With the revolving door of new employees, contractors, and staff in your facility, how do you educate members on their roles in infection prevention? 

Health care facilities are meant to provide care and life-saving support to patients. Yet, the intersection of construction, renovation, and maintenance (CRM) activities and health care can raise the risks of secondary infections at a rate of 5,000 deaths per year. It is critical that all parties involved in these activities not only know the risks but take comprehensive action to control infection spread.

Attendees of this workshop will take part in a training of trainers to engage meaningful infection prevention by using the ASHE ICRA 2.0 (Infection Control Risk Assessment) tool, an ICRA 2.0 Process Guide and train-the-trainer materials to take back and use at your site. 

• Assess infection control risk in maintenance, renovation, and construction projects with ASHE’s updated ICRA 2.0. 
• Train members of your team to engage ICRA 2.0 through a mix of online modules and in person training. 
• Establish a communication plan among workers and staff to engage infection prevention practices to protect the community. 
• Promote a culture of health and safety through ongoing training to protect occupants from secondary infections during their treatment and care. 

Speaker Christopher Kobus MS, RN, CIC

Safety Officer, UW Medicine

Christopher Kobus is the Safety Officer at the University of Washington Medical Center located in Seattle, WA. A former Firefighter-Paramedic, his work is currently focused on the Environment of Care with emphasis on healthcare building construction/renovation, and the administration of the UWMC Air Management, and Water Management Plans. Mr. Kobus earned his Master of Science (MS) from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County in 2006 with a focus on Emergency Health Services: Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine. Shortly thereafter he became a Registered Nurse (RN) and practiced in the fields of Emergency Nursing and Infection Prevention for over a decade until becoming the UWMC Safety Officer. Mr. Kobus is Board Certified in Infection Prevention and Control (CIC) through the Certification Board for Infection Control and Epidemiology, he holds independent RN Licensure in the State of Washington, and he is Faculty for the American Society for Healthcare Engineers.

Upon the completion of this train-the-trainer program and receipt of the required agreements*, participants will receive full access to ASHE’s ICRA 2.0 training materials via 3-year access to the ASHE Learning Center. 

The full ICRA 2.0 toolbox to help you train your staff: 

• ICRA 2.0 Training slides. 
• ICRA 2.0 Process Train-the-trainer guide. 
• ICRA 2.0 Process Guide to print for site participants. 
• Activity sheets, training plans and other support resources. 
• ICRA 2.0: Improving Patient Protections e-Learning for trainer only (3 CECs if it is completed). 

*Important Note: Participants of this course will be required to complete and sign a Trainer Agreement and Training Ethics Agreement in order to access full training materials.  

AHA Continuing Education Credits (CEC): 7 CECs