Danielle Banks, a seasoned veterinary nurse based in the UK, shines a light on the escalating relevance of infection control in animal health care. Equipped with over two decades of experience, Banks champions improved infection control protocols in veterinary medicine, a field that has historically trailed behind human health care in this regard.
Banks stresses that by aligning with the broader One Health initiative, her work in veterinary medicine underscores a global recognition of the interconnectedness of health among humans, animals, and the environment. She elucidates how veterinary practices often derive their infection control protocols by adapting research insights and guidelines from human health care, given the infancy of formalized infection prevention and control (IPC) in animal health care. Banks further elaborates that her role as an infection prevention veterinary nurse is rare, and in most veterinary clinics, infection control responsibilities often supplementary duties of a lead nurse or clinician.
One of Banks’s focus areas is antimicrobial resistance, an issue of paramount concern in veterinary medicine. She advocates for enlightened pet owners who understand the implications of responsible antibiotic usage and are informed about the risks of antibiotic overuse. Additionally, Banks draws attention to the parallels between the struggles of achieving consistent hand hygiene adherence in human health and animal health care.
The future of IPC in veterinary medicine, according to Banks, is more formalized, envisioning specialized training programs and professional networks akin to those in human health care. As awareness and interdisciplinary collaboration continue to grow, so too will veterinary infection control, to the benefit of both animal and human health.
Source: https://www.infectioncontroltoday.com/view/who-are-veterinary-infection-preventionists-