Webinar | Infection Risk to Patients from Healthcare Workers with Artificial Nails or Nail Polish

Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) are responsible for morbidity and mortality in patients visiting healthcare facilities. Specifically, the fingernails of healthcare workers (HCWs) are potentially important to disease transmission. Microorganisms are better able to adhere to artificial nails or nail polish, and sanitization of treated nails may be less effective.

Join us for this important webinar as a research analyst and infection preventionist from ECRI Institute discuss:

• Epidemiologic investigations that traced HAIs to contaminated HCW fingernails
• Evidence about nail microbial burden and evidence limitations
• Infection prevention considerations
• Recommendations from relevant guidelines

Learning Objectives

1. Summarize the evidence from microbiologic studies (e.g., reported results) and discuss study designs (e.g. caveats) that may clarify how healthcare worker fingernail treatments relate to patient infections.
2. Explain clinical guidelines and provide useful recommendations for safe nail care to help prevent future healthcare-associated infections.

3. Recognize the need for guideline-based policies and procedures as well as auditing for safe practices and effectiveness in the clinical setting.

Who Should Attend?

Healthcare professionals involved with nursing leadership, patient safety, quality, risk control, infectious disease, and infection prevention.

Coyne G. Drummond, PhD

Research Analyst, ECRI Institute

James Davis, MSN, RN, CCRN-K, HEM, CIC, FAPIC

Senior Infection Prevention & Patient Safety Analyst/Consultant, ECRI Institute

Register today to attend this live event. It is free and advanced registration is required. Please use a valid organization or association email address to register.