5 Second Rule
Episodes
#76 From Bedside to Boardroom: A Conversation With Kathy Ward, APIC's 2026 President
13 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
What inspires an RN to lead national infection prevention efforts? In this episode, Kelly Holmes welcomes 2026 APIC President Kathy Ward to shar...
#75 Cross-Border Lessons: How Canada Is Advancing Infection Prevention in Long-Term Care
09 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
How does strong infection prevention leadership reshape long-term care? In this episode, host Lerenza Howard sits down with Tiberius Stanescu, RN, CIC...
#74 A Conversation With APIC's CEO Devin Jopp: Navigating Infection Prevention Through Misinformation and Policy Shifts With Future-Focused Solutions
11 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What are the biggest infection prevention challenges we face today? In this special episode of the Five Second Rule, co-hosts Lerenza Howard and Kelly...
#73 Inside APIC's Research Network
14 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Curious how you can shape the future of IPC research? The APIC Research Network (ARN) makes it easy — with free membership, mentorship, and resource...
#72 IIPW 2025: Stand UPPP for Infection Prevention
09 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
How are infection preventionists gearing up for IIPW 2025? In this episode, co-hosts Lerenza Howard and Kelly Holmes welcome guests from APIC's Commun...
#71 APIC25 Spotlight: Improving HLD Reprocessing Reliability and Reimagining Hand Hygiene
12 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What do therapy dogs and data-driven strategies have in common? They're both helping to move the needle on patient safety. In this APIC 2025 Annual Co...
#70 Elevating Infection Prevention: Unveiling the Power of the AL-CIP Certification
08 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Want to elevate your infection prevention career? Dive into this inspiring episode with Gail Fraine and Dr. Mayar Al Mohajer as they explore the value...
#69 The Measles Comeback Tour: Are You Ready?
10 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Are you ready for measles to walk through your doors? In this episode of the 5 Second Rule, hosts Kelly and Lerenza talk with experts Tiffany Dogan an...
#68 Expert Review: A Deep Dive Into APIC's CAUTI Implementation Guide
13 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, our hosts chat with Dr. Rebecca Crapanzano-Sigafoos and Frankie Catalfumo about APIC's updated CAUTI Implementation Guide and the col...
#67 Global Infection Control: Strategies, Challenges and the Future of Healthcare
08 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
How do infection prevention strategies vary across the globe? In this episode, Kelly Holmes and Lerenza Howard talk with infection control experts Dr....
#66 Silent Spread: Unmasking the Kansas Tuberculosis Outbreak
11 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Tuberculosis remains a pressing public health challenge, with recent outbreaks highlighting its persistent threat. In this episode infectious disease ...
#65 Crafting Your IP Future: Strategies for Career Advancement in Infection Prevention
11 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What's the next step in your career as an IP? Join hosts Kelly Holmes and Lerenza Howard as they explore APIC's Career Development and Advancement Gui...
#64 Infection Prevention Across Borders: A Conversation With Dr. Carol McLay, APIC's 2025 President
14 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Tune into this episode of the 5 Second Rule Podcast where hosts Lerenza Howard and Kelly Holmes interview Dr. Carol McLay, a leading infection prevent...
#63 IP Strategic Partnership: The Critical Role of Infection Preventionists As Advocates in Sterile Processing – Featuring Rebecca Taylor Alvino
10 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this special holiday edition, hosts Lerenza Howard and Kelly Holmes welcome Rebecca Taylor Alvino, a board-certified infection preventionist and pe...
#62 Confronting the Storm: Infection Control in the Eye of a Hurricane
12 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In the 5 Second Rule podcast by APIC, hosts Lerenza Howard and Kelly Holmes discuss infection prevention and control in the context of hurricanes with...
#61 Moving the Needle on Health Equity and Healthcare
08 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Hear about the intricacies of healthcare equity in this episode of the 5 Second Rule podcast, hosted by Kelly Holmes and Lerenza Howard. We welcome Ca...
#60 Community Health Heroes: Unpacking the Missouri Kids IPC Toolkit
10 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In the latest episode of the 5 Second Rule podcast, guest Chris Smith delves into the collaboration between the Missouri Department of Health and Seni...
