President's Farewell Message
CBIC in 2020
We are all not likely to forget 2020 any time soon and recognize the intense spotlight that infection preventionists have been under. To that end, the tremendous amount work that IP’s around the globe have been engaged in and continue to do so is commendable. The fight isn’t over but there is a bright spot with the New Year quickly approaching. Furthermore, CBIC has continued to work on monitoring and evaluating the new initiatives that were introduced earlier in the year and the accomplishments of the Board of Directors and the staff is worth noting.
During a Pandemic New Initiatives Were Launched
CBIC launched an additional pathway to recertification in 2020 by Infection Prevention Units (IPUs). With the completion of the first year of recertification using continuing education, we look forward to exploring the possibilities that this new recertification pathway presents.
The Associate—Infection Prevention and Control (a-IPC) entry-level examination went live. The a-IPC has allowed us to expand our reach and bring in a new audience; there are already numerous a-IPCs practicing in the field. As with any new initiative, we understand the importance to hear from those that completed this exam to use your feedback to make any necessary improvements going forward.
Additionally, CBIC conducted a Practice Analysis to review the content of the current certification exam to ensure that the exam content stays relevant to those practicing in the field of infection prevention and control. We are extremely grateful that so many infection practitioners participated and we are in the process assessing the review and gap analysis. More information regarding updates to the current exam will be provided in early 2021.
On behalf of the CBIC Board of Directors and Staff, I want to thank you all for your continued support and encouragement throughout the year. We know the challenges from 2020 will carry over into 2021 and to that end CBIC will be here to support those already certified and those who are working toward that goal.
2021 CBIC Board of Directors
I would like to welcome CBIC President Janet Glowicz and President-Elect Sandra Callery to their new leadership roles in 2021. As the need to develop alternative solutions to meet the growing demand for infection preventionists is only getting clearer, we can look forward to their exceptional leadership towards these goals.
A special thank you to Roy Boukidjian, CBIC Board member and past president as well as Karen Anderson, Ivan Gowe, Evelyn McKnight, and Marty Cooney who will be rotating off the Board of Directors in 2020. I am honored to have served with such talented individuals and will continue to count them among my friends as well as colleagues; your work and volunteerism was appreciated more than you know.
Wrapping Up
I would like to express my appreciation to the entire CBIC Board of Directors and all infection prevention and control professionals for supporting my tenure as CBIC president. It is both a pleasure and an honor to represent such outstanding leaders in this industry!
With appreciation,
Linda Goss, DNP, BS, APRN, ANP-BC, COHN-S, CIC, FAPIC
