CRANBURY, N.J., Dec. 19, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Infection Control Today® (ICT®), a multimedia resource that offers engaging content and expert opinions on the prevention and control of infections, is thrilled to present Sharon Ward-Fore, MS, BS, MT(ASCP), CIC, FAPIC, with the ICT Educator of the Year Award™.
The award program, which ran from 1999 until 2010, has been revived for 2023 and beyond and recognizes one professional within the infection prevention and control industry who demonstrates profound expertise and a passion for educating others on infectious diseases. To be considered for this prestigious accolade, eligible recipients must have at least 15 years of experience in the field and have demonstrated exceptional, quantifiable results. Additionally, the individual must have done a superlative job in educating internal and external stakeholders about the importance of infection prevention.
“Ms. Ward-Fore embodies excellence in infection prevention. Her wealth of experience and commitment to public service, including volunteering at the US Department of Veterans Affairs, highlight her outstanding contributions,” the judging panel said. “Her expertise in applied resources and presentations on key topics like cleaning and disinfection underscore her dedication to education. Winning the Educator of the Year Award recognizes her as a trusted professional, leaving a lasting impact in the field.”
Ward-Fore, a resident of Pinehurst, North Carolina, has worked in health care since 1985 in both acute care hospitals and industrial research and development. She started her career in an acute care hospital microbiology lab, then transitioned to industrial microbiology research and development. Ward-Fore left the research/industrial side of microbiology to begin a new career as an infection preventionist (IP) at a Chicago Veterans Health Administration hospital, then moved to an acute care academic medical center in Chicago. She credits Metrex with starting her infection prevention consulting career. Because they saw her potential, through them, she made many more contacts, including ICT. Her areas of expertise include surgical services, the sterile processing department/central sterile services department, emergency preparedness, special pathogens personal protective equipment training, and cleaning and surface disinfection, with a special place in her heart for environmental services. Ward-Fore is an independent infection prevention consultant, a member of the editorial advisory board of the Infection Control Today journal, and a clinical editor for APIC Text Online. Ward-Fore has a Bachelor of Science degree in biology and medical technology, a Master of Science degree in clinical microbiology, and is board-certified in infection control (CIC). She is an APIC fellow (FAPIC).
“I was out of the workforce for a while to stay home and raise my kids. And then, I decided I wanted to go back to being a microbiologist, which is what I am,” Ward-Fore said. “I got a job working nights, which is not a good thing to do when you’re in your 50s. So, I was working nights, 2 nights a week, and I was volunteering at our local [Veterans Affairs hospital] the rest of the time in their infection prevention department and fell in love with it. So, unlike a lot of IPs who are pushed into it, I sought it out…I was not an IP [who] sat at the desk; you would never find me at my desk: I was always out on the floor. I think that’s where we [as IPs] can make a difference, by building those relationships, getting out there, and being seen, not just as the hand-hygiene police, but as a resource.”
About Infection Control Today
Infection Control Today (ICT) is a multimedia journal that addresses the challenges of preventing and controlling infectious diseases by engaging with key infection control stakeholders. Infection Control Today’s focus is to reach infection control, sterile processing, environmental services, and facility professionals, along with management and the C-suite within hospitals, health systems, and independent medical facilities, with the knowledge, solutions, and products required for excellent infection control and prevention strategies. ICT is a brand of MJH Life Sciences®, the largest privately held, independent, full-service medical media company in North America dedicated to delivering trusted health care news across multiple channels.
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MJH Life Sciences
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