Report: IPC Conference Presentation by Professor Elaine Cloutman Green
Joint Trust Lead Healthcare Scientist/Principal Clinical Scientist, Infection Prevention and Control/Clinical Lecturer – Great Ormond Street Hospital / University College London
Infection control is vital in healthcare settings, and its impact extends across the analytical pathway. Professor Green is a microbiologist with over 20 years of experience in research and teaching. A renowned expert in the field shares valuable insights on the role of infection control in laboratories and highlights the importance of collaboration between infection control teams and laboratory staff. According to Professor Green, safety is among the most important things to consider when using laboratory facilities. “Safety should always be our top priority when working in a laboratory,” she says. “We must follow all safety protocols and guidelines to prevent accidents or injuries.”
This article explores key points from Professor Green’s engaging talk, highlighting essential quotations from the recent IPC Conference that shed light on maximizing the effectiveness of infection control efforts.
“Infection control has the privilege of impacting the entire analytical pathway, from pre-analytical to analytical to result reporting. Recognizing this unique position is crucial to maximising what we can achieve.”
Professor Green emphasizes the significant influence infection control has throughout the analytical process. By engaging with laboratory colleagues, infection control teams can ensure that the information obtained aligns with the clinical questions, leading to more effective risk assessments and improved patient outcomes.
“Risk assessment in infection control is a complex task. It involves considering organism factors, patient factors, infrastructure factors, and the specific clinical context.”
Risk assessment is a critical component of infection control. Professor Green highlights that it goes beyond a simple two-by-two matrix and involves a multifaceted analysis. Understanding the clinical drivers behind decision-making and collaborating with laboratory colleagues can lead to more informed risk assessments that support accurate differential diagnoses.
“The information obtained during the pre-analytical phase is key to effective risk assessment and diagnosis. Better conversations with laboratory colleagues are essential to obtain the most relevant information.”
Effective communication between infection control teams and laboratory staff is crucial for obtaining accurate and pertinent information during the pre-analytical phase. This information directly impacts risk assessments and supports informed decision-making. By fostering collaboration, healthcare professionals can ensure that the correct data is obtained to guide patient care effectively.
“Blood cultures must be loaded onto an analyzer within 12 hours at room temperature to obtain reliable results. Delayed analysis can lead to misinterpretation and potentially harmful actions.”
To illustrate the importance of information and collaboration, the speaker presents a clinical scenario involving a patient with abdominal pain and diarrhoea. Through interactive voting, she demonstrates how additional details about the patient’s history and test results can significantly impact the differential diagnosis.
Moving on to the pre-analytical phase, the speaker discusses the impact of staff behaviours on laboratory diagnoses. Accurate blood volume collection is vital for reliable blood culture results. Understanding proper blood collection techniques and collaborating with laboratory colleagues on optimal practices can enhance detection rates and improve patient care.
“Underfilling a blood culture bottle increases the risk of false negatives, reducing sensitivity. Proper blood volume collection is crucial to improve detection rates.”
The speaker then focuses on screening techniques and presents a question regarding the appropriate swab for an MRSA screen. She explains the importance of using a swab in a neutralizing transport media to obtain accurate results, particularly in patients receiving antibiotics or chemotherapy.
Another question relates to using the same swab for different tests, such as a throat swab for both Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) PCR and microbiological culture. The speaker explains that certain factors, like charcoal inhibiting PCR, must be considered to avoid inaccurate results.
In conclusion, Professor Elaine Clement Green’s talk highlights the critical role of infection control in healthcare and the importance of collaboration with laboratory staff. By recognizing their unique position and actively engaging with laboratory colleagues, infection control teams can maximize the impact of their efforts.
Effective communication, accurate risk assessment, and proper sample collection and analysis are all crucial elements in ensuring optimal patient care. By implementing these strategies, healthcare professionals can enhance infection control practices and improve patient outcomes.
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