1. Tell us about your experience putting together your portfolio for the AL-CIP?
I didn’t start with a checklist, I started with impact. I looked back at the moments where things were messy and I had to lead anyway: outbreak debriefs that changed how homes responded next time, education sessions where staff actually shifted practice, policy work that didn’t just sit on paper but got used in real time.
2. Can you provide tips for writing a successful rationale?
Start with the leadership lens, not the task. Don’t begin with “I developed a policy” or “I ran an education session.” Start by framing the leadership problem you were solving, what gap, risk, or system issue required advanced practice.
Be explicit about your role in influence. Reviewers want to see where you shaped outcomes, not just participated. Clarify what changed because of your input: decisions, behaviours, systems, or alignment across teams.
3. What advice would you give to someone considering the AL-CIP?
Preparing this portfolio has required me to be selective and intentional. I chose examples where I didn’t just contribute, but where I led change, navigated complexity, and improved outcomes in measurable and meaningful ways. In the end, the portfolio wasn’t about volume. It was about choosing the moments where leadership was visible in outcomes, not effort.
4. What does earning your AL-CIP mean to you?
AL-CIP, to me, is a way of making sense of the work I’ve already been doing, turning day-to-day IPAC practice into clear evidence of leadership, impact, and system improvement. For me, AL-CIP represents more than certification. It reflects the reality of advanced IPAC practice: influencing systems, supporting safer care environments, and continuously translating evidence into action under pressure.
