Beyond the Background: The Future of Infection Prevention Featuring Ivan Gowe

Welcome to the kNOw RISK Podcast, powered by CS Medical and hosted by Jill Holdsworth, Medical Affairs Manager and Infection Preventionist. kNOw RISK features conversations with healthcare experts focused on infection prevention, patient safety, education, and safer reprocessing practices. In this episode, “Beyond the Background: The Future of Infection Prevention,” Jill is joined by Ivan Gowe to discuss how different professional and educational backgrounds strengthen infection prevention teams and support patient safety. The conversation explores the many pathways into infection prevention, the perspectives different disciplines bring, and the barriers professionals may face when entering the field from a non-nursing background. Drawing on Ivan’s laboratory background, Jill and Ivan discuss how teams benefit from complementary skills, experiences, and approaches to problem-solving. Jill and Ivan also examine workforce shortages, hiring practices, and why evaluating competency, experience, and practical skills matters when building an infection prevention team. The discussion highlights the contributions of nurses, laboratory professionals, microbiologists, public health professionals, sterile processing experts, epidemiologists, and others who share a commitment to protecting patients. The episode offers practical ideas for recruiting talent, strengthening team culture, and mentoring professionals whose paths into infection prevention may look different from our own. Whether you are a healthcare leader, an experienced infection preventionist, or someone considering a career in the field, this conversation encourages a broader view of the expertise needed to move infection prevention forward. Learn More and Connect with CS Medical Website: https://www.csmedicalllc.com LinkedIn:   / cs-medical-llc   Facebook:   / csmedicalllc   X: https://x.com/CSMedicalLLC TikTok:   / know.risk.podcast   Subscribe to the kNOw RISK Podcast and follow CS Medical to stay connected and receive updates about future episodes.