Letter from the President

Barbara Russell, RN, BSHA, MPH, CIC

Happy New Year! I hope you all had a safe and happy holiday season. I am delighted and honored to be writing to you as your 2012 President and I’d like to thank Terrie Lee, RN, MS, MPH, CIC and the rest of the Board of Directors for their outstanding work in 2011. I look forward to carrying out several initiatives that were developed as part of our strategic planning process this past summer. In addition, I’d like to congratulate Terrie on being elected to the International Federation of Infection Control (IFIC) Board of Trustees for a four-year term beginning January 1, 2012. We know Terrie will do a terrific job of representing CBIC on the international stage!

CBIC has kicked off 2012 with a few new initiatives already in place and several others in the works. On January 1st, we launched our real-time examination application system for the CBT and the SARE. Our exams are still administered by Applied Measurement Professionals (AMP), but the entire application process is now handled by CBIC. We are also in the process of implementing real-time ordering for our CIC merchandise.

In addition to the new examination application process, other updates and accomplishments include revised examination eligibility requirements, an updated Practice Exam which will launch on January 18th, a completely re-vamped Candidate Handbook, renewed accreditation of CBIC’s CIC program for a five year period through November 30, 2016 by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies, and a new Strategic Plan.

In developing CBIC’s strategic plan in 2011, the Board identified six goal areas on which we will focus our efforts over the next three years. Those goal areas include: Certification, Re-certification, Testing, and Research; Partner and Regulatory Relationships; Marketing, Communications, and Publications; Recruitment, Retention, and Community; and Governance and Management. Please watch for updates on activities related to the Strategic Plan in the Certification Corner and on the website.

Finally, I would like to thank Fran M. Feltovich, MBA, RN, CIC, CPHQ, Marie Kassai, RN, BSN, MPH, CIC, and Glenda L. Schuh, RN, BSN, CIC for six years of service on the CBIC Board of Directors. It was a privilege working with them over the years. I would also like to welcome our three new Board members: Lillian A. Burns, MT, MPH, CIC, Constance J. Cutler, RN, MS, CIC, FSHEA, and Christine C. Zirges, RN, ACNS-BS, CIC. I’m looking forward to working with these talented new Board members.

I hope you like the new look and frequency of the Certification Corner! The Board feels it is important to communicate with our CICs regularly and provide more timely updates than we were able to with the quarterly e-newsletter.

I look forward to seeing many of you at the APIC and CHICA-Canada Annual Conferences this year! Let’s make 2012 a good one!

Barbara S. Russell, RN, BSHA, MPH, CIC
2012 CBIC President