Episode 7: How Does Harm Become Prevention?

Description: 

Episode 7 of The Sepsis Spectrum: Microbial Mysteries Podcast. 

Sometimes what we call prevention is really just harm repackaged. Nicole, Dr. Hudson Garrett, and Armando Nahum dig into the paradoxes of infection control, where well-meaning efforts can produce unseen consequences. They explore the culture of blame, AMR and sepsis awareness pitfalls, and the need to refocus on patient experience. A provocative discussion for infection preventionists and frontline clinicians and leaders alike.

Learning Objective: 

At the end of the session, the learner should be able to:

• Describe the role of quality improvement (QI) initiatives in enhancing patient safety in the early recognition and management of sepsis, healthcare-associated infections (HAI), and antimicrobial resistance (AMR);
• Identify common gaps and safety concerns in the diagnosis and treatment of sepsis and HAIs, including misdiagnosis, treatment delays, and inappropriate antibiotic use;
• Evaluate the significance of antimicrobial stewardship programs as a core component of QI and patient safety strategies within healthcare systems;
• Describe the function of interdisciplinary teams, evidence-based protocols, patient and family advisory councils, and healthcare technologies in reducing infection and sepsis-related harm and improving outcomes.

Target Audience: 

Nurses, advanced practice providers, physicians, emergency responders, pharmacists, medical technologists, respiratory therapists, physical/occupational therapists, infection prevention specialists, data/quality specialists, and more.

Guests:

J. Hudson Garrett Jr., Ph.D., MSN, MPH, MBA, FNP-BC, IP-BC, PLNC, CFER, AS-BC, VA-BC, HACP-IC, CMRP, LTC-CIP, CIC, DICO-C, CPPS, CPHQ, CVAHP, CPXP, CDIPC, CPHRM, FACDONA, FAAPM, FACHDM, FNAP, FAHVAP, FACHE, FSHEA, FIDSA

President and Chief Executive Officer, Hudson Garrett Group

Adjunct Assistant Professor of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases; University of Louisville School of Medicine

Dr. Hudson Garrett is an Adjunct Assistant Professor of Medicine in the Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine at the University of Louisville School of  Medicine. He holds a Graduate Certificate in Infection Prevention and Infection Control from the University of South Florida. He has completed the Johns Hopkins Fellows  Program in Hospital Epidemiology and Infection Control. He is a Fellow, the American  Academy of Project Management, and a Senior Fellow and Ambassador of the  Management and Strategy Institute. In 2019, he was inducted as a Distinguished Fellow  and Practitioner in the National Academies of Practices. Dr. Garrett was recently  selected as 1 of 20 healthcare leaders globally to participate in the 2021 13-month  Global Patient Safety Fellowship with the Institute for Healthcare Improvement and is a  graduate of the IHI Patient Safety Executive Development Program. Dr. Garrett has  been awarded the Fellowship Designation by both the Society for Healthcare  Epidemiology of America and the Infectious Diseases Society of America. He holds  graduate certificates in healthcare leadership from both Cornell and the University of  Notre Dame. He is a Fellow in the American College of Healthcare Executives, the Royal  Society of Public Health, the Association of Professionals in Infection Control and  Epidemiology, and the American College of the Association of Healthcare Value  Analysis Professionals. He serves as the lead faculty member for the Medical Device  Safety, Infection Control Specialist, and Advanced Medical Device Safety and Risk  Management Certificate Programs for the AHVAP Certification Center. 

He is a frequent international lecturer in the areas of infectious diseases, healthcare associated infections, outbreak response and prevention, vascular access, patient  safety, healthcare quality and risk management, medical device-related infections and  outbreaks, endoscope safety, and infection prevention and control. He holds Board Certifications in Patient Safety, Healthcare Quality, Healthcare Risk Management, Legal Nurse Consulting, Medical and Clinical Affairs, Patient Experience, Vascular Access,  Antibiotic Stewardship, Infection Control, Long-Term Care Infection Control, Dental  Infection Control, Designated Infection Control Officer, Flexible Endoscope  Reprocessing, Critical Care Fundamentals, Ambulatory Infection Prevention, Healthcare  Value Analysis, and in Healthcare Management.  

He has served on international and national organizational boards in the areas of  healthcare environmental services, dental infection control, infection control, acute care  infection control, post-acute care infection control, healthcare value analysis, infusion  nursing, and vascular access. He has served on expert panels related to disinfection and  sterilization with the United States Food and Drug Administration, Centers for Disease  Control and Prevention, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, and the Environmental Protection Agency, most notably serving on the FDA’s Panel and  Working Group for Flexible Endoscope Reprocessing. Dr. Garrett led and completed the  first FDA 522 Study on Duodenoscopes evaluating human factors elements of  instructions for use and microbiological contamination of flexible duodenoscopes. He  presented these results to the Food and Drug Administration, Centers for Disease  Control and Prevention, and other clinical partner organizations globally. He is a member  of the Network of Experts for the US Food and Drug Administration. He currently is the  Chairperson for the new national Association of Perioperative Registered Nurses  Infection Prevention National Task Force and serves as a member of the National  Guidelines Advisory Board for AORN. Dr. Garrett has lectured around the world and provided testimony to government and regulatory agencies on a variety of topics related  to infectious diseases and infection prevention and control.

Armando Nahum

Co-Founder and CEO

Safe Care Campaign

Armando has co-produced, with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), APIC, and a grant from Kimberly-Clark, a patient safety video – the health care counterpart to the FAA safety demonstration that airlines are required to show passengers before every flight. The video was created to be used as part of every hospital admission to teach patients how to insist on safe care through the practice of hand hygiene.

Armando currently sits on the CDC Council on Infection Prevention, the Georgia Hospital Association Advisory Board to Prevent Infection, and the Georgia Department of Public Health HAI Advisory Committee.

Along with his wife Victoria, Marty Hatlie, and Dr. Tim McDonald, Armando has launched the Healthcare and Patient Partnership Institute (H2Pi) to effectively train Hospitals to achieve the stated goals of CMS’ Partnership for Patients by bringing the Patient and Family members’ voice into structured and sustainable Advisory Councils.

Armando has been a driving force in establishing the Patient and Family Advisory Council for Quality and Safety (PFACQS®️) at each of the 10 MedStar Hospitals, as well as countless PFACs across the country through a partnership with Vizient, Inc.

Armando is the Patient and Family Advisor for MedStar Health Sepsis System Initiative. Through his work, he has been instrumental in passing legislation in Maryland, producing a Sepsis video for Patients and Families education, reducing mortality to 35%, and winning the Sherman Award and the Circle of Honor for Patient Safety Innovation from the Maryland Patient Safety Center. The MedStar Health Sepsis Initiative has become a national model being adopted by institutions across the U.S.

Armando is a founding member of Patients for Patient Safety US (PFPS US), a network of dedicated individuals and organizations united in their mission to enhance the safety of healthcare in the United States. This initiative is spearheaded by individuals who have personally experienced the impact of medical errors, either as patients themselves or through their loved ones. Drawing from these deeply personal experiences, we are motivated and determined to champion our priorities, advocate for systemic changes, and foster an environment where patient safety is paramount. Together, we strive to create a healthcare system that prioritizes the well-being of every individual.

CE Information:

Provider approved by the California Board of Registered Nursing, Provider Number CEP17068 for 0.6 contact hours.

Other healthcare professionals will receive 0.5 participation contact hours for this episode.

Medical Disclaimer: 

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