Inside Lab Safety: Navigating Special Pathogen Testing

What happens behind the sealed doors of a biocontainment laboratory when a patient with a suspected special pathogen—like Ebola or Lassa fever—arrives at a hospital? In this episode of Transmission Interrupted, host Jill Morgan is joined by Vicki Herrera, biocontainment laboratory training and education leader at UNMC, and Colleen Kraft, medical and laboratory director of Emory’s Biocontainment Unit. Together, they break down the critical question: what are “basic labs,” and how can frontline healthcare facilities prepare to deliver essential diagnostics safely during a special pathogen event? Listen in as Jill, Vicki, and Colleen demystify the realities of emergency lab testing, exploring the tension between the rapid results clinicians want and the vital safety measures laboratorians must uphold. They discuss point-of-care devices, the nuances of risk assessments, and the keys to interdepartmental communication that ensure both effective patient care and laboratory safety. Whether you’re a bedside nurse, an ED provider, or a laboratorian, this candid, practical conversation will help you understand how healthcare teams can work together to deliver safe and swift care—even in the face of emerging infectious threats. Questions or comments for NETEC? Contact us at [email protected]. Visit Transmission Interrupted on the web at netec.org/podcast. Guests Vicki Herrera, MS Research Coordinator University of Nebraska Medical Center Vicki Hererra is a Research Coordinator at the University of Nebraska Medical Center in the field of infectious diseases and bioaerosols. She has supported the Nebraska Biocontainment Unit for the past 16 years and currently supports both NETEC and the Nebraska Biocontainment Unit Laboratory by providing education and training to laboratory staff. She is also a co-lead of NETEC's Laboratory Working Group. Colleen S. Kraft, MD, MSc Professor, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Professor, Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine Emory University School of Medicine Colleen S. Kraft, MD, MSc, is a Professor in the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine as well as a Professor in the Department of Medicine Division of Infectious Diseases at Emory University School of Medicine. Dr. Kraft was the Associate Chief Medical Officer of Emory Hospital from 2020-2023 and is currently the Associate Chief Research Informatics Officer for the Woodruff Health Sciences Center. Dr. Kraft served as the President-Elect, President and Past President of the American Society for Microbiology from 2021-2024. Dr. Kraft was one of the infectious disease physicians at Emory Hospital in 2014 to receive and care for patients who had contracted Ebola virus disease and Lassa fever in West Africa. Dr. Kraft is a clinical consultant for the Emory Healthcare Human Factors Lab, and a director in the Healthcare Test Kitchen Lab, both of which were in response to the desire for high reliability after the care of patients with highly contagious infectious diseases. Host Jill Morgan, RN Emory Healthcare, Atlanta, GA Jill Morgan is a registered nurse and a subject matter expert in personal protective equipment (PPE) for NETEC. For 35 years, Jill has been an emergency department and critical care nurse, and now splits her time between education for NETEC and clinical research, most of it centering around infection prevention and personal protective equipment. She is a member of the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC), ASTM International, and the Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI) Resources NETEC - Lab Resources NETEC - Resource Library NETEC - Transmission Interrupted Podcast About NETEC A Partnership for Preparedness The National Emerging Special Pathogens Training and Education Center’s mission is to set the gold standard for special pathogen preparedness and response across health systems in the U.S. with the goals of driving best practices, closing knowledge gaps, and developing innovative resources. Our vision is a sustainable infrastructure and culture of readiness for managing suspected and confirmed special pathogen incidents across the United States public health and health care delivery systems. For more information, visit NETEC on the web. NETEC Consultation Services Assess and Advance Your Readiness for Special Pathogens with Free, Expert Consulting. NETEC offers free virtual and on-site readiness consulting to help health care facilities and EMS agencies prepare for special pathogen events. Our targeted support services are delivered by experts selected and assigned to each inquiry based on the unique needs of your organization. Have a question? Ask a NETEC expert. For more information, visit NETEC Consulting Services.