MASTER CLASS SERIES
Guidance from Top Industry Experts
Learn from the best.
Industry specialists from across the nation lead master classes designed to take your organization to the next level.
Each master class series is designed to give you a set of practical ideas and actions to improve your organization, and you’ll also gain access to a master educator to answer your questions at the end of each session.
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Surgical Services Master Class
$449
Excellence and compliance in surgical services requires more than just clinical knowledge—it demands collaboration across departments, proactive risk mitigation, and a solid understanding of the environment where procedures take place.
This ACHCU master class series equips OR leaders, infection preventionists, sterile processing leaders, endoscopy leaders, facility managers, and accreditation staff with tools and expert insight to help strengthen compliance and patient safety in one of the most high-risk areas of health care. Learn best practices tied to current surgical services standards, and build a stronger, more coordinated infection prevention and safety strategy in your surgical departments.
Live virtual classes are scheduled for October 2, October 16, and October 30, 2025. Earn credits while you learn with 4.5 nursing contact hours available upon completion of the series + 4 IPU units toward your CIC.
Designed for Your Busy Schedule
Each class includes a presentation and Q&A session. Attend live or view recordings of each session at your convenience. On-demand classes will be available at the conclusion of the live series.
Amy Antonacci
Senior Standards Interpretation Specialist, ACHC
Class 1 | October 2, 2025, 10:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. ET
Endoscope Processing—Clinical Practice Meets Environmental Safety
This opening session highlights the full life cycle of flexible and semi-rigid endoscopes, from point of use through high-level disinfection and storage, in alignment with updated ACHC standards and current nationally recognized guidance.
- Explore key workflow steps: Point-of-use treatment, transport, leak testing, decontamination, and drying.
- Examine facility-related requirements including air handling, water quality, and unidirectional flow.
- Learn what your endoscope reprocessing space should look like, from surfaces to lighting and airflow.
- Connect policy and practice through documentation, QAPI tracking, and verification testing.
- Walk through a new Surgical Services: Flexible and Semi-Rigid Endoscope Checklist, and review how it aligns with ACHC standards.
- Review common citations, and learn tips on how to avoid citations through best practice compliance.
Referencing ACHC Standard 07.04.03.
Nursing contact hours available for this session: 1.5
Amy Antonacci
Senior Standards Interpretation Specialist, ACHC
Alexa Simkow
RN Surveyor, ACHC
Class 2 | October 16, 2025, 10:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. ET
Infection Prevention and Safety in the Surgical Services
This session provides a comprehensive look at infection prevention and control practices in surgical services, including commonly cited compliance gaps, and highlights important standards that focus on patient safety.
- Walk through a new Infection Prevention and Control Surgical Services Checklist, and review how it aligns with ACHC standards.
- Discuss documentation, communication, and training strategies to support surgical safety.
- Review practices related to attire, hand hygiene, foot traffic control, malignant hyperthermia, surgical site verification, and other important safety-related requirements.
- Gain clarity on how infection control responsibilities are shared across departments.
- Review common citations, and learn tips on how to avoid citations through best practice compliance.
Nursing contact hours available for this session: 1.5
Richard Parker
Associate Director, Life Safety & Physical Environment, ACHC
Amy Antonacci
Senior Standards Interpretation Specialist, ACHC
Class 3 | October 30, 2025, 10:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. ET
Life Safety, Physical Environment Considerations in Surgical Services
Designed to bring infection preventionists and OR leaders into the facilities and life safety conversation, this session focuses on critical risks tied to the surgical environment.
- Understand how temperature, humidity, and pressurization affect patient safety.
- Learn how to coordinate with facilities during construction, renovation, or adjacent work zones.
- Review the role of the OR Manager in maintaining a safe space during disruptive events.
- Walk through the required pre-construction risk assessment process and environmental monitoring essentials.
- Review common citations, and learn tips on how to avoid citations through best practice compliance.
Referencing ACHC Standard 11.07.02.
Nursing contact hours available for this session: 1.5
