Education & Certification
- Infection Prevention Training & Education
- APIC Annual Conference & Exposition
- In-Person and Virtual Learning
- Online Learning
- APIC & Argentum: Infection Prevention and Control Essentials for Assisted Living
- 2022 IPC Collaboration Series
- EPI Education Series Test
- Infection Prevention and Control Essentials for Ambulatory Care
- Upcoming Webinars
- Microlearning
- IPC Collaboration Series
- Advancing Your Practice Series
- APIC Education Online – FAQs
- APIC Faculty
- CIC® Certification Preparation Course
- Bundled Learning Options
- Group Training for 30+ Individuals
- EPI® Education Series
- Continuing Education (CE) Credit, Joint Accreditation | ACCME, ANCC, ACPE
One of the core duties of all infection preventionists (IP) is collection, analysis, and utilization of data. There are significant changes in how these data are/will be obtained, maintained, analyzed and utilized. Most IPs do not have a background in information technology, which leaves them unprepared to assure that IP needs will be addressed in the introduction of electronic health records. Further, the role of the IP will continue to change based on new definitions that support algorithmic detection of infections, and electronic file upload capabilities for infection reporting. Education is needed so that IPs can function in this changed role, including assessing data and surveillance systems, understanding IT terminology and validating and maintaining data systems for infection prevention.
REGISTRATION DEADLINE: SEPTEMBER 27
APIC is accredited as a provider of continuing nursing education by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation.
CEs: Attendees will be able to earn 9 CNEs for this activity, and can only be obtained through completion of the online evaluation.
What to expect
Interested in enrolling? This is what you can expect
Everything in the Health IT Learning Lab will be done virtually, from viewing presentations to doing assignments. The course materials are available at all times during the six weeks of this course so you may work at your own pace, but we recommend that you work on one module per week. Each of the class’s five modules follow this pattern:
Pre-Work
Before each module, you will have a chance to get familiar with content through things like recommended readings and quizzes.
Virtual Class
After your pre-work, there will be a 35-60 minute presentation focused on the content topic for that module. There may also be 1-2 facilitated live chat sessions during the 6-week period.
Assignments
Following the recorded presentation, you will have questions to answer on the course discussion board as well as assignments that you will complete independently. Peer-to-peer interaction is an important part of this course. Weekly quizzes will also be made available after viewing the presentation.
Capstone Project
There will be a course-long project that must be uploaded to the assignment section by the last week of class. This project is designed to help you:
*Consolidate and apply your learning
*Share with your course facilitator and peers key ideas, questions, and insights learned
*Identify action-steps to guide your post-Lab implementation and on-going learning
The project will include:
*Evaluating your current IT environment and the types of data you use for surveillance and where you find this information
*Mapping your existing workflow for surveillance
*Mapping your preferred workflow
*Examining data provided
Course modules
Module 1: Basics of Health IT
Description
The introductory session provides general IT knowledge that all IPs should have, including relevant key terms, the regulatory landscape that requires reporting and how healthcare information technology intersects with it. We will also provide an overview of the who’s who in your organization in IT and development.
Objectives
- Define key IT terms
- Identify who makes IT decisions in their institutions
- Define the data sources used for their surveillance and control activities
- Describe regulatory drivers of HIT priorities
Module 2: Workflow Assessment and Redesign
Description
This presentation is focused on creating an optimal workflow for your needs. In leveraging technology and automating certain tasks, there are many ways to improve your current workflow. We will teach you how to assess your current workflow, how to frame what you want, leading to a redesign that will make your process more efficient while achieving the best results.
Objectives:
- Assess and deconstruct your current workflow
- Focus on training for new technology to enhance your trust in new systems
- Create a preferred workflow using available technology and automation
- Align workflow with other departments
Module 3: Electronic Medical Record Systems
Description
What are the characteristics of an Electronic Medical Record (EMR) systems? EMRs are key in evaluating data quality: How is information captured and documented? What are your data parameters and the format in which you input that data? In Module 3, we will answer these questions and teach you how to develop, implement, and evaluate best practice alerts. We will also show you how to leverage EMR technology to drive change in clinical practice.
