Infection prevention and control is an evidence-based healthcare practice in which healthcare providers actively work to reduce the spread of infection within a facility or community. The goal of any infection prevention and control strategy is to prevent healthcare workers or patients from acquiring avoidable infections, and these measures are considered a central component of safe and effective healthcare delivery.
Healthcare workers who are interested in this specialty field may want to consider an infection prevention and control certificate. A certificate in infection prevention and control may offer training opportunities focused on evidence-based infection prevention and control strategies, which may support readiness for industry certification.
Understanding Infection Prevention and Control Certification
Healthcare professionals wanting to work in specialized infection prevention and control positions often have to be certified. The Certification Board of Infection Control and Epidemiology (CBIC) oversees credentialing for this specialty area of the healthcare field.
Most positions in infection prevention and control require candidates to earn their certification in infection control, or CIC. This certification program may ensure that healthcare professionals — such as nurses, medical assistants, laboratory technicians, and public health educators — have the qualifications needed to effectively implement infection prevention and control measures within a healthcare facility.
It is important to recognize that the CIC is a post-education graduate certificate program that is completed after earning an undergraduate degree, graduate degree, or graduate certificate. Enrolling in a graduate degree program or graduate certificate program may prepare you to pursue certification programs, but these educational programs do not result in credentialing or guarantee a student’s success within a credentialing program.
Why Certification Is Crucial in Healthcare Settings
A broad range of industries require professionals to be certified in order to practice, but certification is particularly vital in the healthcare field. According to the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses, certification is essential in healthcare because:
- It may allow healthcare professionals to develop the advanced skills necessary to provide patients with the best possible care.
- It may enable healthcare professionals to better implement evidence-based practices within the healthcare setting.
- It may improve overall safety for patients.
- It may allow healthcare professionals to enhance their clinical judgment, giving them the ability to confidently navigate the fast-paced environment of healthcare facilities.
- It may improve credentials and qualifications, which may support healthcare workers in meeting qualifications for certain roles.
Certification Process: Key Steps and Requirements
The Certification in Infection Control process requires candidates to complete multiple steps in order to earn their CIC credentials. According to the CBIC, the key steps and requirements for CIC certification include:
- Meeting all eligibility guidelines. The CIC certification requires applicants to have completed a post-secondary education program in a healthcare-related field. In addition, candidates must have at least 3,000 working hours in a professional capacity overseeing infection prevention and control strategies.
- Completing the CIC application process.
- Once the CIC application is approved, candidates must take and pass the CIC certification exam within 90 days. The CIC certification exam is a rigorous and comprehensive exam that focuses specifically on infection prevention and control methods.
Essential Skills for Infection Preventionists
Infection preventionists are specialized healthcare professionals responsible for identifying possible vulnerabilities within a healthcare system and implementing strategies to prevent unnecessary and avoidable infection within a healthcare facility.
According to Infection Prevention and You, infection preventionists frequently collaborate with healthcare administrators and healthcare providers to ensure that policies and protocols are in place that reduce the spread of infection within the healthcare setting. They commonly oversee operations in order to verify that everyone is following protocols that help prevent avoidable infections and improve patient as well as workplace safety.
How to Identify and Mitigate Infection Risks Effectively
Infection prevention and control specialists often work with healthcare providers and leaders to identify risks and vulnerabilities and subsequently develop mitigation strategies to prevent the spread of avoidable infection among patients and healthcare workers. As a result, infection preventionists must have the advanced skills required to identify and mitigate infection risks. According to the United States Centers for Disease Control (CDC), infection prevention and control specialists need to conduct risk assessments on a regular basis, in which they identify potential hazards and collaborate with healthcare administrators in order to enact strategies that minimize or eliminate those hazards within the healthcare environment.
Strategies for Implementing Robust Infection Control Measures
According to the Global Alliance for Infections in Surgery, these are the most effective strategies for controlling infection within a healthcare facility:
- Promote hand hygiene among healthcare workers and patients.
- Invest in high-quality clinical sanitation products and develop sanitation policies and procedures that ensure the healthcare environment is as clean as possible.
- Implement patient screening strategies to avoid cross-contamination within the clinical environment.
- Monitor all infection prevention guidelines and adapt the policies and procedures at a healthcare facility accordingly.
Career Pathways in Infection Prevention and Control
The infection prevention and control specialization often brings together healthcare professionals with diverse backgrounds and a wide range of work experience. Individuals who pursue certification in infection prevention and control include nurses, medical assistants, laboratory technicians, public health educators, and imaging specialists.
Thus, various career pathways are available for those who specialize in infection prevention and control to choose from. According to the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, healthcare organizations increasingly emphasize infection prevention and control expertise to support patient safety and strengthen internal protocols.
