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Infection control practitioners (ICPs) are expected to be educators in their role, yet few have had formal training in preparing, presenting, and evaluating education programs for personnel from different disciplines. This article presents guidance from several sources specific to "andragogy"--the art and science of helping adults learn--to assist the ICP in the role of educator.
Little information exists on the state of infection control (IC) practices in ambulatory sites. In preparation for a JCAHO survey, 62 ambulatory sites were visited to monitor and improve IC practices. A dedicated IC practitioner was instrumental in improving practices at ambulatory sites and in successfully completing a JCAHO survey.
ICPs played an invaluable role, and their activities resulted in minimal nosocomial incidence. The survey reported two cases of nosocomial infection in patients, one in the medical service and one in the pediatric unit, as well as the reported employee cases. Two nosocomial employee cases were reported, a laboratory technologist and medical student. Implementation of these recommendations will make the job of the ICP easier during any outbreak. We believe that our interventions, interactions, and assistance positively affected the course of the epidemic. In the final analysis the activities of surveillance, supervision of isolation, education and consultation, employee health, and public relations served to strengthen the positive image of ICPs.
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The Certification Board of Infection Control directed its Research Subcommittee to compose a Job Analysis Committee in 1991. This 9-member Job Analysis Committee, in collaboration with Applied Measurement Professionals, Inc., conducted a job analysis of ICPs during 1992. The reassessment of the previous Certification Board of Infection Control task analysis, formation of a job-analysis survey tool, and the actual job-analysis process and its results are described in this article. The previous and newly revised test specification outlines are compared. The national Certification Examination for Infection Control for November 1993 will reflect the efforts of this endeavor.
Recognizing the unique and varied needs of infection control practitioners (ICPs) in long term care (LTC) facilities across Canada, CHICA-Canada established a task group to explore this area of practice and to determine the needs that could be met by CHICA-Canada. In March 1992 surveys were sent to CHICA-Canada members practicing in LTC facilities. Surveys were also sent to LTC associations in each province for distribution to their member agencies. A copy of the survey was published in The Canadian Journal of Infection Control in Summer 1992. As of August 31, 1992, 271 surveys have been returned from both members and nonmembers. The findings of the survey depict the special needs, unique practice settings and varied roles of ICPs in LTC facilities.
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We surveyed a random sample of South Carolina physicians and infection control practitioners about the reporting of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) cases. Of physicians surveyed, 79% indicated that HIV infection as well as AIDS should be reported by name. The following characteristics were associated with those physicians who do not report AIDS cases: not feeling responsible for reporting, not reporting a case perceived to have been reported in another state, believing that information required for reporting is not on the chart, and residing in an urban setting. Targeted education can address these underreporting factors.
The purpose of this study was to conduct a nationwide survey to determine the number of master's-prepared infection control practitioners (ICPs) and those eligible for admission to graduate programs. Continuing education needs also were assessed to determine whether they might best be met through formal education or in a continuing education format. ICPs at 3765 health care facilities listed by the American Hospital Association as having more than 100 beds were invited to participate, and 2197 usable responses were received. Respondents' perceived educational needs were categorized into the eight sections outlined by the Educational Committee of the Association for Practitioners in Infection Control (APIC). Whenever possible, demographic characteristics of subjects were compared with the findings of the 1976-1977 Study on the Efficacy of Nosocomial Infection Control; apparent shifts have occurred in age, basic educational preparation, and numbers of practitioners with advanced degrees. The major perceived educational needs of the respondents were in the areas of Management and Communication, followed by Infectious Diseases and Epidemiology and Statistics. Nationwide generalization of the results may be hampered by the skewed regional distribution of responses. ICPs, however, expressed a multiplicity of perceived educational needs in each of APIC's eight sections, which may indicate that many ICPs believe that their performance and effectiveness are hampered by knowledge deficits.
In the past it was a guiding principle of hospital epidemiologists and infection control practitioners to compare the particular standards prevailing in their hospitals with the regulations, directives, and guidelines laid down by law and then to aim for some change. However, if we are to ever really achieve a reduction in nosocomial infections, it will be necessary to sensitize all hospital personnel to the problems associated with such infections and to convince them of the unavoidability of having to introduce specific new measures. Accordingly, surveillance of nosocomial infections and multiresistant pathogens, analysis of possible infection-associated problems, and initiating appropriate intervention procedures are indispensable goals for hospital hygiene if a decrease in nosocomial infections is to be realized. It would be possible to thus reduce expenditures representing more than the present costs for the hygiene staff. On the strength of their thorough specialist knowledge of the spread of nosocomial infections, it is also part of the responsibilities of infection control practitioners and hospital epidemiologists to question and to do away with senseless preventive measures and thereby contribute to reducing hospital expenditures.
