chief, Canadian Journal of Infection Control, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada2Department of Public Health, Walden University, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA *Corresponding Author J....

An exploratory study of nurses’ ideas on how to improve compliance with the use of personal protective equipment when caring for patients on additional precautions

SEE PDF Joanne Andrew, BA, RN, MSc, CIC1* and Debbi Marais, PhD2 1 Infection Prevention and Control, Island Health, BC, Canada2 University of Warwick, Gibbet Hill, Coventry, United Kingdom *Corresponding author: Joanne AndrewIsland Health, BC, Canadaemail:...

Long-term care certification in infection prevention: the time is…now!

SEE PDF Steven J. Schweon, BSN, MPH, MSN*, Elaine Larson, RN, PhD, FAAN, FIDSA, FSHEA, FAPIC, Sandra Callery, RN, MHSc, CIC, LTC-CIP, Jessica Dangles, MBA, MS, PMP

Call for Papers

The Canadian Journal of Infection Control is a leading international peer-reviewed journal providing a platform for knowledge transfer and academic discourse in the field of infection prevention and control and hospital epidemiology. The journal invites submission of manuscripts outlining original research...

Surveillance definitions for infections in Canadian long-term care homes: 2023 update

Clusters of Klebsiella pneumoniae carbapenemase with potential links to hand hygiene sink drains in an intensive care unit

SEE PDF Dina Badawy, PhD, CIC1*, Samar Tahhan, RN, MSc, CIC1, Gabriel Rebick, MDCM, MPH1, Clayton Mac Donald, MUDr, FRCP(C), D(ABMM), DTM&H2, Jackie Nugent, RN, BScN, CIC1, Qosay Sarabi,...

Cluster analysis of carbapenemase-producing organisms in Alberta using a geographic information system

SEE PDF Jeremy Jamilano, MPH1, Ye Shen, MPH1, Jennifer Ellison, MSc1, and Jenine Leal, PhD1,2,3,4,5

Deployment of canine scent detection for the screening of COVID-19 on pillowcases of residents in a long-term care setting – a pilot study

SEE PDF Marthe Charles, MD, MSc1*, Teresa Zurberg, RCT2, Tracey Woznow, BSc, BEd2, Eric Eckbo, MD1, Lale Asku, BA2, Roy Pescador, BSc2, Leonardo Gomez Navas, BA2, Robert O’Neill, BA3, Esther Thompson, BSc, RPN2, and Elizabeth Bryce, MD1 1 Division of Medical Microbiology and Infection Control,...

Carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae admission screening practices in Canadian healthcare settings: A cross-sectional survey of respondents working in Canadian hospitals and long-term care facilities (2020)

SEE PDF Filip Pajtondziev, MScHQ, CPHI(C), CIC1,2*, Katherine Paphitis, PhD, MSc, CPHI(C), CIC3,4, Jennifer Happe, MSc4,5, and Rylan Egan, PhD, MEd1

INDEXATION The CJIC is indexed in the following databases