Clorox APIC Predictions Q&A with Erin McLean and Saskia Popescu

Erin McLean: Hello everyone, and welcome to our pre-event predictions chat for the APIC 2025 conference. I am Dr. Erin McLean, Clinical and Scientific Affairs Specialist for Clorox Healthcare, and I'm here today for the third year in the row with the amazing Dr. Saskia Popescu, Assistant Professor, Epidemiologist and Clorox Pro Spokesperson. Today we're here to talk about our predictions for the biggest conversations at APIC 2025 in Phoenix, Arizona. And stay tuned because we'll also be sharing some amazing key insights into two great sessions, one led by myself and another by my amazing colleague Doe Kley. So, without further ado, welcome Saskia. Thank you so much for joining me again this year.

Saskia Popescu: Thanks so much for having me, Erin. It's always a treat to get to chat with you and delve into APIC because this event is not only my favorite conference of the entire year, but it's the cornerstone of our field and infection prevention, and I think we're going to have a lot of really amazing sessions this year, whether it's the human side of infection prevention or a lot of the emerging converging issues we're facing. So really excited to dive in with you.

Erin: Absolutely. I'm sharing your excitement, trust me. So, let's jump right into it and ask the obvious question. What do you think will be some spotlighted conversations at this year's conference?

Saskia: That's a tough question, but I think emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases and outbreaks are probably going to be a really big piece. When I say re-emerging, I'm thinking measles. We're facing an unprecedented measles outbreak in the United States right now. So, I think there's going to be a lot of discussion around how we're handling that, how we handle vaccine hesitancy and science communication, but then also emerging infectious diseases, like H5N1, that we've been struggling with since last year and what this means for our field. Emerging infectious diseases are a topic you always hear me talk about, but things like Mpox, even viral hemorrhagic fevers and novel pathogens that we might not even know about. So how we prepare for these things, how we manage outbreaks, but what are the day-to-day implications of these things, especially because there's a lot of converging factors, right? We have climate change, global travel, and the dynamics and global health right now. So, there's a lot of moving pieces, and I feel like there's going to be a lot of conversations around what that means for IPs and what we do and take those back to our facilities. So, a lot of hot topics, but I also think the emerging and evolving space within our fields, what are our new tasks that we're seeing and how are our roles changing?

Erin: I totally agree with you. I think your observations are spot on. I certainly appreciate your highlight to emerging pathogens. I'm really looking forward to a talk actually that Doe is giving on Tuesday about emerging pathogens. She's sharing the stage with Dr. Mariana Torres, and last year they had a session on emerging pathogens as well, and I think this year they're going to build on that topic and really highlight, updated lists of high priority pathogens and their potential for spread within and into the United States last year. It was an amazing session. So just a plug, if you're interested in going to her session, get there early, because seats fill up very quickly, but last year I think IPs and audience members walked away with the knowledge and resources necessary to address these emerging infectious disease threats. And, I think IPs have a better understanding on how to enhance their infection control practices.

Saskia: I love that focus, Erin, and I'm definitely going to be taking a seat in Doe’s talk. I'm really looking forward to it. And I think also the topics around emerging infectious diseases really bring up a lot of research right now. We saw so much during Covid, but also more and more as we're facing increasing innovation and questions about how our roles are expanding in infection prevention. A big topic is how does science and data and policy all intersect? And sometimes we see a gap in that space. So, I think that this is going to be a big topic of conversation in terms of: how do we interpret data? What are the latest research findings and how does that inform policy? Because sometimes policy lags a bit and it doesn't always match, but I think IPs are wanting to feel confident and empowered to take that data and see what it means for their communities, but also their practices and policies. So, I know you have a session on Monday, and I'm super curious how you've been preparing for that, but really, I think your session in particular is going to speak to not just novice IPs, but also really seasoned ones, right?

Erin: Absolutely, yes, and thanks for highlighting that. Yes, my session is on that Monday, and allow me to geek out for a minute, I am very excited. So, this is my third year at APIC and my first year presenting in any capacity. So, I have an oral presentation and I'm sharing the stage with Dr. Rebecca Bartles, and we're going to be talking about research, and that is my bread and butter. It’s open to all attendees regardless of their stage in their career, because our goal is to really share that research is for anyone, it's doable for anyone. And I think oftentimes there's a myth or misunderstanding that only certain people can engage in research. So as a PhD scientist, people kind of expect me to be involved in research. I had to do a whole dissertation for it, but it's not just academic IPs or it's not just research focused IPs that can engage in research.

