The Compliance Divas Podcast
Our podcast covers current topics such as infection prevention and control, OSHA and HIPAA compliance for dentistry. We discuss the latest regulatory information, answer frequently asked questions and give suggestions for dental practices to make compliance easy and sustainable. The Compliance Divas are a trusted source for consistent, accurate information based upon current guidelines, standards, science, and recommendations.
The Compliance Divas Podcast
#124 ICIP Stands for Infection Control in Practice - Interview with Nancy Dewhirst, Editor
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When dental professionals need practical information on dental infection control and safety, they turn to OSAP. Members can download checklists, tool kits and access FAQs. In this episode, the Divas interview Nancy Dewhirst, RDH the editor of OSAP's publication titled ICIP to learn why this is a MUST HAVE/MUST READ newsletter.
Resources:
- Organization for Safety Asepsis and Prevention (OSAP) https://www.osap.org
- OSAP Infection Control in Practice (ICIP) https://www.osap.org/infection-control-in-practice
Welcome. I'm Leslie Cannum. I'm Mary Gavoni.
SPEAKER_02I'm Linda Harvey. I'm Olivia Wan. And together we are the Compliance Divas.
SPEAKER_00Hello, this is Leslie Cannem, and I'm your moderator for this podcast of the Compliance Divas. We bring clarity and simplicity to compliance by navigating regulatory compliance to keep you on course. We invite our listeners to subscribe to the Compliance Divas podcast through your favorite podcast channel or on our website, thecompliancedeevas.com. And any resources that we mentioned during our podcast can be found on thecompliancedeevas.com. Always feel free to support your to submit your questions to support at thecompliancedeevas.com. Today we are so excited to have a very special guest with us today. I would like to introduce Nancy Deverst, who is practiced for 20 years with the Black Jump Dental Hygiene Faculty at West Coast University, and she has been consistently listed as one of the nature's leaders in continuing education. So Nancy consults and speaks on infectious diseases, biofilms, clinical safety, oral pathology, instrument sharpening, ergonomics, disaster preparedness, and ecological sustainability and demonstration. Now, the most, I think, of impressive title that she holds to me is Editor in Chief of OSAP's Infection Control in Practice. For those of you who are not familiar with OSTAP, it is the Organization for Safety and Sexis and Prevention. And she has also published many articles in peer-reviewed journals and contributed to textbooks. But one of the things that I just have been so excited about is how Nancy has brought her expertise to this fabulous newsletter that's available to OSAP members. And uh Nancy, thank you so much for being on our program today. We just all want to welcome you.
SPEAKER_04Well, thank you so much for welcoming me and even looking at the idea of talking about the newsletter because I think it's one of the best kept secrets of OSAP. And so thanks for giving me a chance to let people know about it.
SPEAKER_00Well, Nancy, I'd like to know what do you think the goal and the purpose of the newsletter is? And how do we bring safety and infection prevention education into our practices with this newsletter?
