Blogs

Dear Colleagues, Last month, SHEA hosted virtual meetings on Capitol Hill for our member advocates to talk about funding key federal programs in fiscal year 2026 that address healthcare-associated infections and the spread of antimicrobial resistant infections. This is our third and best year for this event with more meetings held than ever before. SHEA advocates volunteered their time to participate in advocate training and represent SHEA’s policy agenda to their congressional delegations. Our message of investing in prevention and infrastructure, particularly in support of CDC's National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) was received well by all of the offices ...

Dear Colleagues, This month, SHEA is hosting a series of virtual meetings on Capitol Hill. This is the fourth year for this event and the largest turnout of SHEA volunteers since its inception. We thank all the advocates attending meetings with congressional staff this year. It is critical to furthering SHEA’s mission. Many of SHEA’s policy agenda items may be at risk of lower funding or termination based on current administrative priorities. Our primary asks include sustaining a modernized National Healthcare Safety Network; inclusion of infection prevention and control, and antibiotic stewardship research at NIH’s National Institute of Allergy and Infectious ...

In January, the 2025 SHEA Board of Trustees met in person at SHEA headquarters in Arlington, VA. We took stock of SHEA's achievements this year and greenlit SHEA committees’ workplans for 2025. These plans showcase the extensive array of initiatives led by our dedicated and visionary volunteers who drive progress within these SHEA entities. Even if you're unable to volunteer directly, we urge all members to participate in SHEA events aligned with your interests, engage in discussions on MySHEA, and connect with us via social media. In addition, we also discussed potential opportunities and challenges related to US public policy. SHEA works closely with ...

Dear Colleagues I am delighted to embark on a promising year of collaboration, innovation, and progress within the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America (SHEA) as your SHEA president in 2025. Thank you for the privilege of serving as your President, and for your trust and dedication to our shared mission. As we enter 2025, we are presented with both challenges and opportunities that reinforce the critical importance of healthcare epidemiology, infection prevention and antimicrobial stewardship. SHEA members play an essential role in safeguarding public health by analyzing and interpreting epidemiological data, identifying disease transmission ...

Hello Everyone, May I know your practice about wearing white coats in your hospital? There are studies about contamination of white coats right. Thanks Nicolo Andrei A. Añonuevo, MAN, RN Manager - Infection Prevention and Control Asian Hospital and Medical Center 2205 Civic Drive, Filinvest City Alabang, Muntinlupa City, 1780 Philippines Tel. No. 771-9000 loc. 8414 / 8014 Mobile No. +63 939 927 7184 Website: http://www.asianhospital.com Facebook: /AsianHospitalOfficial Twitter: @asianhospital SAVE LIVES: Clean Your Hands! Privacy and Confidentiality Notice : This ...

​What method do you calculate your CDI rates...per 10,000 patient days or using the SIR from NHSN or other?

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By Steven J. Schweon, RN, MPH, MSN, HEM, CIC Infection Prevention Consultant, Board Certified in Infection Control We live in a world of antibiotic-resistant infections, poor hand hygiene / vaccine compliance rates, and environmental hygiene challenges coupled with regulatory mandates to reduce infection and promote patient safety. Resultingly, every healthcare professional has a role in infection prevention. As an Infection Preventionist, my responsibility is to partner with the hospital staff and keep patients, staff, visitors, and volunteers safe from infection. Tenets of infection prevention and control are woven into the fabric of everyday ...

Although vaccination remains the best way to prevent influenza, the pooled efficacy of trivalent inactivated vaccine is approximately 60% while that of live attenuated vaccine is about 80%. The authors of this study highlight the lack of rigorous data supporting influenza vaccination, particularly in those groups most at risk. The authors performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of influenza vaccine efficacy and effectiveness using only studies that used laboratory confirmed influenza as an endpoint (either by PCR or culture). The authors chose these stringent criteria as serologic confirmation of influenza is confounded by vaccine effect and influenza-like ...

Dear Colleagues, Happy New Year! It is with great pleasure and excitement that I step into the role of SHEA President, and I am thrilled to be working with such an amazing group of volunteers and staff. Thank you for this opportunity to serve the mission and vision of SHEA. For those of you who do not know me, I am currently the Associate Dean for Quality and Lifelong Learning and Director of the Center for Patient Safety and Health Policy at the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio. In the past 20 years, I have worked in, and promoted research and education in the field of healthcare epidemiology and infection prevention. I have ...

Dear SHEA Colleagues, Last month, I mentioned the considerable energy SHEA has given to educational programs. I’m pleased to announce that SHEA has launched the online continuing medical education Antimicrobial Stewardship program. Three multidisciplinary programs emphasize practical steps to implement and manage stewardship initiatives and are relevant to all healthcare settings. SHEA also partnered with the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society (PIDS) to create a session focused on pediatric antimicrobial stewardship. Take a moment to look at this program and share it with your colleagues and others who could benefit. ...