The Certification in Infection Prevention and Control (CIC®) credential identifies healthcare professionals who have shown mastery in knowledge of infection prevention and control by sitting for and passing the certification exam. The credential is awarded by the Certification Board of Infection Control and Epidemiology (CBIC). Certification in Infection Prevention and Control (CIC®) is the essential designation for professional proficiency of a new competency model developed by the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC) to advance the profession. One of the target metrics of APIC's Strategic Plan is to have 10,000 infection preventionists certified by the year 2020.
To assist candidates preparing for the CIC® exam, APIC has released the fifth edition of the Certification Study Guide. Rewritten by a team of infection prevention experts, this guide features 630 practice questions that review the six content areas identified by CBIC. For the first time the study guide includes three practice tests to simulate the test experience.
“The newest edition of the Certification Study Guide includes rationales explaining the correct answers with appropriate references,” said lead author Carol McLay, DrPH, MPH, RN, CIC. “Infection preventionists now have the opportunity to learn the reasoning behind each answer and use the references to find additional information.”
In addition to the new features of the study guide, this edition also includes helpful test-taking tips and chapter-by-chapter guidance for studying with the APIC Text and other resources.
To further support certification, APIC has introduced the Novice Roadmap. This dynamic document is a guide to the tasks, knowledge, skills, abilities, and resources that will take infection preventionists from day one on the job through passing the CIC® exam. The newly revised Infection Prevention Competency Review Online Course is also available to candidates—it's a perfect complement to the Certification Study Guide, with an entirely different set of questions and helpful interactive features.
“The CIC® credential shows a commitment to best practices in infection prevention and control and improved patient care and signals to your employer and colleagues that you are committed to your professional growth,” said McLay. “Obtaining and maintaining certification is one of the most important contributions you can make to the advancement of the field.”
To learn more about the new certification study guide, visit APIC's online store: http://www.apic.org/APICStore/Products. For information on the Novice Roadmap and the Competency Review Online Course, visit http://www.apic.org/Education-and-Events/Overview.
Additional insight on the value of certification in infection prevention and control and the APIC Competency Model for the Infection Preventionist are published in the May 2012 issue of the American Journal of Infection Control (Volume 40, Issue 4), in a special section focused on “The Road to 2020.” To learn more, visit http://www.apic.org/Professional-Practice/Infection_preventionist_IP_competency_model.
To learn more about APIC Strategic Plan 2020, visit http://www.apic.org/About-APIC/Vision-and-Mission.
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© 2014 Published by Elsevier Inc.