#59 Decoding the 2024 Infection Control Updates: A Deep Dive With The Joint Commission Expert Natalya Rosenberg
13 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Are you up to date with the latest Infection Control Updates for 2024? Tune into the Five Second Rule Podcast, where hosts Kelly Holmes and Lerenza Ho...
#58 Live in San Antonio
09 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Listen in as our hosts, Lerenza Howard and Kelly Holmes, interview the authors of three impactful oral and poster presentations live at the 2024 APIC ...
#57 IP Strategic Partnership: Diving Into Occupational Health With Allison Zelikoff
11 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this insightful podcast, nurse manager Allison Zelikoff explores the history and importance of occupational health, its partnership with infection ...
#56 Pulling Back the Curtain on the APIC Abstract Review Process With Trent MacAllister
14 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of the Five Second Rule podcast, hosts Kelly Holmes and Lerenza Howard speak with Trent MacAllister, Infection Preventionist at the Wa...
#55 Nipping Infections in the Bud: Spotlight on IPs in Long-Term Care
09 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Explore the world of infection prevention and control in the long-term care sector on APIC's 5 Second Rule podcast. This episode features A.C. Burke, ...
#54 From MRSA to Influence: A Patient's Path to Advocacy
12 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this engaging episode of the Five Second Rule podcast, hosts Kelly Holmes and Lerenza Howard converse with patient advocate Rosie Bartel, sharing h...
#53 Journey to Chapter Excellence: A Tale of Two Stories
13 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of the 5 Second Rule podcast, hosts Lerenza Howard and Kelly Holmes talk with Aayushi Chheda, past president of the Midnight Sun Chapt...
#52 Meet the 2024 President: Tania Bubb's Outlook for the Future of APIC
09 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Are you ready to be inspired by a conversation with Dr. Tania Bubb, APIC's 2024 president? Listen to this podcast to learn about her volunteerism, jou...
#51 APIC's Emerging Infectious Diseases Task Force: Changing Infection Prevention One Playbook at a Time
12 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Join us as we hear from Rosa Lozano, the chair of APIC's Emerging Infectious Diseases Task Force. She discusses her role in assembling the passionate,...
#50 Conquering Burnout: Heather Saunders' Recipe for Wellness
14 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Heather Saunders, an Infection Prevention and Control Nurse Consultant and Research Nurse Program Manager, shares personal strategies to navigate and ...
#49 Celebrating International Infection Prevention Week With Carole Kamangu: From Aspirations of Becoming a Surgeon to Gaining Tenacity and Grit in Public Health
10 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
This podcast hosted by APIC celebrates International Infection Prevention Week with guest Carole Kamangu. Carole is a nurse epidemiologist and infecti...
#48 Inside the Mind of a Vaccine Scientist: Lessons Learned From the COVID-19 Pandemic and Preparing for the Future of IPC with Dr. Peter Hotez
12 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of the 5 Second Rule, hosts Kelly and Lerenza interview Dr. Peter Hotez, a vaccine scientist and autism parent, who shares his insight...
#47 Live in Orlando
08 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Our hosts are joined in-person by three oral and poster presenters at the 2023 APIC Annual Conference in Orlando! You'll hear about insights from a ne...
#46 The IP Researcher: Unraveling Implementation Science
11 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Tune in to hear Dr. Gilmartin share her journey from her start as an infection preventionist in a rural hospital to a Doctor of Nursing. In this episo...
#45 Navigating APIC's Annual Conference & Exposition
13 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Whether you've attended before or are a first timer, you'll want to listen as our hosts interview the 2023 APIC Annual Conference Chair Maria Whitaker...
#44 Mentor-Mentee Relationships in Infection Prevention: A Two-Way Street
09 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Listen as an expert IP mentor and a successful IP mentee discuss their relationship, how they found each other, and the benefits of a mentor-mentee re...
#43 ABCs of Infection Prevention Certification
11 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, our hosts discuss the many certifications in IPC with CBIC immediate past president Sandra Callery and CBIC board member Tiffany Wiks...
#42 Breaking Down the Annual Risk Assessment and IP Program Plan
14 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Tackling the Annual Risk Assessment and Infection Prevention Program Plan can be a daunting task even for the most experienced IP. Listen as guest spe...