BACKGROUND: Debate remains over the core activities of infection control (IC) programs. Differences in stakeholder opinions must be considered if consensus panel guidelines and recommendations are to be broadly applied. This article describes a survey of administrators and clinicians employed in hospitals in New South Wales, Australia. Respondents self-reported their levels of agreement with affirmative statements regarding the role of the infection control practitioner (ICP) and the essential requirements and infrastructure of IC programs. METHOD: The study population included administrators and clinicians in each public, private, and freestanding day hospital in New South Wales. Respondents reported the intensity of their agreement with 16 affirmative statements relating to IC program infrastructure and resources and the ICP's role and responsibilities. RESULTS: The overall response rate was 62.1% (587/945). Clinicians (349/587) and administrators (238/587) accounted for 59.5% and 40.5% of the response rate, respectively. Overall, administrators and clinicians reported greatest levels of agreement for those elements not requiring additional resources. CONCLUSION: The extent of divergence between administrators and clinicians is not so great that it can not be resolved. Our findings demonstrate the degree of administrator support that clinicians can expect for each element. We advocate better communication between clinicians and administrators in conjunction with objective strategic planning. Our findings provide a guide for ICPs to either establish or negotiate the core components of their IC program.
All skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) in Connecticut were surveyed and more than 71% responded to a Centers for Disease Control-funded project, a component of which is reported herein. The study describes the infection control practitioner (ICP), assistance provided ICPs from external sources, and infection control committees. Almost all ICPs received some training in infection control and worked in the field for an average of 3 1/2 years. Both the number of hours devoted to infection control and the percentage of time spent by the ICP on infection control activities increased with the size of the facility. More than one half of the ICPs in SNFs have relationships with hospital ICPs. The majority of SNF infection control committees met quarterly. The chairperson most often was a physician, although ICPs held this office in almost one third of the reporting SNFs. We conclude that ICPs in Connecticut SNFs have increased in number and that they devote more time and effort to infection control than in previous years.
As the trend toward ambulatory care increases, the infection control practitioner's (ICP) role and responsibilities in this setting are continually expanding. Implementation of mandated governmental regulations, such as the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Bloodborne Pathogen Standard, has markedly increased the ICP's workload. Analysis reveals that much of the ICP's time is being spent on clerical tasks that encompass a variety of nonclinical functions. Clerical support would allow the ICP to use his or her time to implement essential components of an infection control program in the most cost-effective manner.
Organizations are composed of people vying with one another for power. Failure to acquire it may result in a limited ability to have an impact on organizational politics, and ultimately can lessen the success of motivating personnel. Therefore, using the power sources described to acquire power and developing strategies to motivate others are essential in attaining the goals of an infection control program. In summary, infection control practitioners have tended to focus on the technical aspects of their roles and may have neglected the development of influencing and motivational strategies that well could have an impact on improving compliance to infection control. Knowledge of key concepts, such as power and motivation, should be as important as any component of an infection control practitioner's training.
Since methods used for surveillance have not been standardized, infection control practitioners choose a method based on peer-teaching, on-the-job training, or nonformal education programs. However, results of a previous study showed that 63% of ICPs were unsatisfied with their method of surveillance but did not know how to proceed with an alternative method. The purpose of this descriptive developmental study was to investigate the relationship between surveillance knowledge and the demographic profiles of ICPs and evaluate how this knowledge was affected by a nonformal education process (seminar). Results showed that the surveillance knowledge of ICPs was significantly (p less than 0.05) related to the hospital type and size in which they worked, their educational preparation, the years spent in infection control, the CDC course they took, and the development of an infection control program. The nonformal education process showed a significant (p less than 0.05) increase in surveillance knowledge. In summary, five demographic variables were found to be related to the surveillance knowledge of ICPs, and this knowledge was significantly increased by a nonformal educational process.
BACKGROUND: The perceived threat that biological weapons will be used in an act of terror against the United States has escalated sharply since the discovery of anthrax-tainted letters after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. These events underscore the critical nature of health care and public health preparedness and the need to augment infection control practitioner education and training. METHODS: Between October 2000 and August 2001 a national needs assessment was conducted by use of a 35-question survey. The survey measured infection control practitioners' (ICPs') perception of the risk for bioterrorism in the United States and in their community, the proportion of ICPs with prior training in bioterrorism preparedness, and preferences for delivery media of future bioterrorism education. RESULTS: The assessment of the perceived threat of bioterrorism in the United States during the next 5 years (P =.022) and in the ICPs' work community (P <.001) revealed significant regional differences. Only half (56%) of the respondents reported prior training in bioterrorism preparedness. Respondents reported that the 2 most common barriers to receiving training were lack of training opportunities (70.2%) or no dedicated work time for training (19.4%). CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study indicate an urgent need for more resources and opportunities for clinical education in bioterrorism preparedness that will provide continuing education credit. Successful bioterrorism education will require a variety of instructional designs and media delivery methods to address ICPs' preferences and needs.