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Bug of the Day:
MRSA
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NEW! POWERPOINT PRESENTATIONS

Routine Practices and Additional Precautions

are foundational concepts in Infection Prevention and Control. Share this presentation with front-line staff to review the principles and help prevent and control the spread of infections in your health care facility.

Handout

Presenter: Pat Piaskowski RN HBScN CIC

Antibiotic Resistant Organisms

continually pose threats to recipients of health care services.Control of these microorganisms can be achieved in part through appropriate management of the environment and hand hygiene. This presentation reviews these core concepts for front-line staff.

Handout

Presenter: Karen Clinker MEd BScN CCOHN/CM CIC

 

 June 17, 2011

Our New Name: Public Health Ontario

Effective June 14, 2011, the Ontario Agency for Health Protectionand Promotion (OAHPP) - our parent organization - will operate under a new name. The new name, Public Health Ontario, is a distinctive, easy-to-say name that reflects our provincial role in protecting and promoting the health of all Ontarians. Our new tagline, "Partners for health” emphasizes our philosophy of collaborating with others to achieve shared goals. The new identity reflects Public Health Ontario's role as a hub organization that links public health practitioners, front-line health workers and researchers to the best scientific intelligence and knowledge from around the world. While our operating name has changed, many things remain the same, including our mission to support our partners in making informed decisions, and by providing credible scientific advice and practical tools.

July 25, 2011

CONGRATULATIONS!


Congratulations to Pat Piaskowski, Network Coordinator for theNorthwestern Ontario Infection Control Network. Patwas a recipient of the 2011 Champions of Infection Prevention and Control awarded by 3M and CHICA-Canada. Pat was recognizedfor her founding and continuing work on the International Infection Control Council. Pat is theClinical Editor of theCanadian Journal of Infection Control and a member of the PIDAC InfectionPrevention and Controlcommittee. Congratulations Pat!
 
 
 
 
June 10, 2011
WHAT'S HAPPENING - CHECK OUT THE LATEST NEWS!IPAC Boot Camp creates Buzz at CHICA Conference! Read more >>>


Looking for PIDAC's Best Practice Documents?
They can be found here.




Resource Update! The Teaching Guide included with the Grand Prix of PPE has been revised as of March 2011. Download your copy here.
 
June 9, 2011
RICN Non-acute Care ICP Training Program

IMPORTANT NOTICE! The next offering of the RICN Non-Acute Care ICP training program will be postponed from September 2011 to Spring of 2012. The delay will allow the program to besuccessfully transitioned to a new location. Stay tuned for more information.

July 29, 2011

PIDAC Provides guidance on management of CRE - Webinar

Join Dr. Mary Vearncombe fora webinar in which she provides an overview of therevisedPIDAC Routine Practices and Additional Precautions and Annex A: Screening, Testing and Surveillance for Antibiotic-Resistant Organismsand answers questions on the management of Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE). The hour longsessions will be held on August 23rdat 12:00 noon andAugust 30that 2:00 p.m. Click here to register for the sessions.

 

 

March 10, 2011

Survey - Influenza Immunization Programs

Influenza is a serious illness causing an enormous burden on our healthcare system each year. We know that immunizing healthcare personnel is one of the best ways of preventing the spread of this infectious disease.

The Ontario Agency for Health Protection and Promotion and its Regional Infection Control Networks are endorsinga national study Survey of Influenza Immunization Programs for Healthcare Personnel. The survey, conducted by the Canadian Healthcare Influenza Immunization Network and the PHAC/CIHR Influenza Research Network (PCIRN) in order to understand how Canadian healthcare organizations manage their healthcare personnel influenza immunization programs each year. This survey, the first of its kind in Canada, is being sent to over 1,500 acute care hospitals and continuing care organizations to discover the state of annual healthcare personnel immunization programs and to gain insight into how these programs might be more successful in reaching the public health target ofa 90% immunization rate of all Canadian healthcare personnel.


