Educational Webinars
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Prevention of Pathogen Transmission during POCUS

Dr Cartan Costello –MB BCH BAO, FCICM, FACRRM, FRACGP, BA Com, Grad Dip Crit Care Echo  
Senior Staff Specialist-, Intensive Care Wollongong Hospital and Co-Chair of General Ultrasound – Critical Care Ultrasonography Special Interest Group

Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) has become a cornerstone in the diagnosis and management of almost all patients admitted to intensive care. It forms part of treatment algorithms of cardiac arrest, PE, vascular device insertion and guides hemodynamic assessment is common clinical syndromes such as sepsis and ARDS.

To achieve the full benefits in patient care that ultrasound brings to critical care, clinicians need to minimise the contamination risk from the use of probes and machines that move from patient to patient. Costs, practicality, and ICU workflows are all factors that must be considered along with microbiology for successful infection control policy.

Learning Objectives

  • An overview of the ASUM/ACIPC 2017 Guidelines for Reprocessing Ultrasound Transducers?
  • What are the current specifics of ultrasound practice within Intensive Care relevant to infection control?
  • What are the administrative, financial and practical implementations that need to be considered?
  • Discuss the  recommendations from the USIG.

Complete Webinar

The College of Intensive Care Medicine, Ultrasound Special Interest Group (USIG) has published recommended guidelines to provide guidance in the prevention of pathogen transmission during ultrasound use 

In the Webinar Dr Costello explains what disinfection to apply is based on the Spaulding Classification

Under the Spaulding classification the ultrasound probe is classified into non-critical probe, semi-critical probe and critical probe, determined by how the probe comes in contact with the patient’s procedure site and the level of cross-infection risk.


Dr Costello Discusses What Are The Specific Recommendations
from the USIG

The specifics of practice within intensive care settings require further clarifications and expansion of the ASUM/ACIPC guidelines that focus on eight (8) recommendations

Spaulding Classification

Webinar Discusses the Eight (8) Specific recommendations from the USIG Guidelines

Summary of USIG recommendations

  • Ultrasound medicine is an integral part of ICU clinical practice
  • Clinicians carry joint responsibility with the organisations for minimising the risks of iatrogenic infection associated with practising ultrasound medicine
  • All clinicians using ultrasound equipment must be familiar with these policies and procedures
  • Research should be conducted on infection control associated with ultrasound practice in intensive care
  • HLD is recommended over LLD following all ultrasound-guided invasive procedures
  • Dedicated trained staff to perform disinfection

Webinar Summary of USIG Recommendations and Q&A

How to improve Clinical Practice in Ultrasound Probe Reprocessing
Webinar on Demand – 4 Part Series

How to Integrate Scientific Evidence into Best Clinical Practice

Dr. David J. Weber, MD, MPH, FIDSA, FSHEA, FRSM

Provides an insight into Best Research Evidence, who has a strong background in researching Healthcare-associated Infection and developing Guidelines (2008 CDC Guideline – Disinfection and Sterilization in Healthcare Facilities).

Learning Objectives

  • How to Integrate Scientific Evidence into Best Clinical Practice
  • Assessing Scientific Evidence: Disinfectants and Disinfecting devices

Webinar on Demand - Part 1

Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Best Research Evidence Supports Clinical Change in Ultrasound Probe Reprocessing

Dr. Craig Meyers, Ph.D. 

Gives his expertise in HPV research. He was the first lab to develop a technique to grow natural High-Risk HPV that causes 70% of cervical cancer and other anogenital cancers. He discusses how his research has been applied in changing clinical practice globally in ultrasound probe reprocessing.

Learning Objective

  • HPV best research evidence supports clinical change in Ultrasound probe reprocessing
  • HPV Research test protocols, what product models have been tested and results published

What are the three major aspects of evidence that you need to critically appraise

Webinar on Demand - Part 2

Q&A Discussion on Ultrasound Probe Reprocessing

Discussion topics

  • What is the process for a manufacturer to have their medical device tested against HPV and what is the time frame?
  • How do we find out if a company has tested against your native HPV testing protocol?
  • What should you look for or how do you determine if the incorrect Research Methodology has been used?
  • When a disinfection system is modified does its efficacy need to be retested
  • What disinfection systems have been tested to be effective against HPV yet?

WEBINAR OVERVIEW

Medical teams today use evidence-based practice (EBP) to be effective in changing clinical practice in ultrasound probe reprocessing. They need to have a comprehensive understanding and knowledge in their decision- making process of how to critically analyse and review peer-reviewed published research to obtain Best Research Evidence. Without the best research evidence, you are only a person with an opinion!

This is demonstrated in how Human Papillomavirus (HPV) best research evidence has been used to support clinical change in Ultrasound probe reprocessing to reduce cross-infection risk while improving quality patient care.

Learning Objectives

  • What is Evidence-Based Practice?
  • Why is Evidence-Based Practice important?
  • What happened before Evidence-Based Practice?
  • Is all published research of good quality?
  • HPV best research evidence that supports clinical change in ultrasound probe reprocessing?

Complete Series
Webinar on Demand - Part 4

Chronos
Leading the Way in UV-C
High Level Disinfection

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