SPEAKER_04Well, um, let me back up a little bit and describe it real quickly. And then I would like to talk about the goal and the purpose and the why. But first, I and just in case somebody doesn't really know what it is, uh, it's it's a newsletter, but it's not like your typical newsletter that just pops off somebody's computer and it's a lot of their opinion. It's peer-reviewed and it's been going on for a really long time. So over 15 years for sure. Dr. Chris Miller was the editor-in-chief for all that time. What a contribution! So now I write it, and I don't do it alone though. I I do have a really talented editorial production team, and especially Denise Sable, my managing editor. She's amazing. And it comes out bi-monthly. Uh, by that I mean every other month. It can be 10 to 18 pages. That was a big span, but there are different topics, and it is peer-reviewed. So we dive into a topic at a very practical level, but it's it's not your journal article. It's still a newsletter. So we're always kind of trying to balance that, you know, just enough, not too much. And uh it we start with a scenario, uh a story. We tell a story, and I think I think that makes it real for people. And in that story, there's a problem or an event or an exposure or something having to do with safety in the dental office, and then we resolve that. So there's a resolution to the scenario issue, uh, whatever that is. And then in the newsletter, we sort of broaden the view, get stand back a little bit and say, okay, this happened in the scenario, but how will how would that this happen in your office? And what tools could you use to deal with it? And that's where I think the really great useful add-ons to the newsletter come in. We might provide charts or or checklists or a master to create a log or a standard operating procedure in an office. And um, for example, the listeners have the ability to download handouts that go with this podcast. And I chose them carefully because they addressed the first two issues of this year, which is indoor air quality. And it was kind of a groundbreaking topic because dentistry really hadn't addressed it well. So we didn't have at our disposal well written documents and guidelines. We didn't even know how much we were going to correct the indoor air uh quality to. We didn't know definitive uh goals and guidelines. So at the writing, it was a little process of discovery, and that's why they're really long. The first two are pretty long issues, and at that, I had to break the topic in half and make it two issues, but along with them is the big chart. And I shared that with our listeners today, too. There's a chart that takes the topic and provides more information than we could fit in a typical newsletter. So somebody that wants to dive deeper, that wants to take it and actually do something with it, they've got a lot of information there. So that's kind of the format. And then we include things like glossaries. Uh, that's important just to make sure everybody's understanding what we're saying. And there are links to resources, and that's where the fact that it's digital now. I remember when it used to be paper and it was mailed out to us, but now it's digital. And you can just click on a link and you can find the guideline or the rule or the the reference document to substantiate the information that's in the newsletter. And then there are key takeaways that can help with a team discussion, and and that kind of distills it all down to like here, three points, four points. This is what we're really trying to say here. There's a CE quiz in it. So it's a small module of CE to help people. And then there are little quick sections, quick bytes, we call them, in case you missed this, or have you discovered this, or uh do you know where to find this on the OSAP website? And we always have a little bit about infection control coordinator credentialing as well. So uh on top of that, there are different modalities of communicating this information. So we have interactive videos and pictures. What's wrong with this picture? So people could pick and choose or use the whole thing or use it in parts. So we provide a variety of learning tools, and uh that's just one description of it. So back to your question. Uh, that was a long-winded description of what it is, but not everybody has read it, so they might not know. Uh, what is the goal? What is the purpose? What's the why? Why do we have the newsletter? Well, it's a learning tool, but it's also a teaching tool. And we want everybody to get to the same point. We want everybody to have the safest dental visit if possible. So every issue is focused on a different topic. Uh, sometimes it's continued, and we use these relatable clinical scenarios to create that teachable moment. And then we analyze the moment and we find safety guidelines for them. And in that process, we link policy, the written rules or recommendations, to reality in action, to practice, policy to practice. And we give people options for compliance. And this is key because I don't think everybody realizes that they they have options. They can do it this way or that way, they can buy this product or that product. We help them use critical thinking to analyze those various options and pick the best one for them. And I I think uh that's one thing that we really strive to do every every issue. And then we identify the why behind all the rules, the reasons. And I think it's such a compelling bit of knowledge to have. If you know why you're doing something, you're much more likely to use critical thinking to analyze what you're doing, to say, did did I get where I was going? And not just follow the rules, just follow the rules and do what we say. We just we're trying to get away from that and create a deeper level of understanding. And then, of course, we want to keep it fresh, we want to update it and uh bring science and research and new rules and uh the evolution of our safety world. We want to bring that up to date and keep it new for everybody. So those are the rule, the the reasons why we do it. Those are my goals for our readers.
SPEAKER_00Nancy, that is incredible. And you know, it really is a mini textbook, the way that you have described this. I I know Mary has some questions for you. Mary?
SPEAKER_03Nancy, thank you so much for explaining all of that information about this fabulous tool. I it always used to excite me so much when I saw it in my mailbox, um, all those years ago when it was still in paper version. Who is OSAP targeting with this newsletter? Who can benefit most from this information?