You can help make this survey a success. Make sure the influenza immunization campaign team is aware of the survey and make sure that your organization participates and is counted. Read more >>>

January 17, 2011
ENVIRONMENTAL CLEANING BEST PRACTICES
 
The Regional Infection Control Networks, in collaboration with Ontario Health Care Housekeepers' Association (OHHA) & Canadian Association of Environmental Management (CAEM) have developed the following resources to augment the Environmental Cleaning Toolkit:

January 18, 2011

LONG TERM CARE HOMES ACT EDUCATIONAL SESSIONS:
JANUARY - MARCH

 

Education sessions have been developed to addresss the LTC Homes Act, 2007and the Ontario Regulation's Education requirements. If you do not have a videoconference system and you wish to participate by videoconference, your local RICNhelp you locate the system nearest you. The sessions will also be offered by Live Webcast and they will be archivedOTN 48 hours after the session. All sessions are offered from 1:30PM - 2:30PM EST.


December 6, 2010

New Resource for Hospice Settings!
 
The Infection Prevention and Control Resource Manual for Residential Hospice Settings provides current and practical IPAC information designed to reduce the risk of palliative care residents acquiring and spreading infections in the residential hospice setting. A hard copy of this resource will be distributed to all residential hospice settings in the province by the end of December.

The manual has been formulated to ensure a consistent approach to infection prevention and control in Ontario's hospice settings and is the result of a collaboration involving:

January 11, 2010

Latest PIDAC Best Practice Documents

PIDAC has updated three best practices and converted them into annexes to the Routine Practices and Additional Precautions document.

Annex Ais for ARO (Antibiotic Resistant Organisms)
Annex Bis for "breathing" i.e. Respiratory Infection
Annex Cis for Clostridium difficile

The posting of Annex A is particularly timely given that Ontario has identified its first case of infection with bacteria containing the NDM-1 gene, a topic addressed in this annex.

Annexes B and C highlight the terminology changes of FRI (Febrile Respiratory Illness) to ARI (Acute Respiratory Infection) and CDAD (Clostridium difficile Associated Disease) to CDI (Clostridium difficile Infection).C
Nov 12, 2010
Infection Control Week follow-up

 
SHARE YOUR INFECTION CONTROL WEEK STORIES!

Regional Infection Control Networks want to hear your success stories from Infection Control Week! What kind of activities did you do? How did you get staff to participate? Did something work in your facility or did you use resources in a unique way?

Share your stories by contacting your local RICN and share your Infection Control Week Resources feedback by completing the evaluation forms linked to each one of the materials.


October 8, 2010
Long-Term Care Homes Act, 2007 Proclaimed July 1, 2010

Long-Term Care Homes Act, 2007 was proclaimed and Ontario Regulation 79/10 section 229 was introduced on July 1st of this year. The new act is now the single legislative authority over Long-Term Care Homes, replacing Homes for the Aged and Rest Homes Act, Nursing Homes Act and Charitable Institutions Act.

Link to copies of the legislation noted above.
View a summary of changes.
Questions? Contact your local RICN.


July 22, 2010

Maternal Newborn Project - A Great Success!


• Hospital Champions will receive a resource package, that includes the Provincial Recommendations .

• A baseline survey established the current state of implementation for the Provincial Recommendations.

• Regular "Community of Practice” sessions were held from March to June.

• These discussions have resulted in enhanced relationships between Maternal Newborn staff and ICPs.

To review a summary of the project, click here.
To review a copy of the resource package, contact your local RICN.



