Bridging Gaps, Building Bridges - National IPAC Week
Oct 20, 2025 | Faces of HDGH
This week, we’re celebrating National Infection Prevention and Control (IPAC) Week! The theme, “Bridging Gaps, Building Bridges,” reminds us that keeping our patients, staff, and visitors safe is truly a team effort that connects every department across our hospital.
Behind the scenes, our IPAC team plays a vital role in preventing and controlling the spread of infection. From monitoring outbreaks to developing policies and providing education, our work touches every part of the organization. But our success depends on the daily efforts of every staff member—whether it’s practicing hand hygiene, cleaning shared equipment, or following proper personal protective equipment (PPE) procedures.
How We Keep Everyone Safe
Here are just a few of the ways our IPAC team works to protect our hospital community:
- Monitoring and responding to infection trends: We review laboratory data and clinical reports to quickly identify patterns or potential outbreaks. Early detection allows us to act fast and prevent infections from spreading.
- Providing education and support: We offer training, resources, and one-on-one support to help staff feel confident in infection prevention practices. We also meet with new patients on admission to review how they can keep themselves safe during their stay. Education provided includes proper hand hygiene, respiratory etiquette, understanding isolation precautions and cleaning best practices. Our goal is to make IPAC knowledge practical and accessible for everyone.
- Collaborating across departments: Infection prevention does not happen in isolation. We work closely with nursing, environmental services, occupational health, facilities, dietary, and many other teams to ensure everyone has the tools and information they need to keep patients and coworkers safe.
- Overseeing outpatient programs: We provide infection prevention oversite for all outpatient programs; on-site and off-site to ensure safe practices across every care setting
- Supporting construction, renovation, and maintenance projects: IPAC is involved in every project across the organization, assessing risk and implementing controls to maintain safety from planning through completion.
- Building bridges through communication: We attend huddles, share updates, and provide on-the-spot guidance. Every conversation is a chance to build understanding and strengthen our collective commitment to safety.
Infection Prevention Is Everyone’s Responsibility
Infection prevention is truly a team effort. Environmental Services ensures patient rooms and high-touch surfaces are cleaned thoroughly. Clinical teams practice safe patient care and proper PPE use. Facilities staff maintain safe air and water systems. Occupational Health supports staff wellness, screening, and immunization efforts. And administrative teams ensure policies and supplies are in place.
Each action, no matter how small, helps bridge gaps and build a safer environment for everyone who enters our hospital.
As we celebrate IPAC Week, we want to thank every staff member for the part you play in keeping our hospital safe. Your attention to detail, teamwork, and dedication make a real difference every day.
Together, we’re not only bridging gaps—we’re building bridges that protect the health and safety of our entire hospital community.
Our IPAC Team
Jenn Maisonville, RPN, CIC – Infection Prevention and Control Practitioner (Full-Time)
Jenn is a Registered Practical Nurse certified in Infection Control with 28 years dedicated to HDGH. She leads infection prevention and control initiatives across our 270-bed facility, focusing on education, collaboration, and building strong partnerships across all departments. Jenn is passionate about creating a culture of safety and making infection prevention practical and approachable for everyone.
Grace Suryawan, RN – Infection Prevention and Control Practitioner (Part-Time)
Grace is a Registered Nurse with 15 years of nursing experience who brings a strong clinical background and an engaged approach to infection prevention and control. She supports daily surveillance, staff education, and quality improvement initiatives that help keep patients, staff, and visitors safe. Grace is known for her collaborative spirit and her commitment to empowering teams through knowledge and support.
Together, Jenn and Grace form a dedicated IPAC team that works hand in hand with every department to help prevent the spread of infection and promote a safe, healthy environment for all.
Illustrated poster titled “Bridging Gaps, Building Bridge,” shows diverse healthcare workers and community members collaborating to build a bridge made of colorful puzzle pieces, connecting two cliffs together. Each puzzle piece represents key infection prevention and control concepts - Hand Hygiene, Collaboration, Improved Patient Outcomes, Best Practices, Routine Practice, PPE, Education, Environmental Cleaning, Surveillance, Team Work, Vaccinations, and Access to Safe Healthcare. Logos include IPAC Canada, IPAC Northwestern Ontario, and ECOLAB as sponsor. Poster concept by: Mark Graham RN BN, Newfoundland & Labrador Health Services St. John’s NL.