The Certification Board of Infection Control and Epidemiology is launching a new certification for infection prevention and control professionals who work in long-term care settings.
The program is not the first of its kind, consultant Deb Burdsall, Ph.D., RN-BC, a certified infection preventionist who spent 25 years in that position with Illinois-based Lutheran Life Communities, told McKnight’s. Rather, she said, the new certification gives long-term care workers tasked with infection prevention and control a new option developed “by infection preventionists, for infection preventionists.”
She added that she is “thrilled” that the long-term care industry will have an official certification from the board.
CBIC says that the new certification is the first to specifically measure competencies necessary to protect long-term care residents from infection. The organization already offers certification for general healthcare settings.
“LTC infection preventionists need to understand how person centered resident care aligns with individualized infection prevention interventions such as testing, appropriate treatment, isolation, visitation, community activities, therapy and interaction with staff members,” Burdsall said.
According to the CBIC, approximately 61% of infection preventionists in nursing homes do not have specialized training, and less than 10% are certified in the field.
“Certification is an important way to demonstrate competency in infection prevention and control and has been tied to better hospital patient outcomes,” said CBIC President Sandra Callery, RN, MHSc, CIC. “Now, for the first time, individuals with responsibility for infection prevention and control programs in long-term care settings can obtain certification that is more tailored to their role and signifies their commitment to providing safe care.”
CBIC said it will begin accepting applications for the certification in July, with an initial testing period opening in September.
The organization said that the program aligns with the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology’s call to action last month urging the U.S. healthcare industry, including long-term care facilities, to strengthen infection control strategies for future pandemic preparedness.
