Infection preventionists (IPs) work largely behind the scenes in most healthcare organizations and facilities, so a lot of what they do may go unnoticed or unknown. Many team members may even be unsure of what IPs do all day besides tell everyone to wash their hands! Infection preventionists can be considered a secret weapon of patient safety, a ninja-like tactic to keep our patients safe from harm while the hospital operates around us.
Who Can Be an IP?
IPs come from a variety of educational and experiential backgrounds, including nursing, epidemiology, public health, microbiology, laboratory science, pharmacy, emergency services, exercise physiology, sterile processing, and other healthcare-related fields.
Typically, infection preventionists become board-certified in infection control and epidemiology, usually after approximately two years of on-the-job experience. This will be shown as CIC (Certification in Infection Control) after their name. For someone just starting out or aspiring to be an IP, you may notice a credential of a-IPC, which stands for Associate - Infection Prevention and Control. For those who have achieved a higher level of goals and accomplishments in the field, the advanced leadership designation may have been accomplished, designated with AL-CIP (Advanced Leadership - Certification in Infection Prevention and Control).
What Do IPs Do?
The hardest question to ask any IP is, “What does your typical day look like?” The answer simply is, there is no typical day. IPs are pulled in many different directions every day, often changing thought processes multiple times an hour, from surgical site infections to construction, to sterile processing, to isolation breaches, and many more. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the role of the infection preventionist gained increased importance and visibility, as hospitals, the community, and many others relied on IP teams to guide the country through the global pandemic.
On a daily basis, IPs are tasked with reviewing positive microbiology reports, rounding to ensure that appropriate isolation precautions are in place on nursing units, and ensuring that environmental hazards are not present (including air and water contamination breaches). Additionally, they will monitor compliance with hand washing and PPE.
Between reviewing reports, rounding, and investigating potential healthcare-associated infections (HAIs), IPs observe surgical procedures and reprocessing areas for compliance, pull instructions for use (IFUs), and participate in construction planning. Workflow reviews and root cause assessments are constant as they plan performance improvement activities.
This has only scratched the surface of the many things the IPs do on any given day. Infection preventionists serve as subject matter experts in various venues and departments, stretching them thin across multiple areas of responsibility. IPs are passionate, dedicated, and knowledgeable clinicians who are committed to preventing harm and creating safe environments for our patients.
So, the bottom line is to get to know your IP! Partner with them, learn from them, and work together. It’s a partnership you don’t want to miss.