Recommended Education and Training for Aspiring Professionals
To pursue a career as an infection preventionist or infection prevention and control specialist, you may want to develop an advanced understanding of the evidence-based strategies required to identify risk and mitigate the spread of infection. Those interested in this field should consider an education in a healthcare-related sector, such as nursing or biology. Specialized graduate degrees or graduate infection prevention and control certificate programs may provide students with an in-depth look at this field, allowing them to develop the niche skills needed for this specialty area.
Importance of Hands-On Experience in Infection Control
In the infection control realm, hands-on experience is critical. In fact, the CIC certification requires applicants to have a significant number of professional hours in infection prevention and control, highlighting the need for hands-on experience in this specialty area. Through professional experience, healthcare professionals begin to better understand the vulnerabilities that exist within the healthcare industry and learn more about the potential consequences of unmitigated infection spread within a healthcare facility.
The Role of Infection Preventionists in Healthcare
Infection preventionists are healthcare professionals who actively work to ensure that infections do not spread unnecessarily among patients or providers in a healthcare setting. According to the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, infection preventionists include nurses, medical technicians, epidemiologists, public health professionals, and other healthcare experts — and these specialized professionals work to identify risks and develop evidence-based strategies that prevent the spread of infection within a facility. Not only do they improve patient safety and outcomes, but they also have a direct impact on the workplace environment for healthcare personnel.
Daily Responsibilities of Infection Prevention Specialists
The job responsibilities of infection prevention specialists may vary based on the healthcare organization for which they work or the patient population that they serve. Generally speaking, some common responsibilities of infection prevention and control specialists include:
- Creating workplace policies and protocols that reduce the spread of infection, often emphasizing the importance of handwashing and the proper disposal of biohazardous waste.
- Developing signage to be displayed throughout the healthcare facility to remind healthcare workers and patients about the importance of hand hygiene and other practices that could reduce the spread of infection.
- Working to ensure that all healthcare workers have proper vaccinations along with access to the personal protective equipment they need in order to stay safe and healthy while working.
- Working to verify that all clinical examination rooms and facilities are properly cleaned and sanitized in between patients.
Contributions to Patient Safety and Improved Healthcare Quality
Through the work infection prevention specialists do to identify risks and mitigate the spread of infection, they may contribute to efforts aimed at improving quality and safety within healthcare settings. Not only do evidence-based infection prevention strategies help to protect the health and well-being of patients at the facility; they also could ensure that healthcare workers are able to stay as healthy as possible. Facilities with effective infection prevention measures in place are able to offer patients consistent and reliable care, leading to improved patient outcomes and satisfaction ratings.
Preparing for the Infection Prevention Certification Exam
Those interested in pursuing a career as an infection prevention specialist may want to complete the credentialing process by earning their CIC certification. The CIC certification program culminates with an infection prevention certification exam that must be taken at least 90 days after your application is approved by the CBIC.
It is worth noting that a graduate certificate in infection prevention and control may provide students with the skills and knowledge required to pursue credentialing opportunities, but it does not result in CIC certification. Rather, it helps students develop an advanced understanding of the best infection prevention and control methods and, in turn, could help prepare them for the infection prevention certification exam.
Study Resources and Techniques for Exam Preparation
The infection prevention certification exam is designed to be a challenging test of the knowledge of individuals who want to pursue specialized positions in infection prevention and control. In order to successfully complete and pass the exam, students should spend a significant amount of time studying and preparing in advance. The CBIC offers study resources that students may use as they begin to prepare for their exams. According to the CBIC, effective preparation requires time and practice, and students are typically most successful when they use high-quality studying resources for several weeks in advance of the test. Online practice tests may be a valuable tool when preparing for a certification exam.
Key Topics and Format of the Certification Exam
The CIC exam is a standardized test that relies on a multiple-choice format. Those taking the exam have to answer 150 different multiple-choice questions covering a vast range of infection prevention and control topics. Of those, 135 answers are scored. Some topics that may be covered throughout the exam include:
- Identifying Infectious Disease Processes
- Disease Surveillance
- Preventing the Spread of Disease
- Occupational Health Protocols
Learn More About Infection Prevention at Post University
Infection prevention and control is playing an increasingly crucial role in the healthcare system, especially in hospitals and long-term care facilities. At Post University, we offer an online Master of Science in Nursing — Infection Prevention and Control Specialization degree as well as an online Graduate Certificate in Infection Prevention and Control. Both programs provide students with an opportunity to develop the targeted skills required for this specialty area. The graduate certificate program is designed to introduce students to foundational knowledge that may support the pursuit of credentialing opportunities.
Thank you for reading! The purpose of this blog is to provide general information to the reader, and as such, this information may not directly relate to programs offered by Post University.
Please note jobs and/or career outcomes highlighted in this blog do not reflect jobs or career outcomes expected from enrolling in or graduating from any Post program.