For James Wong, working in infection prevention and control is a little bit like being a detective. This has been a theme since he started his healthcare career. Before his current role as Program Lead, Infection Prevention and Control (IPAC) at Sinai Health System, James studied laboratory sciences in school and then launched his career as a microbiology laboratory technologist, solving mysteries with a microscope. “In the lab, your work revolves around identifying microorganisms from patient samples. This ensures that the patient can receive effective treatment. It’s a lot like detective work,” he says.
During his time in the lab, James worked closely with infection prevention and control colleagues and eventually decided to take his career in a new direction, solving mysteries about microorganisms—but on a larger scale. “One of the key aspects of the job is figuring out how a patient acquired a particular microorganism,” says James. “We collect information about the patient’s symptoms and when they started and we find out who the patient has been in contact with. Sometimes we have to work backwards to prevent the next transmission of infection in the hospital.” he says. “Prevention though, really should be first and foremost on everyone’s minds.”
There are a number of factors to consider in preventing the spread of infection, including education for patients and clinicians, personal protective equipment and practice changes. This means James collaborates with employees in many different roles and areas of the hospital. James says it’s one of his favourite parts of the job. “I get to draw from other’s experiences, learn a little bit about how they work and then use that information and my expertise to solve problems relating to infection prevention.”
James also values his role as part of the care team on units. “Being able to interact with our patients, helping to alleviate their concerns and listening to them about the challenges they’re going through keeps me grounded. It often puts things in perspective and makes me appreciate the small things in life,” he says.
Before and after his busy days, James has turned his commute into an opportunity to shift gears and leave the demands of the day behind. “I really enjoy biking to and from work because I treat it as my alone time and it allows me to focus on something totally different,” he says.
James also finds balance with a change of scenery, whether it’s close to home or on another continent. “My family and I really enjoy nature and getting out of the city. We go camping and cottaging. We also like exploring different parts of the world, so we generally plan one big trip a year to a place that we’ve never been before.”
Fall and winter can be busy for IPAC as cold and flu viruses ramp up. James and his colleagues on the IPAC team are involved in the annual influenza prevention campaign for staff and in working to ensure patients in the hospital are offered the annual flu shot. “Influenza prevention is an important part of what we do,” he says. James’ final words of advice for staying healthy during flu season? “Getting your influenza vaccine and performing hand hygiene are the two best ways to prevent the spread of influenza.”
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