Education and Training

Author(s):
Brianne Bachman, MPH, CIC Specialist Clinical Infection Prevention, Senior

Corewell Health West
Grand Rapids, MI

Irena Kenneley, PhD, APRN-BC, CIC Assistant Professor

Case Western Reserve University
Cleveland, OH

Revised Publication:
August 27, 2024
Original Publication:
November 26, 2014
Declarations of Conflicts of Interest:
  • Brianne declares no conflicts of interest.
  • Irena Kenneley declares no conflicts of interest.
Acknowledgments:

Special thanks to Irena Kenneley, PhD, APRN-BC, CIC, for authoring the 2014 Chapter.

Abstract

This chapter addresses the infection preventionist’s (IP’s) role as a clinical educator of healthcare personnel. Healthcare personnel are a diverse group of people from many backgrounds and cultures. Each individual’s background will inform the ways that they think and learn, and this diversity poses challenges for instructors, including IPs, who are responsible for education and training in the healthcare setting. As educators, IPs assess the educational needs of the learner population, facilitate healthcare personnel’s competency in infection prevention and control, and tailor education and training objectives to the institution’s mission and business priorities. To ensure success, IPs should understand the principles of adult learning, provide an appropriate climate for learning, demonstrate creativity and flexibility, and select effective instructional methods from the array of available education and training options.