SPEAKER_04Uh I think the main target is the infection control coordinator. Uh, so much of our efforts, efforts are to evolve the practice of dentistry so that there's a manager in charge of safety in every uh clinical situation. So we we're creating this as a major tool for that person to guide their office. So they're the main target, but we have to write it so that all the dental workers can understand it and relate to it. We want it to resonate with the dentists and the hygienists and the assistants and the lab techs and the administrators. So there has to be something in there for everybody. And um it's a pretty broad target, actually.
SPEAKER_00Well, thank you very much for that explanation. I know that um Olivia has some questions on the newsletter itself.
SPEAKER_02So Nancy, think about our audience. So, for example, the compliance divas, you know, we have listeners who are dental clinical staff members, assistants, hygienists, dentists, uh, office management, even those that are in dental sales uh support people like that. How can the newsletter best be used for audiences?
SPEAKER_04You know, I'm really glad you asked that because I didn't really know how we could use it legally and safely without violating copyright rules and all kinds of things. And so when I I realized I was gonna, you know, be talking to you about this, I I sort of dove in and found out exactly how we can use it and how everybody can use it. So the answer is you can use it yourself and you can share it. Yay! Hence, we have a couple issues and a reference chart as handouts here, and you can do that with your audiences as well. So we learn it for learning. If we read it, we might learn something, and we can use we can use it for teaching. And directly, of course, it'll update the infection control coordinator, provide that person with resources, and it also very practically can provide kind of an outline, a model for an office meeting. And then, like I said, with those scenarios, it presents this sort of third-party example, but it might apply to where you work. And sometimes that's a nice introduction to maybe a courageous conversation you have to have with somebody in the office or helps you deal with a situation that you may have been aware of or may not have been aware of. But we're dealing with this other example that the newsletter had, and then you can see how you can maybe navigate your own situation better. So uh that's how it can be used. And of course, it's a CE uh uh module, so it can be used as a tool for providing continuing education. You can use it with those interactive challenges, it can be as simple as what's wrong with this picture, let's talk about it, or let's all watch this video together. Hey, what did you see? And it, you know, a big picture, it calibrates the safety team in an office situation, in many different situations. It calibrates people and brings them together, helps them problem solve, look at their options, and it may help them guide decisions. Uh, for example, with a handout, look at, I hope our readers will look at the handout and look at the chart that goes with it. And you can see you could use that chart to decide how to handle the indoor air quality issues in uh in your office. So the whole thing enhances communication, right? You could use uh use it to just run a quick morning huddle or a longer session. And schools, you know, I have firsthand experience with this because I'm lucky enough to work in a university where my dean backs me, and we created an infection control and prevention class dedicated to that. Not every university has that, but everybody is responsible for teaching it. So you may have a situation where somebody gets the course and they have to teach it and quickly they're looking at a textbook, they're looking at CDC recommendations. Well, they can also use the newsletter to create modules. And even more uh realistic is the situation where a faculty member that is charged with teaching, say, oral pathology, has to have a safety component, a module, a session, a whole week, something dedicated to safety, or it has to be integrated into every subject they talk to that they teach about. And they may not focus on this, it may not be easy for them to create a lesson plan. And I know uh numerous uh schools that are using these newsletters as uh lesson plans and teaching modules. So that's pretty cool. Uh also for consultants and presenters, like I said, we have these tools. You take an aspect of the newsletter, a story, tell a story. People love stories, or uh use a chart, leave something there for somebody to use so we can leverage this. And sales reps, good question about the sales reps, because we tend to get focused on our clinical world, but sales reps can use the newsletters, and they really do. And it and I remember long ago the sales reps would bring in the written, the paper newsletter and say, see, this is the product you should buy. Well, it's more than just buy this product, it's the why. And it's what are my other options? And sales reps always want qualified buyers, and that's a buyer who understands why they're buying something. It's not just the latest deal that the dealer can offer. It's I know what I want, I know my goal, I want the product that's gonna get me there. And if somebody brings in a new product, I have the understanding and I know the criteria to analyze whether this is a better product or not for me. So that that level of understanding is something that we're trying to elevate. And I think the newsletter can do it. And again, it's not like it's not like a whole CDC guideline, it's not like uh a huge journal article that goes on and on. It is it is uh a focused module. And then lastly, I think the way it can be used is to bring people back around, to to link them into all the things that OSAP has to offer, to bring them into the fold, because once they join and once they access OSAP, they realize this is a great tool. I am empowered by this, and it it just makes dentistry safer all the way around.
