Infection Preventionist Training

The role of the infection preventionist (IP) is complex and encompasses a broad range of responsibilities. We have programs to help individual IPs and IP teams build knowledge and skills to effectively manage your infection prevention program. 

CIC Certification Preparation Course

The certification in infection prevention and control (CIC) issued by the Certification Board of Infection Control (CBIC) serves as a standardized indicator of the knowledge and competencies essential to IP practice. Certification is supported by professional organizations, recognized by regulatory and accreditation bodies as a marker of competency and qualification for IPs, and many organizations expect IPs to be certified or actively working toward certification.

For more than a decade, IP&MA has been working with infection preventionists to help them prepare for certification. Our students’ pass rate for initial certification is >95%, which is significantly higher than the CBIC pass rate. And results from one training group were published in the American Journal of Infection Control.

CIC Certification Course also includes access to the CIC Readiness Assessment Exam and is designated for 12 nursing contact hours

NHSN Infection Surveillance Bootcamp

Infection surveillance is a foundational element in infection prevention by which healthcare facilities are evaluated and potentially financially impacted. Facilities and regulatory agencies expect infection preventionists to accurately apply National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) definitions for healthcare associated infections. However, the largest study of NHSN surveillance accuracy showed that participants incorrectly coded infections more than 1/3 of test cases.

Inaccurate surveillance results can make internal trending and performance improvement activities challenging, can lead to regulatory and accreditation citations, and can put federal healthcare reimbursement funding at risk.

IP&MA’s NHSN Surveillance Bootcamp covers key reportable and common healthcare and community acquired infections, and supports infection preventionists in building surveillance skill and confidence.

This course includes access to our Infection Surveillance Interrater Reliability Assessment, which utilizes validated case scenarios to assess mastery of application of surveillance definitions to clinical cases. This valuable learning tool validated accuracy and consistency in applying National Healthcare Safety Network definitions, and provides rationale for each case scenario upon conclusion of assessment to aid in skill building.

This course is designated for 7 nursing contact hours.

FAQs

What do these courses contain?

The CIC certification preparation course contains more than 12 hours of video on CIC exam content and test taking tips and strategy. For each content section, there is a study guide to support your preparation, recommended reading and practice questions to test your knowledge. Once you have completed the video course, you will also get access to our CIC readiness assessment exam, which simulates the testing experience. Students will receive an overall score, and scores for each exam content area, to help guide preparation activities. We have found that students’ performance on this assessment test successfully predicts their performance on the certification exam.

The NHSN Infection Surveillance Bootcamp course contains more than 7 hours of video on NHSN definitions and surveillance processes. For each content section, there are case studies and scenarios to help you test your skill and knowledge as you go. Once you have completed the video course, you will also get access to our Surveillance Interrater Reliability Assessment, which uses expert validated case scenarios to validate surveillance alignment with NHSN standard.

Can I access the course at home and at work?

You will set up a login and password when you register, and can use that to access the course on any desktop or mobile device.

Can I complete the courses on my own time?

Yes, the course is self-paced and you can access it at any time. Videos are broken down into manageable “bite-size” sections and resources in the study guide can be accessed whenever works for you.

How many times can I access the courses?

You have access to all course materials and videos, and can view them as many times as you need to feel prepared.

Is there a time limit to complete the courses?

The CIC certification preparation course must met completed within 1 year. You may take as much time as you need to complete the course materials, but we recommend you aim to work through all of the materials in the 3-4 months before you plan to take your CIC certification exam.

The NHSN surveillance bootcamp course must be completed within 3 months from start.

Are continuing education credits available?

Yes! The CIC certification preparation course is designated for 12 nursing contact hours and the surveillance bootcamp is designated for 7 nursing contact hours.

Can I share these courses with others?

No, these are designed for individual student use. If you would like to discuss institutional access or group pricing, please contact us for more information.

Comments From Our Students

  • After attending your sessions, my practice scores have improved tremendously. Your ability to reinforce key concepts and present real-life scenarios helped solidify the material in a way that truly resonated with me and tied directly into my current practice.

    AE, Infection Preventionist

  • This course provided a wealth of information necessary for infection prevention as well as materials for recall and referencing.

    OO, Public Health Epidemiologist

  • I really like how the training videos are broken down into smaller chunks, which allows me to take notes in sections following the reading and study guide easily.

    MA, Infection Preventionist

  • I love the CIC study guide! Great breakdown with average time to spend on each section, based on what I needed to focus on.

    AL, Infection Preventionist

  • Going through each topic was very educational and provided great background for my certification course

    VM, Senior Epidemiologist

  • These resources are so helpful in makign me feel like I am doing everything I can to be ready for the CIC certification exam. The practice test helped me see where I need to study a bit more before I sign up.

    NU, Infection Preventionist