Presenter: Catherine Cherfan, Mechanical Engineering, Global Public Health Scholars
For my practicum project, I volunteered at one of the long-term health care facilities (LTCF) in Maryland that participated in the Clean Collaborative Phase III-LTC initiative. I received training to properly collect sample swabs of highly-touched surfaces and operate Advanced Threat Protection (ATP) technology to test the swabs for contamination. ATP testing results were then monitored monthly to assess the effectiveness of infection control measures and determine the actions necessary for improvement. My involvement in this project gave me insight into the inner workings of an LTCF, specifically how they ensure the health and safety of senior citizen residents during a global pandemic. The prevention of and reduction in pathogen transmission directly impacts the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 3, which promotes quality health.