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B M Soule

Publications and source records attributed to B M Soule.

4 recordsLinked to original sources

Validating the certification process for infection control practice.

Approximately 5 years ago a task analysis was conducted by the Certification Board of Infection Control (CBIC) to describe infection control practice. This task analysis served as the basis for development of the certification examination. This article describes the process used to update and revalidate the original task analysis to ensure the continued validity and job relatedness of the certification process. Using a modified Delphi technique, several panels of representative expert infection control practitioners (ICPs), a total of 29 persons, participated in an iterative process to define the practice dimensions of infection control and to link these practice dimensions to the certification examination. In general, there was a high level of congruence between respondents on the original task analysis and the expert panels, although a few differences in practice were identified among ICPs in extended care facilities and a few new tasks were identified. In addition, a revised content outline for the examination was created by placing clusters of knowledge statements together around common themes.

Certification

Survey of purchasers of The APIC Curriculum for Infection Control Practice: findings and recommendations.

A survey of purchasers of The APIC Curriculum for Infection Control Practice was conducted in early 1985 by the APIC Curriculum Committee to determine characteristics of purchasers, usability of the text, reasons for purchase, and availability of references cited. Data were obtained from 342 (54.3%) respondents to a nationwide mail survey sent to a 20% sample (630) of all who were purchasers prior to January 1985. The average purchaser was an Infection Control Practitioner (ICP) who was a nurse employed by an acute care community hospital and had 6.9 years experience in infection control practice; 41% of purchasers worked in hospitals with greater than 300 beds. APIC members represented 93% of the respondents, and their disciplines were similar to those of the membership. Primary reasons for purchasing the Curriculum were to use it as the major reference for infection control information and to study for the Infection Control Certification Examination. Almost half of the respondents had taken and passed the examination. The overall satisfaction with format and style suggests that it was well-received and usable. Purchase of the Curriculum was strongly associated with hospital size. ICPs practicing in hospitals with less than 100 beds were less likely to have purchased the book than those in larger hospitals. Availability of references was also associated with hospital size. Future editions of the Curriculum need to reflect consideration of the relationship between hospital size and availability of references in their approach to completeness of information.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult