To clarify, ICT® asked Melnyk what his definition of burnout is: “Burnout is a state where people are physically or mentally exhausted; they start to become somewhat cynical about work and start to disengage. All the studies I’ve done on physician burnout, if clinicians are burned out, they make more medical errors. So it’s really negatively affecting the quality and safety of healthcare.” In the exclusive interview, Melnyk describes the study’s recommendations for facilities to help their employees combat burnout. It also encourages healthcare workers to take care of themselves to combat burnout. “Professionals do a great job of caring for others. But they often don’t prioritize self-care. So I say to everyone, 1, you need to advocate for system change because these system issues are causing so much burnout. But [2] you also need to build your own resilience skills because we know that people who are more resilient are more protected from physical and mental health problems.” Across the country at O’Connor Hospital, Santa Clara Valley Health System in San Jose, California, the infection prevention team was led by Priya Pandya-Orozco, MSN, RN, CIC, director of infection control. She told ICT® what she and her team did to prevent burnout at her facility. “Our infection prevention team connected with our frontline teams and leaders as we went around each day,” said Pandya-Orozco. “We audited PPE practices and served as subject matter experts for any questions that arose. I remember helping staff who felt scared or afraid of what COVID-19 could bring. Sometimes when I sat and listened to their concerns. it was all it took to support them and let them know they weren’t alone. I’m grateful for how the health system has pulled us together and been transparent with the rapid changes, and how we’ve never faced challenges alone.” The title of the study is “Associations among infection prevention professionals’ mental/physical health, lifestyle behaviors, shift length, struggle, and workplace wellness support during COVID-19.”