Author name: Kamyab Ghatan

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IPAC During Construction in Healthcare Facilities: A Complete Canadian Guide

Construction-related infections occur when dust, air, or water systems expose patients to pathogens. In 2019, a hospital in Ontario experienced invasive aspergillosis during an HVAC upgrade. Three immunocompromised patients developed life-threatening infections. Construction dust breached containment barriers and carried fungal spores into patient areas. You cannot separate hospital construction from infection prevention and control (IPAC). […]

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How to Prepare for the CIC® Exam: Best Resources for 2026

How to Prepare for the CIC® Exam: The Ultimate Study Guide and Best Resources for 2026

Getting certified is a major milestone for any Infection Prevention and Control (IPAC) professional. It is the “gold standard” that proves you have the expertise to keep patients and staff safe. But let’s be honest: looking at the massive APIC Text and the 2026 blueprint can feel like staring at a mountain you aren’t quite

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How to Write an Effective IPAC

How to Write an Effective IPAC Manual for Your Medical Clinic: The 2026 Compliance Guide

Let’s be honest: The phrase “IPAC Manual” probably conjures images of a dusty binder tucked away on a forgotten shelf. Most clinics think they’re compliant. They’ve got protocols, sure. But then a Public Health inspector walks in, and suddenly, those assumed protocols crumble under scrutiny. We’ve seen it time and again. Your IPAC (Infection Prevention

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5 Common IPAC Failures Found During Dental Office Inspections

5 Common IPAC Failures Found During Dental Office Inspections (And How to Fix Them)

Nobody wants to receive that phone call from public health. You know the one where they’re requesting an immediate inspection of your dental practice because of a potential infection control lapse. Yet across Canada, dental offices continue to face closures and public health orders due to preventable IPAC failures. In Ontario alone, dozens of practices

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Ontario LTC Compliance A 2026 Guide to IPAC Lapse Prevention

Ontario LTC Compliance: A 2026 Strategic Guide to IPAC Lapse Prevention

In the world of Ontario healthcare, the term “compliance” often feels like a heavy cloud hanging over a facility. But if you’re managing a Long-Term Care (LTC) home in 2026, compliance isn’t just a regulatory hurdle. It is your strongest shield against the one thing every Director of Care fears: a public IPAC lapse report.

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Ante-Room Requirements for Healthcare Construction Projects Complete Compliance Guide for Canadian Facilities

Ante-Room Requirements for Healthcare Construction Projects: Complete Compliance Guide for Canadian Facilities

When planning healthcare construction or renovation, ante-rooms serve as critical buffer zones between isolation rooms and corridors, preventing contaminated or sterile air from mixing with general facility air. These transitional spaces protect patients and healthcare workers from airborne pathogens during patient care and construction activities. At Infection Shield, we help healthcare facilities across Canada ensure

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The Difference Between Cleaning, Disinfecting, and Sterilizing

The Difference Between Cleaning, Disinfecting, and Sterilizing

Your housekeeping staff just asked a simple question: “Should I clean or disinfect this?” You paused. Because honestly, what’s the difference? Then your IPAC lead mentioned something about sterilization during the staff meeting. Now you’re really confused. Here’s the thing: these three terms get used all the time. Even in healthcare settings where precision matters.

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Managing MDROs (MRSAVRE) in Congregate Living Settings

Managing MDROs (MRSA/VRE) in Congregate Living Settings

You just got the call. A resident tested positive for MRSA. Or maybe it’s VRE this time. Either way, you’re staring at a lab report, wondering what happens next. Do you isolate immediately? What about the roommate? Should you notify families? And what exactly do you tell staff who are already nervous about working the

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Steam Sterilization vs. Chemical Disinfection Dental Best Practices

Steam Sterilization vs. Chemical Disinfection: Dental Best Practices

Walk into any dental clinic, and you’ll see the same scene repeated dozens of times daily. Instruments going in. Instruments coming out. A careful dance between patient care and infection control. But here’s the thing not all cleaning methods are created equal. And in dentistry, where you’re working in one of the body’s most bacteria-rich

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The 4 Moments of Hand Hygiene Why Hospitals Still Struggle

The 4 Moments of Hand Hygiene: Why Hospitals Still Struggle

We all know the drill. Wash your hands. Use sanitizer. Keep patients safe. Yet here we are in 2025, and healthcare facilities across Canada are still struggling with something as fundamental as hand hygiene. It’s not for lack of trying. Healthcare workers aren’t careless. Administrators aren’t ignoring the problem. But despite decades of evidence and

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