#41 Tips From Expert IPs: A Foot in the Door and a Leg Up on Leadership
14 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Breaking into the IPC industry can be challenging. Listen as two infection prevention experts and leaders discuss strategies on how to get started in ...
#40 Strengths and Struggles of the Lone IP: Support for the "One-ers"
10 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
For the first episode with our new hosts, Patricia "Pat" Jackson, 2023 APIC President, stops by to answer questions on her presidency and to discuss t...
#39 Recruit, Train, and Retain Talent in IPC
13 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
APIC Hero of Infection Prevention Kelley Knapek talks about what it takes to successfully recruit, train, and retain talent in the IPC industry. Learn...
#38 The Novice Roadmap for the Infection Preventionist: Go Your Own Way
08 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The Novice Roadmap for the Infection Preventionist is an orientation guide and a pathway to earning your CIC. Listen to two of the Roadmap's creators ...
#37 Environment of Scare: Expect the Unexpected
11 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Environment of Care (EOC) means 'environment in which care is being provided.' Listen as guest hosts talk with Robert Carter on his roles as they rela...
#36 The Next 5 Seconds
13 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
APIC Communication Committee members discuss the new direction of the podcast and talk about being an IP in a post-COVID world. Hosted by: Marie Wilso...
#35 NHSN Case Studies: Level Up Your Surveillance
09 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
NHSN training is a key first step to becoming a competent infection preventionist. In this episode we talk to Marc Wright, clinical science liaison fo...
#34 Between a Rock and Hard Place: APIC's White Paper and Call to Action
12 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Listen to Dr. Terri Rebmann discuss the key takeaways from APIC's "Between a Rock and Hard Place, Recommendations for Balancing Patient Safety and Pan...
#33 Happy Anniversary APIC: 50 Years Strong!
14 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
For five decades, APIC has been a leading voice in the area of infection prevention and control. Listen as 2022 APIC President, Linda Dickey, and 1994...
#32 Setting the Record Straight: A Conversation on Hospital Accreditation
10 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
This episode highlights how accrediting bodies fit in to the overall patient safety landscape and their role. We are joined by Sylvia Garcia-Houchins....
#31 TB or Not TB, That Is the Infection Prevention Question
12 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Many people think that Tuberculosis (TB) is a disease safely tucked away in human history, but that's not the case. Not only does it still lurk in com...
#30 One Step Forward, Two Steps Back: Healthcare Associated Infections (HAIs) During the COVID-19 pandemic
08 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
It's 2019. Facilities are seeing an encouraging decrease in healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) on a state and national level. Fast forward a few ...
#29 Go With the "Air" Flow: Ventilation and Filtration for Infection Prevention and Control
08 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Since Pliny, the Elder of ancient Rome, the effects of proper and improper ventilation techniques have been observed. As the world continues to transf...
#28 Career Advice: How To Become an Infection Preventionist
11 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The infection prevention profession has been rapidly growing as the need for health protocols increases in various environments. What we traditionally...
#27 Ready for Anything: Emergency Medical Services (EMS) and Infection Prevention and Control
14 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
While none of us wants to ever need to call 911, the truth is, many of us will. It is good to know that emergency medical professionals are required t...
#26 The Fungus Among Us- Candida Auris
09 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Fungi exist all around us from yeast and mushrooms to rust and mold. One species of fungus, Candida auris, is particularly problematic especially for ...
#25 Antimicrobial Stewardship during the COVID-19 Pandemic- A Journey of Twists and Turns
12 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) is a coordinated effort that promotes the appropriate use of antibiotics. In this episode, we'll be discussing how the...
#24 COVID-19 Safety in Schools: Not As Easy as ABC
14 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
With students, faculty, and staff returning to their school systems, the question of how to keep those within these institutions safe is at the forefr...
#23 There's No Place Like Home Health
10 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The growing complexity of medical conditions managed in a patient's residence is making home health care a key area of interest for infection preventi...
#22 (Renal) Failure Is Not an Option: Infection Prevention and Control in Dialysis Settings
13 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
It is estimated that 750,000 Americans are affected by kidney failure each year. Through the process of dialysis, healthcare professionals are able to...
#21 Diversity and Inclusion in Infection Prevention and Control
08 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, we touch on the dialogue surrounding diversity and inclusion efforts in healthcare and infection prevention and control. Unfortunatel...