Erin: In our talk on that Monday, we're going to delve into what research is, the different components of it, why it's important for IPs to engage in research, and of course importantly, how to decipher the quality data from the fluff data. We are so often bombarded with a lot of information on a daily basis and how can you determine what is quality versus what's not? And so, we're going to spend a lot of time during the talk discussing that, and of course how to communicate findings to your audience. I'm sure with the different talks and stuff that you give that you have to tailor what you're saying to your audience, or it can miss its landing. And so, we think it's very, very important to land that so that everyone has actionable steps on how to move forward and cost real change.

Saskia: I love that. And I'm so glad you mentioned the communication piece in addition to just interpreting all of it, because it can be super overwhelming, and I know that sometimes we get a bunch of studies to try and tackle a problem, and then all of a sudden, you're kind of like, oh my gosh, which one is good? Which one is bad? How do I use it? So, your point on communication though, really, really drives home something for me, and it's a saying that a friend of mine always uses during science communication. It's that, “science isn't done until it's communicated.” And I think this notion is really, really important because sometimes we get hung up on building the best practices and policies and not necessarily incorporating how to communicate them effectively to our key stakeholders. And that's not just our frontline staff and our clinicians, but also our C-suite, our leadership, our patients, our colleagues, other IPs.

Saskia: And it's really a big impact, I think, because when we don't communicate these things effectively or efficiently or don't consider the audience, that means that it might not have the impact we want. It's kind of that diffusion of innovation concept where you can have the best idea, the best groundbreaking evidence out there, but if you can't communicate it in a way that people understand its significance and its impact and why it's beneficial for them, it might not ever take off. And I think that's a really big piece for infection preventionists moving forward. So, I'm really curious, as you've been prepping your talk, has there been anything that's really surprised you or kind of changed your opinion on how IPs are interacting with research?

Erin: I think that's a really good question. Yes. So, I will say as a researcher myself, I have over a decade of experience in research. So, a lot of things come second nature to me. But I think in my research and preparing for my presentation, I've realized that there is an untapped potential for IPs to engage in research itself. Like I said, sometimes there's this misconception as to what research is and who can do it, and the reality is that we all can engage in our own way. And in my talk on Monday, we'll talk more about this, but some ways that IPs can engage in research and that they already do and may not recognize it anyway, is by participating in clinical trials or focus groups by writing up their own findings and publishing it in a journal or an article by partnering with academic and industries to develop research. And I know sometimes that gets a little side eye because they're like, wait a minute, you can be negatively influenced. And while that is a watch out, you definitely want to see the benefit in partnering with academic or government facilities and institutions because one, there's funding there and there's a lot of insight. And as you mentioned, it's so necessary for science to be well communicated. And the more people that you have involved in the conversation, the better.

Saskia: I love that. And I'm so excited to hear your talk now. It's going to be amazing. And I think you really just drive home a big point to me that we're seeing IPs not just engaging in research as kind of the user of it and applying it to their policies, but now in the driver's seat, we're not just passengers in this, we're leading studies, we're participating in them. We're really part of the process. And that's so exciting. Research is such a big space that if you have people in infection prevention part of it, they can speak to the outcomes that might be really beneficial or things that not necessarily people realize when they're designing these studies. So, I'm really excited to hear your talk, and I think even more how this field is advancing because now that IPs are playing more of a pivotal role in research, they're also playing more of a role in strategic decision making, whether that's preparedness or policy development and that research.

Saskia: So more and more our roles are expanding, which I love to see and I'm always very excited about. But I think that also comes hand in hand with the notion that we might get burnout, we might be growing, but also not necessarily considering the wellbeing aspect of that. So, I do think that this is going to be a big topic at APIC this year, and one that I'm really excited to see more discussion around because as we are discussing the complexity of science and data and policies and dealing with outbreaks, there's a big mental and emotional load with that. So how do we carry that without getting burnt out, without losing our connection to the field and why we got into it? And that shift from strategy to wellbeing is a really big piece. So, I think this human aspect of IP is definitely going to be really a cornerstone of a lot of conversations.

Saskia: And you'll probably hear them even in conversations that, or talks I should say, that don't seem like they would naturally be discussing burnout or mental wellbeing. But invariably, if it's about an outbreak, there's probably going to be a piece then, “Hey, we had to take a minute because it burnt us out and this is what it meant for our team. Here's how we rebuilt,” et cetera. So, I think there's going to be a lot of work around reinforcing that growth has to be paired with support. Growth is such a big piece to our field and to healthcare and public health, but if we don't pair it with support, we're kind of bound to fail. So, I think a lot of discussion, and to your point around how we're growing as a field is going to be about personal growth, but how we also grow as teams, and that includes the mental piece.

