PCW-01 - Aerobiology 101: Air Quality Management for High-risk Areas

Sunday, June 25, 2023

8:00 AM – 4:00 PM

Location: W104 A/B; Orange County Convention Center

CE: 7

CNE Credits: 7
IPU Credits: 7
AEU Credits: 7
IPCH Credits: 7
CME Credits: 7

Presenter(s)

Maureen P. Spencer, M.Ed, BSN, RN, CIC, FAPIC (she/her/hers)

Infection Preventionist Consultant
Infection Preventionist Consultants
Halifax, Massachusetts

Disclosure(s): Aerobiotix: Speaker/Honoraria (Ongoing); Ethicon: Speaker/Honoraria (Ongoing); Healthy Sole: Consultant/Advisory Board (Ongoing); Premier, Inc: Faculty / Presenter / Author (Ongoing); Zurex Pharma: Consultant/Advisory Board (Terminated, December 31, 2021)

Co-Presenter(s)

Kathy L. Warye, BS (she/her/hers)

Founder and Principal
Infection Prevention Partners, California

Disclosure(s): 410 Medical: Consultant/Advisory Board (Ongoing); Avidicare, AB: Consultant/Advisory Board (Ongoing); Cepheid: Speaker/Honoraria (Ongoing); Healthy Sole: Consultant/Advisory Board (Ongoing); Nanosonics, Ltd.: Consultant/Advisory Board (Ongoing); Qmetis: Consultant/Advisory Board (Ongoing); Zurex Pharma: Consultant/Advisory Board (Ongoing)

Handouts
Jennifer A. Wagner, PhD

Founder and Infection Prevention Consultant
Prism Environmental Health and Safety Solutions, Inc.
Discovery Bay, California

Disclosure(s): No financial relationships to disclose
Damon Greeley, PE, CEM, HFDP, CBCP, EDAC, CHFM, a-IPC

Hospital Facilities Engineer
OnSite-LLC
--Select--, South Carolina

Disclosure(s): No financial relationships to disclose

Handouts
Mary Kay Foster, BSN, RN, CIC, NHDP-BC

Special Pathogens Program Manager
Indiana University Health-Academic Health Center
Martinsville, Indiana

Disclosure(s): No financial relationships to disclose

Handouts

Session

Description: COVID-19 highlighted the limitations of conventional ventilation in protecting patients and personnel from the risk of airborne transmission. However, most infection preventionists are not well versed in aerobiology and ventilation has largely been the domain of engineering. As healthcare leadership
grapples with the post-pandemic future, infection prevention will be called upon to help their institutions become more resilient.

The presenters will provide a foundation in aerobiology for infection prevention with a focus on understanding the behavior of bioaerosols; discuss the primary ventilation concepts in use in healthcare institutions; the evolution and limitations of US standards for air quality; the movement to performance-based standards and the why a risk-based approach to air quality should be considered. The speakers will also review measurement methodology and environmental monitoring solutions, the essential components of an air quality management plan, partnering with healthcare engineering and facilities leaders and how to demonstrate impact to the institution.

Learning Objectives:

Explain the behavior of airborne microbes.
Contrast the primary types of ventilation in US healthcare institutions.
Apply a risk-based approach to air quality management.
Discuss the components of an air quality management plan.
Review measurement methodologies, technologies, and engineering controls.
Describe how key metrics can be used to demonstrate impact on the institution.