SPEAKER_02Thank you, Nancy. Those are some great suggestions on how we can use the newsletter. And I heard you mention several times how it really is a tool, and it's something that people can incorporate into their practices and save save them time, just like our podcast saves people time because we've done a lot of research, just like you're doing in this newsletter. So thank you for those comments.
SPEAKER_00Linda, you had a few questions you wanted to ask of Nancy.
SPEAKER_01Thank you, Leslie. First, I want to welcome you, Nancy. It's a pleasure to have you join us today. You're such a wealth of information. And just when I think of the top uh industry experts for us in infection control, you always are top of mind.
SPEAKER_04Thank you so much. It's it's fun and it's a constant challenge for me trying to keep up with it.
SPEAKER_01And I I want to thank you for shouting out with a courageous conversation because as as you I know you listen to that podcast with Catherine I Tel Belt, and that was episode number 119. And this all dovetails together having such outstanding resources, such as this e-publication and all the the depth of what it brings, is just so much that can be choose that an office can choose from to, like you said, use in meetings in different ways. But now that I'm listening to all the background work, Nancy, I just have to know what is the biggest challenge that you face in creating the newsletter?
SPEAKER_04Besides just getting myself disciplined enough to sit down and write it, which sometimes is like giving birth, uh, there's that. I think really addressing all the perspectives of the safety team because they have such varied interests and concerns, and they have different roles within the office. So I think you know there are differences between people, but they're also geographically, there are differences across our nation. Different states have different regulatory uh environments. We if you're under joint commission, that's another regulatory purview that that informs all of your interpretation of this information. And what if you actually live in Canada and you're reading this? Because people in Canada read this. Uh, you know, I think that's the biggest challenge, making it correct and making it relevant for uh for that spread. The other thing is writing at a level that's appropriate for all the members of the dental team. And I'm talking about uh language level, I'm talking about terminology, level of detail, and even resources. People are going to look at it differently and want something different out of it. Another real challenge for me is the length and the depth. I don't want it too long. It has to be complete. So it has to be that sweet spot. Spot just enough. And that is a real challenge. You want to shorten it up, shorten it up, make it a bite-sized thing that people will have time to read and not just be overwhelmed with, but you have to give them enough information. You can't create a standard operating procedure and say, well, this is too long. I'll tell you to do half of it. So that's a real challenge. And then addressing changes over time. A perfect example is uh the topic of indoor air quality. When it was published early this year, uh guidance was missing. But since then, CDC has formalized their recommendation on the topic. That has become available. Ashray has issued another document that actually helps people calculate how to correct indoor air quality and gives people really usable uh documentation and reference. And so we keep that up. We'll put it in the next newsletter. We make sure people know. So those are some of the challenges. But I I want to give you an example. I want to go down one level of detail so people get a feeling for the application of this information to their life. So the example appropriately, I think, is indoor air quality. And if you look at the different people in the office, they just have different perspectives. They have different responsibilities. So let's say the dentist was reading the newsletter. Well, their focus might be on the heating ventilation and air conditioning system. They need to know how much that is giving them. So that's where their starting point. And then they need to look at uh standalone retrofit HEPA filters they add to it. So they're looking at cost comparisons, they're looking at building standards, medical, dental, general buildings. They have to look at equipment options and features, and of course, long-term investment outcomes. They're gonna all of us are gonna think of noise level when you think of equipment. We're gonna think of how sustainable it is, all of that. So there's the dentist, right? They pay the bills, they have that view. The infection control coordinator has to work with whatever that building is. They probably don't have a lot to say about how that's going to be, but then once they know how safe the building is in and of itself with its mechanical system, then they have to understand adding on to there that mitigating the risk with other equipment. And then once they have that situation, they have to know how to operate it, right? They have to uh know how to train workers