Jessica Rosende, MPH, CIC, CSSGB // Infection Preventionist // Huntington Hospital and Sharon Vanairsdale, DNP, APRN, ACNS-BC, NP-C, CEN, FAEN, FAAN // Program Director for the Serious Communicable Diseases Unit, Emory University Hospital // Director of Education for the National Ebola Training and Education Center

When you think of an extreme outbreak, Ebola, Zika, measles, come to mind, diseases that plague the news (no pun intended). Novel Coronavirus, or COVID-19, is our newest concern, and as conditions evolve, each day brings new information. In this episode, we will review the current state of COVID-19, the supply of personal protective equipment (PPE) and important preventative measures to be taken by both healthcare workers and the public.

Jessica Silvaggio Rosende, MPH, CIC, CSSGB is an infection preventionist at Huntington Hospital in Pasadena, CA after having worked as an infection preventionist at University of California Los Angeles and Children’s Hospital Los Angeles. Before becoming an IP, Jessica worked as an applied epidemiology fellow with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists (CSTE) focusing on infectious diseases and healthcare associated infections in Los Angeles County. Professionally, Jessica is interested in multidrug-resistant organisms in healthcare settings, emerging infectious diseases, antimicrobial stewardship and emergency preparedness. She is President of the Greater Los Angeles Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology chapter and President-Elect of California APIC.

Sharon Vanairsdale, DNP, APRN, ACNS-BC, NP-C, CEN, FAEN, FAAN is the Program Director for the Serious Communicable Diseases Unit at Emory University Hospital in Atlanta, GA. As the Program Director, she manages unit readiness and hospital preparedness for patients with Ebola and other special pathogens. In her role, she helps coordinate clinical operations, staff safety, and patient outcomes. She has been involved in the care of patients with Ebola virus disease and Lassa Fever. Dr. Vanairsdale is also the Director of Education within the National Ebola Training and Education Center, a federally funded collaborative between Emory, Nebraska Medicine, and New York Health and Hospital-Bellevue. Prior to the 2014 Ebola outbreak, she was the Clinical Nurse Specialist in the Emergency Department at Emory University Hospital.

Hosted by:

Hannah Andrews and Silvia Quevedo

“For the general public, public health notes that it’s not recommended to wear masks. What is important is appropriate respiratory etiquette and being really really strict about your hand hygiene.”