In a recent interview with Jacob Hutcherson, Tawanna McInnis-Cole shared a revealing perspective on her initial experiences with Infection Prevention during her nursing career. From 2001 to 2006, while working as a nurse, Tawanna described her limited interaction with the Infection Prevention department, highlighting how much the field has evolved over the years. Her journey from nurse to a leader in Infection Prevention offers valuable insights into a career path that many in healthcare stumble upon rather than actively pursue.
Tawanna candidly shared that during her six years as a nurse, she never had direct contact with an Infection Preventionist. She noted that if there were any interactions with the Infection Prevention team, they were typically filtered through the nurse manager, which left frontline nurses like her in the dark about the specific roles and responsibilities of Infection Preventionists. This lack of visibility underscored a common issue within healthcare facilities at the time—a disconnect between the Infection Prevention team and the clinical staff who implemented their recommendations.
One of the most eye-opening points Tawanna raised was that Infection Prevention is a field that often goes unrecognized in formal education. While some healthcare professionals, particularly those with a background in public health or epidemiology, may receive some exposure to Infection Prevention concepts, they rarely get a clear picture of what the role entails. Tawanna explained that nursing schools also don’t emphasize Infection Prevention, which leads many nurses to remain unaware of this crucial field unless they stumble upon it during their careers.
For Tawanna, the discovery of Infection Prevention happened almost by accident during a job interview. It was in that moment that she realized the potential impact she could have in a role that didn’t just involve direct patient care but also included developing strategies to prevent infections across the healthcare system. This realization was a turning point in her career, inspiring her to dive deeper into the world of Infection Prevention and eventually become a leader in the field.
Today, Tawanna passionately advocates for raising awareness about the importance of Infection Prevention. She believes that professionals in the field need to be the “walking billboards” for this career path, highlighting its impact and significance within healthcare. By sharing her story, Tawanna hopes to inspire more healthcare workers to consider Infection Prevention as a fulfilling and essential role that makes a difference in patient safety and quality care.