Infection Prevention: My Journey as an ASC Infection Preventionist

Navigating this challenging role was overwhelming — but rewarding.

Stepping into the role of an ASC infection preventionist without any prior experience or training felt like setting sail in uncharted waters. Little did I know that this journey would be both rewarding and transformative.

The unexpected transition

As a newbie infection preventionist, I was tasked with safeguarding staff and patient safety and ensuring our facility complied with stringent regulations. The first few weeks were a whirlwind of acronyms, regulations and unfamiliar concepts. I had to immerse myself in the labyrinthine world of infection prevention (IP) and control, with no trainer to guide me.

• Self-education. To start, I aligned myself with annual training standards outlined by CMS. My choice was AORN’s ASC Infection Prevention course.

• Policies and procedures. My second task involved familiarizing myself with the infection control policies and procedures specific to our ASC. It was imperative that these policies aligned with nationally recognized infection control guidelines, which served as the foundation of our IP program.

• Staff education and training. I needed to impart knowledge about infection control practices and ensure every team member followed them diligently. This required designing training programs, organizing workshops and being a constant source of info.

• Surveillance and reporting. A core responsibility I embraced was the continuous surveillance and vigilant tracking of infections and trends within our facility. I meticulously designed templates that streamlined the process of monitoring this data, allowing me to easily track this information and present as evidence of my efforts during inspections.

• Environmental control. I developed a deep comprehension of evidence-based environmental cleaning guidelines, but I soon realized that there were limitations in my ability to oversee cleaning practices overnight when I wasn’t present. Here, I recognized the importance of selecting a terminal cleaning company equipped with well-documented training in the specialized realm of OR cleaning procedures.

• Staying informed. I was on a constant quest for knowledge. I found myself diving into medical journals, attending conferences and connecting with other infection preventionists. I had to stay updated on the latest research and developments in the field.

Transformative experience

Although the learning curve was steep, my experience as an ASC infection preventionist was undeniably transformative. I felt akin to a guardian, dedicated to ensuring that every patient who entered our facility received nothing but the best care in the safest possible environment. If you’re new to this role, let me assure you that you can embrace it and evolve into a guardian for your own center. OSM