Erin: I totally agree. I actually read in the 2024 CloroxPro Clean Index report that 51% of healthcare professionals experienced burnout last year, and that is a lot.

Saskia: Can confirm!

Erin: I think it's more important now than ever that there is an emphasis around collaboration. We're all in this together and we all need to share what knowledge we have. It was something that I heard growing up. My mom would always tell us, you don't have to touch the stove. If I tell you it's hot, trust me that the stove is hot. So, we don't have to get burnt, learn from our colleagues, learn from one another and collaborate not just within the IP community, but again within academia, within industry, within the government, in any way that we can just to work together to really build that foundation of collaboration. And again, I'll be discussing this a lot more in my talk on Monday to discuss strategies for successful partnerships because Clorox operates with a lot of companies, a lot of academic institutions, and we are all about thought leadership and pushing that pillow along so that we all know more and do better.

Saskia: I love that, and I think it's such an important piece of APIC that people may not realize that conferences, especially our field infection prevention and the work that Clorox is doing, of course, we're looking at research and innovation, but we're also looking at the community and health is many, many things. So, I'm really excited. I think especially for first time attendees, they may not realize how holistic this conference is in terms of topics. So, I am curious, the agenda is jam packed and it can be very, very, very overwhelming. I know I'm struggling to plan things, so I'm curious, if you were talking to someone who hadn't attended before, what tips and tricks would you give them for their first time?

Erin: Well, my first bit of advice would be to mark my session down on their calendar so that they're in attendance on Monday at 2:15 PM MT. But seriously, I would certainly say it's really important to write down the top two to three takeaways for the day. As you mentioned, there's just so much information at APIC, which is amazing. You have oral sessions, poster sessions, networking, and all these things that sometimes it can be a little bit overwhelming, and you may not know exactly what happened when and what was said and all that stuff. So, I think it's important to take down your top two to three takeaways and know how they can apply to your facility once the conference is over.

Saskia: Absolutely. That's really practical too. I like that. I am a planner, so I always map it all out and I put it on paper, but I also take screenshots on my phone because I know sometimes Wi-Fi goes down or your cellular network might be challenging, but I also really approach it from the notion of what are my mission critical topics? What are the talks that I will not miss that are set in stone for me? But then I also try to build in flexibility to the rest of the sessions because I know I can map out the whole day, but sometimes you find yourself in a really engaging conversation or you stumble across a training or just people you haven't seen in a while, and it can be this really lovely moment of networking or just finding new ways to solve your problems, to be candid. It's that conversation, that kind of hallway chat that we don't realize actually solves a lot. So, I always tell people, plan accordingly, but know that flexibility is a good piece to this.

Erin: Absolutely. I totally agree. And I'm making a mental note of that myself to plan accordingly so that I'm not swamped and overwhelmed with everything. And I hope everyone that is listening is taking notes as well. Please feel free to drop your tips and tricks into the chat and any predictions that you may have about the upcoming conference, we'd love to hear from you. So, as we're wrapping things up, Saskia, can you tell me, if people can walk away with one thing from this year's conference, what should that thing be?

Saskia: I think to sum it up, I would start with what you really need and want most out of this. What do you need to fill your cup? Is that addressing a specific topic that you want to attend talks on? Is it you're facing a challenge or a hurdle within the workplace that you want to work through? Is it networking in the community aspect of it or is it training? Is it about building up skills and leadership or communication? There's a whole spectrum of these things, and you’re going to find all the latest research and scientific findings and innovations. But also, some lessons learned because one thing is we always have crazy stories that are wonderful teaching moments. And last but not least, looking at at IPs as this holistic profession. We have to be up to date on the latest research, response novel outbreaks, while still dealing with healthcare associated infections. But that mental wellbeing piece is really significant. So, this conference has all of that and I really encourage people to think about what they need. Is it a little bit of research and innovation? Is it solving that problem? Or is it really about building that network and that community?

Erin: Absolutely. I think that was very well put, and I totally agree. I definitely think if people can walk away with one actionable insight that they're taking back to their facility, then APIC would've done its job, so it will be a successful conference.

Saskia: Absolutely.

Erin: Well, I think we are at time, and that is a wrap for our pre-APIC predictions chat. Thank you so much again, Saskia, for joining me today, and thank you all for joining. Again. If you have any tips and tricks or some of your own predictions, feel free to drop them in the chat. And if you'll be at APIC and you'll be attending either my session on Monday or Doe’s session on Tuesday, please feel free to stop by and say hello. Thank you so much for joining us and hope to see you in Phoenix.

Saskia: Thank you, and I'll see you there, Erin.