July 2023
CBIC celebrated its 40th anniversary last month at the APIC annual conference. It was terrific to see so many of you stop by the booth or attend the CBIC reception. Whether you attended virtually or in-person, the engagement was high, and the conference continues to be an event the board looks forward to all year.
CBIC Updates
Infection prevention units (IPUs) continue to be a popular way of recertifying. To promote continuous learning, effective January 1, 2028, certificants must demonstrate that a portion of their IPUs have been attained in different years of the five-year certification cycle. Additionally, effective 2028, for multi-session infection control courses that offer continuous education units, an IPU may be awarded for each educational session of one hour or more, to a maximum of 30 IPUs for the course.
To better align with the strategic plan, the CBIC Board recommends candidates earn at least two IPUs from diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) and health equity within healthcare as a part of the minimum required 40 IPUs. DEI and health equity should be self-evident in the title or learning objectives. Both APIC and IPAC Canada have webinars that would meet this criteria.
Looking Ahead
The board continues to revisit the CBIC strategic plan at each of its meetings. There was much discussion on the alignment of certification opportunities along career path progression from novice to mid-career, to expert. The APIC competency model is guiding the work of a newly created taskforce that is in the beginning stages of planning an advanced infection prevention and control certification. Please stay tuned for future updates. We at CBIC are committed to continuing to expand global opportunities for IPC professionals to attain formal recognition through certification, including those of you who are leaders in the field!
Elaine Larson, RN, PhD, CIC
2023 President Certification Board of Infection Control and Epidemiology