In this issue

President's Report

As the year comes to a close and I reflect on the value added impact that each of you in APIC Indiana have had on my personal and professional career I have been touched and humbled to represent you; the membership. There have been a multitude of very cutting edge infection prevention strategic alliances ongoing in our state that I want to share with you all today.

            “A strategic alliance is an agreement between two or more parties to pursue a set of agreed upon objectives needed while remaining independent organizations. This form of cooperation lies between mergers and acquisitions and organic growth. Strategic alliances occurs when two or more organizations join together to pursue mutual benefits”.    

 We have a unique chapter in that it covers the entire state; stretching from the Ohio River to Lake Michigan we get to do what many chapters cannot do and that is focus work that affects the greater good for all patients, families and Hoosiers in a mighty way.

I submitted our application to APIC National for Strategic Alliance Chapter Excellence award and we will hear back sometime in February the results. Even if we are not selected, I know we excel in every way in this regard. Here are a few bullets from the application albeit not a comprehensive list:

• In 2015, Chapter 076 formed an alliance with Indiana State Department of Health (ISDH) to promote and further education and development of our Infection Preventionists across our state by requesting use of the Ebola Supplement and we were awarded $51,000 to use for real time education efforts across our state for a 3 year period.

• This grant further strengthens our already solid strategic alignment to the ISDH with membership/contribution to the HAI state planning program (APIC President and President Elect), Antimicrobial Stewardship statewide program committee (APIC President and 3 other BOD), Patient safety coalition (several BOD) with MDRO workgroup with emphasis on CRE hand offs across the continuum of care between hospitals and long term care facilities (President and BOD members).

• We have developed a ticket to ride as well as had several conferences and webinars to educate and report statewide CRE data since Dec 2015 (BOD member).

• We have 4 major systems across our state working with the Patient Safety Coalition for Perioperative Ulcer Prevention alignment with representation of BOD content experts from AORN and NAWOC to make evidence based decisions affecting perioperative care.

• In August of 2016, the chapter partnered with the Indiana Hospital Association (IHA) to do Sepsis Education and Awareness. September 13, 2016 was statewide Sepsis awareness day. Our chapter has reached out to 3 local Nursing schools as well as the center for Aging at University of Indianapolis to partner in furthering sepsis awareness and education in practice in our state schools and SNFs. We plan to further develop this for schools and patient education along with our IHA and ISDH strategic partners.

• In January 2016, our beloved past President Susan Kraska began the process to lobby APICs position regarding Senate bill 162. State Senator Patricia Miller authored Senate Bill 162. This bill supports immunizations of health care personnel; however APIC Indiana is supportive of this bill but would like the language to be fine -tuned to match the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) and others as mentioned in the references in APIC Indiana’s attached response to Senate Bill 162.

As you can see we are very active and very much partners in infection prevention across our state! Even if we do not win the chapter excellence award this year, I know we well on our way and winning every day with every face of zero that we encounter who enter our doors for healthcare and concern. I value that and so should you!

APIC Spring Conference- April 6 and 7!!! A new and exciting event is occurring which is out of the ordinary due to our strategic alliance with the ISDH. The ISDH is requesting that we hold a pre-conference work shop for new IPs on Thursday April 6^th, 2017 the day before our spring conference Friday, April 7. They have several topics to discuss with new IPS and will take care of the registering attendees, creating the agenda, and presenting. This will be free to the new IPs. Stay tuned for this ground breaking educational event!

APIC National has informed us of a few new things in 2017. As new state and federal policymakers taking office and are getting settled, it will be important for infection Preventionists to educate these officials about infection prevention issues. To help prepare you for these advocacy opportunities, the APIC Public Policy Committee created the Voice for Infection Prevention: Public Policy Agenda. The Agenda is a comprehensive document where you can find summaries of key public policy issues, joint position papers, links to online tools, and a list of ways to get involved in infection prevention advocacy. Please take a moment to review the document and learn about APIC’s priorities for the coming year.

Your newest APIC National member resource, Industry Perspectives, showcases information generated by industry in infection prevention and control, providing you with easy access to best practices and evidence-based information related to products, solutions, and services. Industry Perspectives acts as a bridge between IPs and the healthcare industry. Expand your clinical knowledge—visit Industry Perspectives today!

New criteria are being set now from National office for FAPIC (Fellow of APIC) applications for the expert- advanced IP. This will be the last year in 2017 that a Masters is PREFERRED, but not required to apply. This will also be the last year that research and publications you have done must be in the last 10 years to apply for this award. If you are interested in becoming a Fellow and feel you are close to meeting all the criteria please contact Heather Hohenberger or me. We actually thought we did not meet the criteria and after discussing our relevant professional criteria and publications we did apply and both were awarded this distinction. Next year APIC national is focusing on the mid-level practitioner as they did with the Novice Roadmap last year. Stay tuned for more from APIC national.

New in 2017 will be the “Excellence in Mentoring Award”…stay tuned as the criteria will be presented to the BOD on February 10 and pushed out to membership for nominations of 1 person to win this prestigious award and receive travel funds for APIC National in Portland, Oregon June 14-16, 2017. Please send me a note if you are presenting at the conference by speaker, oral abstract, or poster presentation. GO APIC IN!!!

Last but not least, I want to thank all of you who supported me in a very difficult time for all of us. The loss of our dear friend Susan Kraska was very hard on this incumbent and protégé of her great wise leadership and mentoring. She touched so many lives, ours in APIC and her patients. However, you need to know how much you all touched me. I received over 80 emails shortly after sending out notification to the state on her passing. This role as I said is a volunteer positon, and when you are faced with the unimaginable, the wonderful colleagues and friends of APIC Indiana surround you with comfort and peace. Thanks to the executive team who stepped in to replace some big shoes in Susan’s passing to assist me in daily tasks that I was not prepared to handle alone. I especially want to thank, Joe, Lori, Sonya, and Heather- all who have made it worth the journey. I look forward to serving next year as immediate past president and now voting BOD with our new bylaws to continue this journey to zero with our new leaders.

The transitional Board meeting is February 10, 2017 and your new officers will take over then. I look forward to our induction of officers on this day~

With much gratitude,

Jennifer Spivey-2016 APIC IN President