Objectives:
- Recognize the characteristics of an electronic medical record (EMR) that make it conducive to streamlining surveillance efforts and other infection prevention workflows.
- List a minimum of four practical examples of how an EMR and EMR-based data repository (EDW) can aid infection prevention programs.
- Describe how an IC-focused EMR-based clinical decision support system can be developed and implemented.
Module 4: Electronic-Assisted Surveillance
Description
Whether you have a team or you are the sole Infection Preventionist in your facility, you will run into challenges in quality assurance in the validation process, especially when new software has been implemented or there are changes in IT. This week will focus on the validation and quality assurance, managing missed documentation, and how to compare data across your EMR, as well as with data that goes to an external group.
Objectives:
- Manage specifics in data management
- Identify challenges with the validation process with implementation of new software
- Compare electronic medical records to what data is sent to external reporting programs
Module 5: Emerging Technology
Description
In the first four modules, we discuss leveraging technology to enhance your workflow. In our final module, we will present new and emerging technologies that can help track and maintain important data.
Objectives:
- List existing technologies in the field of infection prevention
- Discuss various automated hand hygiene monitoring systems
- Leverage social media in detecting outbreaks and timely acquisition of knowledge
- Discuss the next frontier: prediction aimed at prevention.
Meet your course facilitator
Amelia Bumsted, DNP, RN, CRRN, CIC, FAPIC:
Building upon her nursing experience and academic studies of the continuum of care, project management and evidence-based practice, Dr. Bumsted is the manager of infection control at the Edward Hines Jr. VA Hospital.
Dr. Bumsted completed her DNP capstone project on Rush’s nationally designated Ebola treatment center unit—examining the infrastructure necessary to support the control of emerging infection-related healthcare system stressors such as Ebola. Dr. Bumsted developed and tested an electronic checklist iPad application to guide donning and doffing Level C PPE.
Why should you attend?
Through the six weeks of the Health IT Learning Lab, attendees will learn IT terminology and who in their facility is connected to IT; discover how to analyze their workflow; and learn what current and upcoming technology can impact it. By the end of the class, each attendee will have created an ideal workflow that maximizes their time and leverages technology effectively and efficiently
REGISTRATION DEADLINE: SEPTEMBER 27
Paying by check or have issues registering online? Please complete the registration form and mail it to the noted address. When mailing the check, ensure that the registration form and any corresponding documents are included as we cannot process registrations without payment.
CANCELLATION POLICY
If you cancel in writing by Thursday, October 5, your registration will be refunded less a $75 administrative free. No refunds for cancellations received after this date. No shows are non-refundable. Substitutes are allowed.
The Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc. (APIC) is accredited as a provider of continuing nursing education by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation (ANCC).
Course evaluations will be available in your online training menu at the end of the course. All course-related evaluations must be completed within 30 days of course completion. After satisfying all evaluation requirements, a certificate of completion will be available to print and/or download under My Transcripts for your records indicating CEUs.
Accredited status does not imply endorsement by APIC or the American Nurses Credentialing Center of any commercial products displayed or discussed in conjunction with an educational activity.
Minimum Internet Bandwidth
- Standard Definition (SD) videos: 5 Mbps
- High Definition (HD) videos: 8 Mbps
Computer Operating System
- PC: Windows XP or newer
- Mac: OS X 10.5 (Leopard) or newer
Web Browsers
- Internet Explorer 8.0 or above
- Firefox support for most recent 2 public versions
- Safari support for most recent 2 public versions
- Google Chrome support for most recent 2 public versions
Browser Plug-ins
Flash Player version 10.2.159.1 or higher. Go to Adobe Flash Player to install the latest version.