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Following the Ebola crisis, the American Nurses Association (ANA) and the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC) recognized gaps among healthcare professionals in emergency preparedness and created a joint Working Group. These gaps are barriers in effectively decreasing health care-associated infections, which according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), claim up to 75,000 lives annually.

Through the efforts of the ANA/APIC Working Group, key infection prevention areas were identified and resources consolidated to allow healthcare professionals quick and ready access to infection prevention strategies and evidence-based practices. Working Group members include:

Mary Jo Assi, DNP, RN, NEA-BC, FNP-BC
Director, Nursing Practice and Work Environment
ANA

Dorothy Belkoski BSN, RN, CCRN, CIC
Infection Preventionist
Inova Fair Oaks Hospital

Terri Bogue MSN, RN, PCNS-BC 
Chief Operating Officer, Thor Projects LLC

Katrina Crist MBA, CAE
Chief Executive Officer
APIC

Jaime Murphy Dawson, MPH
Program Director, Department of Nursing Practice and Work Environment
ANA

Elizabeth “Liz” Garman
Vice President, Communications
APIC

Miranda Grant, MPH
Infection Preventionist
Indiana University Health Methodist

Timothy Landers, PhD, RN, CNP, CIC
Assistant Professor, Ohio State University College of Nursing
Vice Chair, APIC

Elaine Larson, RN, PhD, FAAN, CIC
Anna C. Maxwell Professor of Nursing Research 
Associate Dean for Nursing Research School of Nursing
Professor of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health 
Editor, American Journal of Infection Control Columbia University

Joanna Mills RN, MSN, CNS, CIC
Manager, Infection Prevention
John Muir Health System

Sharon Morgan, MSN, RN, NP-C
Senior Policy Advisor
ANA

Margaret (Peg) Pettis RN, MPA, CIC
Infection Preventionist
Rochester Regional Health System

ANA is the premier organization representing the interests of the nation’s 4 million registered nurses. ANA advances the nursing profession by fostering a high standard of nursing practice, promoting a safe and ethical work environment, bolstering the health and wellness of nurses, and advocating on health care issues that affect nurses and the public.

APIC is the leading professional association for infection preventionists (IPs) with more than 15,000 members. APIC’s mission is to create a safer world through the prevention of infection, achieved by better care to promote better health at a lower cost.

Emerging Infectious Diseases

Emergency Preparedness | Resources | Consumer specific links | Law, Ethics, and Policy | Additional Resources

What is an emerging infectious disease?

  • Deadly Diseases - Ebola, smallpox, anthrax, rabies, and plague; also called “high-consequence pathogens”
  • Zoonotic diseases:
    • Approximately 75% of recently emerging infectious diseases affecting humans are diseases of animal origin
    • Approximately 60% of all human pathogens are zoonotic
  • HAIs - At any given time, about 1 in every 25 patients has an infection related to their hospital care
  • Infections that are resistant to antimicrobial drugs (like antibiotics)
  • Foodborne illness - one in six Americans gets sick each year from something they ate
  • Illnesses that affect immigrants, refugees, migrants, expatriates, and travelers—traveler’s diarrhea, hepatitis

Emergency Preparedness

  • Disasters, natural or man-made have the potential to amplify emerging diseases or trigger re-emerging diseases
  • Maintaining and practicing emergency preparedness plans in the home and workplace can save lives and minimize the spread of disease

Resources

Consumer specific links

  • CDC - Emergency Preparedness and You
    http://emergency.cdc.gov/preparedness/index.asp
    • “Get a Kit; Make a Plan; Be Informed”
    • Ready Wrigley Pup-- teaching children about what to do in emergency situations
  • CDC - Information for Families and Loved Ones of Responders
    https://www.cdc.gov/ebola/about/index.html
    • Resources to assist both responders and loved ones during healthcare or disaster relief deployment
    • Written for Ebola but can be tailored to other situations

Law, Ethics, and Policy

Additional Resources

Media Type Year Name Webpage Description Comments

☉ CD/DVD/     Video

2016

Anthrax & antibiotics

https://youtu.
be/vVD5QtVmC8s

Basic video about antibiotic prophylaxis for Anthrax

 

👓 Article/     Book

2014

APIC - Infectious Disease Disasters

Infectious Disease Disasters: Bioterrorism, Emerging Infections, and Pandemics

APIC Text Online – subscription required

Release pending

💻 Website

Varied

APIC Scientific Guidelines

https://www.apic.
org/Professional-
Practice/
Scientific-
guidelines

Emerging Diseases and HAI

 

💻 Website

2015

2014

CDC Ebola Information Center

http://www.cdc.
gov/vhf/ebola/
healthcare-us/
index.html

http://www.cdc.
gov/vhf/ebola/
outbreaks/2014-
west-africa/
families.html

Ebola information resource center

Healthcare professionals center

Ebola patient center

Coloring book for family members of healthcare workers explaining Ebola

 

☉ CD/DVD/     Video

2014

CDC Emergency Operations Center

http://www.cdc.
gov/phpr/eoc.
htm

Video overview of CDC’s EOC

 

👓 Article/     Book

2016

CDC - Emerging Infectious Diseases

http://wwwnc.cdc.
gov/eid/

CDC Journal covering Emerging Infectious Disease

Most articles full access

💻 Website

2011

CDC - Traveler’s Health: Clinician Resources

http://wwwnc.cdc.
gov/travel/page/
clinician-
information-
center

Frequently updated site with travel alerts and guidance on caring for travelers

 

💻 Website

2016

CDC Zika Information Center

http://www.cdc.
gov/zika/index.
html

http://www.cdc.
gov/zika/hc-
providers/
index.html

http://www.cdc.
gov/zika/
pregnancy/
index.html

Zika information resource center (CDC)

Healthcare professionals center

Zika patient information center

 

UNDERSTANDING EMERGENCE AND REEMERGENCE

Hand Hygiene

Watch an Expert Watch the World

The Who, What, Where, When & Why

Personal Protective Equipment

Select your PPE CombinationFactors influencing nurse compliance with Standard Precautions

  • Exposure to blood and bodily fluids represents a significant occupational risk for nurses
  • The most effective means of preventing bloodborne transmission is through adherence to Standard Precautions (SP).
  • Despite published guidelines, significant issues remain around compliance with SP to protect nurses from bloodborne infectious diseases.

(AJIC, 2016)

CDC Instructional Videos

CDC: PPE IN HEALTHCARE SETTINGS

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