What Public Health Staff Need to Know About the CIC

1
What Public Health Staff Need to Know About the
CIC

• Cathy Egan, MBA, CPHI(C), CIC
• Network Coordinator
• Waterloo Wellington Infection Control Network

2
What is the CIC?

• CIC Certification in Infection Control and
  Epidemiology
• Internationally recognized level of excellence in
  infection control achieved through passing an
  examination

3
What is the CBIC?

• CBIC Certification Board of Infection Control
  and Epidemiology
• Recognized by APIC (US) and CHICA (Canada) as the
  standard for certification

4
The CBIC is

• Administrator of the certification process for
  infection control and epidemiology
• Voluntary, autonomous multidisciplinary board
• Accredited by National Commission for Certifying
  Agencies (NCAA)

5
What is the CIC for?

• provides standardized measurement of current
  basic knowledge
• encourages individual growth and study
• promotes professionalism among ICPs
• recognizes ICPs with a formal credential

6
Why should Public Health staff get the CIC?

• Achieve formal recognition as a Professional in
  Infection Control
• Provides employers and clients with an accepted
  measure of proficiency in basic infection control
  knowledge

7
Why should Public Health staff get the CIC?

• Supports professional growth and knowledge
  acquisition
• Infection Control Core Competencies
• Enhances credibility when dealing with others who
  work in Infection Control

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The Certification Process

• Initial certification occurs via a
  computer-generated examination
• Certification is valid for five years
• Re-certification is required to maintain CIC

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Re-certification Process

• Via the computerized examination
• OR
• Via the Self-Assessment Recertification Exam
  (SARE)

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What is the content of the CIC Exam?

• A comprehensive, job-related examination
• 150 multiple choice questions

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Who is Eligible?

• Practice requirement
• Education requirement

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Practice Requirements

• Minimum of 2 years practice in infection control
  with a minimum of 800 hours worked directly prior
  to the date of the examination
• Practice requirements may not be waived

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Infection Control Practice

• Definition of infection control practice is
  very broad and encompasses many of the functions
  in public health

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Definition of Infection Control Practice

• Analysis and interpretation of collected
  infection control data
• Investigation and surveillance of suspected
  outbreaks of infection

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Definition of Infection Control Practice

• And, at least 3 of the following
• Planning, implementation and evaluation of IC
  measures
• Education of individuals about infection risk,
  prevention and control
• Development and revision of infection control
  policies and procedures
• Management of infection prevention and control
  activities
• Provision of consultation on infection risk
  assessment, prevention and control strategies

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Education Requirements

• A current license or registration as a medical
  technologist, physician or registered nurse
• OR
• A minimum of a baccalaureate degree
• (A waiver can be applied for through the CBIC
  Executive Office)

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Can Public Health staff certify?

• Yes, if they have a baccalaureate degree
• AND
• Minimum of 2 years practice in infection control
• Many parts of public health can be considered
  infection control

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What is the content of the CIC Exam?

• Infectious disease processes
• Surveillance and epidemiological investigation
• Infection prevention and control
• Program management and communication
• Education
• Infection control aspects of employee health

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How to apply for the CIC Exam

• Obtain a copy of the Candidate Handbook with
  application forms from CBIC website www.cbic.org

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How to apply for the CIC Exam

• Ensure that the eligibility requirements are met
  (request an educational waiver, if necessary)

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How to apply for the CIC Exam

• Complete the paper application and send to AMP
• International candidates cannot apply on-line
  (includes Canadians)

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How to prepare for the Exam

• Refer to the detailed content outline in the
  Candidate Handbook to help guide study
• Obtain the CIC study guide from the APIC online
  bookstore (www.apic.org)
• Review current infection control reference books,
  journals, and standards

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How to prepare for the Exam

• Find support from your
• Regional Infection Control Network
• local CHICA Chapter
• other PHIs or Infection Control practitioners in
  your area
• Form a study group among your peers within the
  health unit and local health care institutions

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The Exam

• Questions are based on cognitive learning
  principles
• Recall
• Application of knowledge
• Analysis evaluate scenario and use analytical
  skills to select correct answer

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The Exam

• Have removed references to American organizations
  and standards such as OSHA and JCAHO
• Exam questions are applicable to the practice of
  infection prevention and control around the world

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The Exam

• There are no trick questions
• Working to eliminate negatively worded questions
  -- all of the above EXCEPT
• Scenarios may be specific to one workplace, but
  the principles of risk analysis can be applied by
  all

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No more pencils, no more paper!

• Computer-based exam
• Can mark questions to go back to them
• Can make comments on questions
• No penalty for guessing

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Practice Exam

• Can do a trial run with a 70 question on-line
  practice exam
• Allows familiarization with the computerized
  testing process
• Administration charge of 50
• Can access the exam for 60 days once submit for
  scoring, cant retake the exam

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Where can you get more information?

• CBIC website www.cbic.org
• Candidate Handbook (all application and order
  forms for the exam are included)
• Background information on CBIC and the
  certification process

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Myths about the CIC

• Centennial College/CHICA Canada Infection Control
  course is NOT related to the CIC, and is not a
  prerequisite to taking the CIC exam

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Myths about the CIC

• CIC is not administered through APIC
• CBIC is a completely independent body

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Myths about the CIC

• Work as an ICP in a hospital is not the only work
  experience that meets the practice requirements

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Questions?

• Cathy Egan
• cegan_at_cmh.org
• 519-624-9781