#20 Not All Bugs are Bad
11 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
What comes to mind when you hear the word, "microbes"? If your first thought is bacteria, you may also correlate that with sickness. Surprisingly, tha...
#19 Influenza, RSV and COVID-19: It "snot" so "sneezy" to tell the difference
13 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
As COVID vaccines become more accessible to the public, it's important to keep in mind the present dangers of other common respiratory illnesses. Tran...
#18 Hard Hat Required: Infection Prevention and Control with Renovations and Construction in Healthcare Settings
09 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Ever wonder about the considerations that go into a healthcare facility's much-needed renovation? Or a hospital's expansion project that requires a br...
#17 Proper PPE is Always in Fashion
09 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
During the COVID-19 pandemic, personal protective equipment (PPE) has become as essential to everyday life as shoes, though masking guidelines for use...
#16 New Year's Resolution: Prevent the Spread
12 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
This past year is one for the history books, and it is important to carry the lessons we learned into 2021 before closing out this chapter. Traditiona...
#15 Something is in the Air - Airborne Transmission: The Basics and not so Basic
08 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
There is a reason we like to open windows or get outside for some "fresh air." Air quality and ventilation are a big deal when we try to stop the spre...
#14 All About Water
10 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Water is the most critical substance for all of us including those microscopic critters. The 5 Second Rule talks to expert, Dr. Janice Stout about wha...
#13 Infection Preventionists during COVID-19 are not alone: Tales from the field
13 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The global COVID-19 pandemic has been especially difficult for those working in healthcare. Infection preventionists working tirelessly behind the sce...
#12 Tell them what matters: Advocacy in infection prevention
08 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
There really are no excuses not to engage in advocacy. Associations like APIC make it easy for members to write their state and federal lawmakers by c...
#11 Honey, did you remember to wash the lettuce? Avoiding Foodborne Illness
11 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
You go out with friends or family, and you're not feeling so great soon after. What's your go-to culprit? Probably food poisoning. This episode sheds ...
#10 Advanced in years should not be advanced with tears: Infection Prevention and Control in Long Term Care
14 Jul 2020
Contributed by Lukas
It's true, "getting old ain't for wimps (especially during a global pandemic!)" Nursing home residents and healthcare workers who care for them in the...
#9 Behind the 5 Second Rule
09 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The questionable concept of the "5 Second Rule" is one we have all grown up with. You drop a food item on the floor that you really-really wanted and ...
#8 Creating a healthier world: It's in your CLEAN hands.
12 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
We hear so much about how hand washing is one of the most important steps we can take to avoid getting sick, but is that all hype? Listen to "5 Second...
#7 How clean is clean enough?
14 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
When you enter a hotel room, the bed is made, the toiletries are unopened, and fresh towels are ready for you. We know housekeeping cleans each room a...
#6 What You Need to Know About the Coronavirus
04 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
When you think of an extreme outbreak, Ebola, Zika, measles, come to mind, diseases that plague the news (no pun intended). Novel Coronavirus, or COVI...
#5 Bacteria, Viruses and Fungi, OH MY
11 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Think all bugs are scary? Just like Dorothy's journey through Oz, you will learn how bad (or good!) these bugs really are and better understand how to...
#4 Outbreaks: Don't Panic!
14 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
If there's something strange in your neighborhood, like an outbreak of norovirus, do you know how it gets investigated? Listen in to hear how public h...
#3 A Mother's Story: Why HAIs Are Everyone's Business
10 Dec 2019
Contributed by Lukas
No one likes being in the hospital, but it's even scarier when it feels like a second home. Listen to this personal account of how one mother navigate...
#2 Antibiotics: Too much of a good thing?
12 Nov 2019
Contributed by Lukas
So what exactly is antimicrobial resistance and why should you care? Hint: it's not just about giving chickens antibiotics. Join us while we shed some...
#1 MythBusters: Vaccine Edition
08 Oct 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Vaccines have become a hot topic, and that doesn't appear to be changing any time soon. In this episode, we dispel many circulating myths about vaccin...
This Is 5 Second Rule
05 Aug 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Join us while we talk to infection preventionists to learn the facts about infection prevention, the truth about some common myths, and tips to keepin...