July 27, 2010
Core Competency Education
The Infection Prevention and Control Core Competency Education Program is being revitalized and your opinion counts!! Learn more >>>
May 10, 2010
CORRECTION ANNOUNCEMENT - OOPS!
NAC POCKET GUIDES: FOR HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS IN NON ACUTE CARE SETTINGS
Unfortunately some errors were discovered in the booklet "Infection Prevention & Control Pocket Guide for Health Care Providers in Non Acute Care Settings”, a new RICN resource. These errors were found on pages 59,72 and 73. Click here to view all corrections.
We offer our sincerest apologies to all our stakeholders! Although most Regional Infection Control Networks have made every effort to make these corrections prior to distribution, some may have already picked up copies. In this case, please contact your local Network to obtain corrected labels. Kindly ensure these corrections have been made
May 5th, 2010
The Regional Infection Control Networks (RICNs) invite you to join us today in celebrating the first ever,

This national, joint initiative of The Canadian Patient Safety Institute, Accreditation Canada and the Community and Hospital Infection Control Association-Canada (CHICA-Canada) coincides with the World Health Organization's (WHO) Save Lives, Clean Your Hands Day. While this global initiative varies slightly fromOntario's Just Clean Your Hands (JCYH) program (5 versus 4 moments), the principles are the same. Both programs share a common goal of improving outcomes for our patients, residents and clients through hand hygiene. As many of you are aware, the RICNs have been supporting the roll-out of JCYHin the Long-Term Care homes across the province and the enthusiastic response has been overwhelming. We encourage you all to participate today in some fashion and to consider sharing your experiences and any pictures from your events with your local RICN. We in turn will celebrate your stories and pictures during this year's National Infection Control Week in October.

For more information on this global initiative,CLICK HERE

Here are a few links that you may also find useful as you plan your day:

October 20, 2009
Just Clean Your Hands for Long-Term Care!
 

The Just Clean Your Hands program has been successfully implemented in hospitals across the province, helping to improve hand hygiene for health care providers. Since its initial roll-out, there have been numerous requests for a Long-Term Care adaptation of the program. We are happy to announce that the final touches are being put on the Just Clean Your Hands program for Long-Term Care. Ontario’s Regional Infection Control Networks will be assisting with the roll-out of the program, which will include:

• A practical step-by-step implementation guide
• Train-the-trainer sessions for every Long-Term Care Home in Ontario
• Tools and materials, such as online training modules, posters and visual reminders
• An optional audit process and tool which will help to evaluate the need for and impact of the program
• Support and guidance during program implementation

Check this site often for updates on this great upcoming program!

September 20, 2009
HIN1 Influenza Emergency Management Unit (MOH&LTC) Hotline:
For questions on the Important Health Notices, call the hotline number 1-866-212-2272 between 0900 - 1600 hrs or email your questions to emergencymanagement.moh@ontario.ca
HIN1 Influenza Important Health Notices:
The Ministry of Health and Long Term Care issue Important Health Notices (IHN) in response to abnormal events that require ministry direction or notices. Click here to link to these notices.
July 2009
2008 - 09 Annual Report
As a network of networks across the province, the RICNs offer anyone responsible for infection prevention and control in healthcare, an innovative link to expertise in their communities.

Our Annual Report, available in English and French, describes many initiatives that, over the past year, have contributed to the promotion of IPAC best practices across the health care continuum.Please take a few moments to browse through its contents.If you have any questions or concerns, do not hesitate to contact your local network (Contact Us)

Low resolution version for viewing on screen English (1.3MB)Francais (1.37MB)
High resolution version for download English (9.8MB)Francais (12.4MB)


The following are news items from the RICN home page that have been archived for reference purposes. Please note that some links may expire with time:

Health System Improvements Act, 2007:
A new Ontario legislation (Health System Improvements Act, 2007) has been passed which includes the Ontario Agency for Health Protection and Promotion Act (Schedule K). This act provides for a centre for public health excellence in Ontario that will provide research, scientific and technical advice and support to those working to protect and improve the health of Ontarians.
June 1, 2009
RICNs Make a Splash in Newfoundland...
The work of Regional Infection Control Networks was on display at CHICA's National Education Conference held in St. John's from May 9 - 14. Select a link below to view the poster presentations:
 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Education / Éducation