Critical to patient safety, the domain of Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) still largely remains one of the most misunderstood fields within healthcare. Even though its importance was reinforced during the COVID-19 pandemic, confusion persists around the field’s entry pathways, training standards, and recognition within health institutions, often causing professionals to learn the IPC ropes in less structured on-the-job settings.
Tracing its roots back to the 1950s, IPC, which was often sidelined, rose to global prominence during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic. Despite its vital role in preventing hospital-acquired infections and enhancing patient outcomes, IPC struggled to secure professional recognition compared to more traditional healthcare disciplines. Even today, after a global health crisis underscored the urgent need for a robust IPC workforce, the field remains inaccessible and often misunderstood by aspirants.
Unlike other well-defined professions in healthcare like nursing or respiratory therapy, IPC doesn’t have clear educational and professional pathways. Standard occupational progressions for established healthcare roles outline designated degrees, certifications, and license requirements. Yet, for a career in IPC, no such standardized route exists. Consequently, current IPC professionals usually enter the field fortuitously, often transitioning from careers in public health, nursing, microbiology, or laboratory sciences.
This lack of structured education and training programs fosters uncertainty for potential IPC professionals looking for career growth and entry strategies. Usually, many professionals start their IPC journey without a rich knowledge of industry practices but are nonetheless tasked with the critical role of infection control gatekeepers. Most of these professionals are trained on-the-job with a significant reliance on a trial-and-error learning approach.
Institutions like the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC) and the Certification Board of Infection Control and Epidemiology (CBIC) have attempted to elevate the recognition of IPC through advocacy, various certification programs, and educational initiatives. Despite these efforts towards legitimizing IPC as an indispensable function within healthcare, there is still no universally recognized career pathway that has been well-established. IPC is often perceived as a specialized niche instead of a fundamental stone of healthcare operations.
Although bodies like the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) have identified the need for roles such as ‘hospital epidemiologists,’ ‘infection control professionals,’ and ‘infection preventionists,’ variations in job descriptions across healthcare facilities have interfered with the establishment of a structured IPC workforce. To add to the confusion, the disparities run deeper than titles. Some institutions view IPC roles as an administrative function, while others regard it as clinical or public health roles.
Unlike well-ordered disciplines like nursing and respiratory therapy, IPC lacks a standardized curriculum or training model, leading to an inconsistency in rigorous competency measures among IPC practitioners, creating barriers for those passionate about IPC but lacking the necessary resources or direction to penetrate the field. It is now imperative to establish clear, structured IPC training and professional development to address workforce shortages, inconsistent training, and sustainability of careers. Although the APIC has developed several guidance documents for novice IPCs, it is yet to answer the fundamental question: How does one become an IP?
Recent recognition of IPC as a vital function in healthcare has underpinned the need for a more defined profession that is easily accessible. Standardized training and mentorship structures can bridge the gap and help make IPC more defined as a profession. A strong IPC workforce is crucial in enhancing patient safety and infection control outcomes, laying the groundwork for a healthcare system equipped to tackle future public health disasters.
Despite the many challenges that recruiting for IPC careers present due to diversity, it’s time to move towards a more standardized pathway into the profession, attracting, training, and retaining younger professionals successfully. This approach will address the urgent need to reinvigorate an aging workforce.
Furthermore, it is important to correct misunderstandings about IPC positions requiring a clinical license or background. Most of the work can be done without a clinical license, and the field needs to attract candidates with diverse backgrounds to adapt to the growth and expansion in IPC. This paper will help inform and shape future initiatives aimed at ensuring the next generation of IPC professionals is equipped with the necessary skills and competencies to overcome the inherent challenges of the field.