Each year, millions of patients are harmed by preventable healthcare-associated infections (HAIs), an urgent reminder that patient safety begins with strong infection prevention and control (IPC) systems.
Carol McLay, Dr.P.H., M.P.H., RN, CIC, FAPIC, FSHEA
2025 President, Association for Professionals in Infection Control
While protocols and technology are important, it’s the people behind the programs, infection preventionists (IPs), who drive sustained safety outcomes. Yet, many healthcare organizations lack the structured support and staffing needed to build and retain a high-performing IPC workforce. This is where strategic investment in workforce development becomes a game-changer.
Tools for IP staffing
A recent study in the American Journal of Infection Control reinforced a long-held understanding in the field: Facilities with inadequate IP staffing experience higher rates of HAIs. Facilities that meet recommended staffing benchmarks experience fewer infections, stronger adherence to regulatory standards, and greater agility in responding to emerging threats.
To support action across diverse care settings, the Association for Professionals in Infection Control (APIC) offers a suite of practical tools and resources designed to strengthen IPC across the continuum of healthcare:
- APIC IP Staffing Calculator: A free, data-driven tool to help healthcare facilities determine appropriate staffing levels based on services, size, and acuity.
- APIC Competency Model: Defines the essential skills IPs need at different stages of their careers.
- IP Career Development and Advancement Guide: Provides a framework to support the recruitment, retention, and advancement of IPs, in alignment with the APIC Competency Model.
- a-IPC and CIC Certification Prep: Comprehensive training tools that guide IPs at all levels toward achieving professional certification.
- PolicyPro: A dynamic policy and procedure library built specifically to support IPC programs with compliant, ready-to-use content.
- APIC Text Online (ATO): The definitive reference for IPC, available in a searchable digital format for quick access in real-time settings.
- Customized Group Training: Tailored education solutions for teams at every stage, helping facilities build internal capacity and consistency.
Given the reality of staffing constraints, organizations can strengthen IPC efforts by expanding knowledge and accountability across all departments. Many hospitals are developing IPC champions, such as nurses, techs, and other frontline staff, who are equipped to support best practices and reinforce protocols when IPs are not immediately available. This team-based approach helps embed a culture of safety more broadly and sustainably.
Improving healthcare for all
Supporting IPs is not only about recruitment. It is about fostering growth, sustaining engagement, and building future leaders. When healthcare organizations invest in professional development and certification, they see measurable improvements in safety outcomes, staff morale, and organizational resilience.
Across every care setting, IPs are essential defenders of health, protecting patients, staff, and communities. With the right support and infrastructure, they have the power to lead meaningful change and drive system-wide improvement.
For those looking to build stronger, safer organizations, APIC membership offers access to these tools and more, including organizational memberships that support entire teams in advancing IPC excellence.
Investing in infection prevention is more than a safety strategy; it is a commitment to excellence, to innovation, and to the future of healthcare.
