Infection Control Exchange

Construction Series – Part 1: Why Infection Prevention and Control Must Start at Design Healthcare construction and renovation projects create infection risks long before patients ever enter the space. Too often, infection prevention and control staff are brought in late — after key decisions have already been made — and it is very difficult to make any changes. In Part 1 of this 3-part series , t...

CIC Exam Preparation: How to Think, Study, and Succeed Preparing for the CIC exam can feel overwhelming — especially when balancing clinical work, audits, outbreaks, and leadership responsibilities. In this episode of The Infection Control Exchange Podcast , we break down: • How the CIC exam is structured • What candidates often misunderstand • How to align real-world IPAC practice with exam expec...

Artificial intelligence is rapidly entering healthcare—but what does it actually mean for infection prevention and control? In Season 2, Episode 1 of The Infection Control Exchange Podcast , we explore how AI can support infection prevention teams by identifying patterns, correlations, and emerging risks that traditional surveillance methods may miss. This episode moves beyond hype and automation...

Episode 12 (Part 3): COVID-19 Lessons Learned – What Must Change In Part 3 of this COVID-19 Lessons Learned series , Wayne Tucker explores the deeper, long-term implications of the pandemic and what healthcare systems must change to be better prepared moving forward. This episode discusses: • System-wide gaps revealed during COVID-19 across Canada • Infection prevention capacity and readiness • Wo...

The holiday season brings increased risk for outbreaks across healthcare settings — especially in long-term care and acute care environments that never close. In this special Christmas episode of the Infection Control Exchange Podcast , we focus on practical, frontline-informed strategies to help healthcare teams reduce outbreak risk during the holidays. From staffing challenges and increased visi...

Episode 11 - COVID-19 Lessons Learned (Part 2 of 3) : LTC on the Front Lines Part 2 of the COVID-19 Lessons Learned series explores the real-world operational challenges faced by infection prevention and control teams during the pandemic. This episode focuses on how system design, workforce decisions, and shared responsibility affected outbreak management — particularly in long-term care. Topics i...

COVID-19 Lessons Learned (Part 1 of 3): System Preparedness — What the Pandemic Exposed In this episode, we begin a three-part exploration into what COVID-19 taught us about pandemic preparedness across long-term care, acute care, and the wider healthcare system. This series focuses on practical insights grounded in real experiences — not headlines — highlighting what frontline IPAC teams actually...

Bonus Episode – Colour-Changing Hand Sanitizer Concept In this episode, host Wayne Tucker (MSc, EMBA, CIC, LTC-CIP) walks through the early development of a new colour-changing hand sanitizer designed to make hand hygiene more visible, teachable, and reliable in real-world settings. Instead of focusing on dispensers or hardware, this product concept centers on what happens after the sanitizer is a...

Episode 9 — The Importance of a Point of Care Risk Assessment (PCRA) A Point of Care Risk Assessment, or PCRA, is any interaction with a resident or patient in which healthcare workers make rapid decisions throughout their shift to reduce their risk of exposure: • What is the risk of exposure? • What PPE is required? • Is this the right environment for this task? • What precautions are needed base...

Healthcare teams need PPE systems that adapt to real-world needs—not rigid designs that never fit the environment. After 23 years in infection control and healthcare leadership, I’ve seen the same challenges repeated across LTC, acute care, and community settings. To solve this, I’m building a modular, configurable PPE storage system—a “LEGO-style” approach that allows gloves, masks, gowns, wipes,...

Episode 8 – Who I Am & How I Support Healthcare Organizations In this special episode of The Infection Control Exchange, I take a step back from the technical topics and share more about my background, my journey in infection prevention, and the hands-on support I provide across long-term care, acute care, and community settings. In this episode, I discuss: • My education, credentials, and pro...

Episode 7 - Inspections and Compliance: A Practical Guide for IPAC Leaders In this episode of The Infection Control Exchange, host Wayne Tucker breaks down the realities of inspection and compliance in long-term care, drawing from years of firsthand experience with Ministry of Health inspections. Inspections often create anxiety — but they don’t have to. With the right approach, inspections can be...

🎙️ Episode 6 — A Day in the Life of an Infection Preventionist What does a typical day look like for an Infection Prevention and Control (IPAC) professional? In this two-part episode, Wayne Tucker walks through a realistic day in the life of an Infection Preventionist/IPAC Professional working in long-term care — from proactive surveillance and communication to managing an emerging outbreak. Part...

Even though hand hygiene remains one of the most effective infection control measures against the spread of infectious disease, compliance in healthcare settings continues to fall short worldwide. Why is something so simple still so difficult to sustain? In this episode, Wayne Tucker explores the complex human, cultural, and system-level factors behind missed hand hygiene opportunities. From busy...

In this episode of The Infection Control Exchange, host Wayne Tucker explores what it truly means to build an Infection Prevention and Control (IPAC) culture that goes beyond policies and procedures. From leadership visibility to staff engagement, Wayne discusses how strong IPAC cultures are reflected in daily practice, not just written standards and policies. He shares real-world insights from lo...

In this episode of Infection Control Exchange, Wayne Tucker explores what’s working — and what still needs improvement — in infection prevention and control across healthcare environments. Drawing from experience and data, he discusses real-world challenges, system gaps, and examples of successful practices that are making a measurable difference in patient and staff safety. 🎧 Host: Wayne Tucker,...

National Infection Control Week (NICW) To celebrate NICW (Oct 20–24, 2025), I share simple ways teams can engage—daily micro-activities, friendly contests, and quick wins that keep hand hygiene and donning/doffing PPE awareness top-of-mind while protecting residents, patients, and colleagues. It is an opportunity this week to draw attention to the critical role of infection control in reducing the...

Welcome to the debut episode of The Infection Control Exchange, a podcast dedicated to advancing infection prevention, control, and healthcare quality improvement. In this first episode, host Wayne Tucker, BA, MSc (Psych), EMBA, MSc (IPAC), CIC, LTC-CIP shares his journey through infection prevention and control — from his early experiences to his leadership roles across acute care, public health,...