to appreciate indoor air quality and how you manage it. And then once you've got all that equipment in place, those engineering controls, then they have to understand this is what we need to do for personal protective equipment and safe practices, because that all fits together and one thing is done within the context of others. The infection control coordinator has to figure out how to monitor indoor air quality, and that's all based on their understanding of the science: infectious diseases, airborne diseases, particulates, fumes, all of that. So the in the infection control coordinator has an administrative, a managerial, but a practical uh need to understand this information. Well, what if an assistant reads the newsletter? They have to have an understanding and appreciation of the science of indoor air quality, how to manage it, but they need to know how to operate that equipment, how to change the filters, how to monitor it, what to do if it fails, all of that. And yet we're trying to make sure they also have the basic understanding of the fundamentals of science, the basics of infection control. What of what do I need to know about airborne diseases? What about particulates and fumes in the air? How does that affect my lungs? And then what if the office manager, administrative staff reads the newsletter? Well, they have to understand all of that to a level, but they're the spokesperson. They communicate to the patients, they're the window to the outside. And lots of times they just need the language, the appreciation, the knowledge of the safe environment so they can share that with the patients. So you see, everybody has a little different take. And what if you're a lab tech? Okay, so they need to know a certain level of this, but they're down to the nitty-gritty. They have to change the filters. They challenge the filters with particulates differently than we do in a dental office. So, my point here is that everybody has a different take. And we're trying to meet all of their needs and understand that whatever we put out there is going to be interpreted differently and they're going to have different needs associated with that.
SPEAKER_01Well, thank you, Nancy. That's some very important information. So thank you for sharing that.
SPEAKER_00Well, Nancy, you have given us such incredible amounts of information, and I want to assure our listeners that we have uh three various uh three different resources that relate to all the information that you discussed on air quality, the two issues from OSAP, along with the chart that you mentioned on engineering controls. And then also I wanted to just also mention to our members, I mean to our listeners, that OSAP members have access to these wonderful documents as well as having access to back issues because they are digital. And so uh in closing our episode today, I want to make sure again to let everyone know that this is one aspect of infection control that you may not have thought about. You think about disinfectants, you think about uh you think about needle sticks, you think about uh, you know, instrument processing, but there are so many other topics that OSAF will delve into at a deep level with these little mini textbooks, newsletters that provide you access to tools and and uh checklists and as well as links to more resources. Nancy, you are amazing at putting together this type of information. And I know, as you said, taking a scalpel to all of the great details and putting it into this bite-sized little mini textbook has got to be uh a gigantic um task and and chore for you, but I know you do it as a labor of love. And we thank you. The complaint Stevens, thank you for joining us today. And just one final word. Nancy has kind of a fun fact that I'd like to mention. Besides being she's an incredible hygienist and educator and editor, she's also a birder. She's a nerdy birder, she calls herself, and she's all about anything water, snow skiing, water skiing, paddleboarding, swimming, and also has uh uh made her life in her younger days as a surfer girl. So in closing our podcast today, Nancy, thank you for joining us.
SPEAKER_04Thank you for having me. And you know, I I really appreciate what you guys do. It's brilliant, the divas. It's just brilliant that you got together, named yourself, put information out there. You're doing what I'm doing or trying to do. We're sharing information and we're empowering people. So yay, yay, us. We go forward. And uh I'm I'm real happy that I'm a friend of yours, and we can share information and make all of our information more powerful. So thank you.
SPEAKER_03Mary, you wanted to add to that? Just one final quick thing. We have an internal thing among us that is viva la divas. And so we thank you again for being one of us today. Aw, thanks.
SPEAKER_00In closing, we bring clarity and simplicity to compliance by navigating regulatory compliance to keep you on course. And uh, don't forget to submit your questions if you have any to support at the compliancedevas.com. Look for the resources we mentioned, not only on our website, but also in the show notes of this podcast. Thanks for joining us today.