Curriculum committee

APIC Education Committee has been restructured to allow the committee to address the educational needs of more of the APIC

as a provider of CEUs. Eventually, this task force will investigate the feasibility and desirability of APIC becoming an approver for CEUs.

membership. In 1983 the Education Committee will be composed of several different subcommittees and task forces. Each of them has been given the charge to develop educational programs for a different segment of the membership.

The Education Committee is exploring contacts that would allow the continued offering of the regional program for hospital epidemiologists, or perhaps a course for chairmen of infection control committees. Contacts have been made with the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Hospitals and Society for Hospital Epidemiologists of America and these inquiries may result in the formation of another task force. By establishing these working subcommittees and task forces, the Education Committee believes it can address the educational needs of APIC members effectively. We encourage member input and comments on the goals of

The national

Certification Preparation: This subcommittee is preparing materials to help the ICP in preparation for the certification examination. Using the Certification Board of Infection Control Task Analysis data and The APIC Curriculum for Infection Control Practice, the subcommittee has prepared a series of videotapes (The Certification Lecture Series) with lectures covering the topics outlined in The Curriculum. These tapes are available in single copies or as a set and may be rented or purchased. These videotaped lectures are intended as another aid to be used by the ICP in preparation for the certification examination. Special Projects: This subcommittee has been asked to develop educational programs that will address the needs of the advanced, more experienced ICP. Programs under consideration include statistics, interfacing quality assurance and infection control, and developing quality audiovisual aids. A needs assessment response is being evalu-

this committee. David L. Taylor, Ph.D. Chairperson Education Committee

cational programs graphic areas are identified that do not have ready access to such educational offerings, a program will be developed for presentation in these areas. Educational Brochure: Frequent inquiries as to

The first copies of The AZ’ZC Curriculum for Infection Control Practice were mailed from the publisher in early July. Many APIC members have received their copies of The Curriculum by now. Others who wish to order copies at this time may do so by using the mailer card in this issue of the Journal or writing to the APIC national office for price and order information.

“What are ICPs? What do they do? and How do you get to be one?” have prompted the formation of a task force to develop a brochure to answer these and other questions. It is expected that this

PREPARATIOW EXAMWATION

ated to determine of value.

what

Novice Practitioners: vestigate

the members

think

may be

This

subcommittee will inand accessibility of edufor entry-level ICPs. If geo-

the availability

brochure can be used by nursing, microbiology, medical technology, and other education programs; education fairs; and to answer individual questions.

Providership

and Approvership:

has been charged

44A

initially

with

This task establishing

force APIC

FOR TNE CERTlFlCATION

The Curriculum can serve as one of several resources to study for the certification examination. In this article we suggest one approach to studying for the examination that will use The Curriculum as the primary resource.

Volume

11 Number

August,

1983

4

Committee Reprts

Order The Curriculum

and a copy of the Handbook

for Cundi&ztes for the Certification Examination. You may use the mailer card in this issue of the Journal to order the Handbook or write to: CBIC Testing Office 1 lth Floor 304 East 45th St. New York, NY 10017 Review the content outline for the certification examination on pages 8 to 11 of the Handbook. This outline will advise you of the areas to be covered on the examination. Check the weighting of the examination content on page 7 of the Handbook. This information will give you a general impression of the proportion of test questions that will come from each of the eight content areas. You will notice that the topic headings for the content outline are the same as the eight sections of The Curriculum and that there is considerable overlap between them. Review the Handbook content outline to determine those areas where you believe you need additional study. Review the corresponding section of The Curriculum. The Curriculum sections are developed according to instructional objectives to assist the learner in self-assessment. By the time you have reviewed each section of The Curriculum, you will have a much better understanding of your personal strengths in each content area.

One effective method used by many other organizations is study groups. The Emergency Department Nurses Association (EDNA), the Association of Operating Room Nurses (AORN), and the American Association of CriticalCare Nurses (AACN) have all found this method helpful. If you are part of a study group and are using The Curriculum, you may: Change the instructional objectives into test questions after review of each content area. Make a study key or guide with blanks to fill in for those sections with consistent formats. This method might be especially useful for the procedure/device/risk/intervention tables of the Patient Care Practices section. Focus on a specific section for one study group session and have individual members of the group develop study questions for the remainder of the group. Use the self-assessment exercises found at the end of some of the sections for discussion groups or for individual review.

In addition,

the APIC Education

Committee

4&A

is preparing videotapes f5r the Certification Lecture Series. (See k&cat&n Committee report on p. 44A.) We hope The Curriculum will serve as a useful resource to enhance your per-ma1 and professional growth and that this specific information related to preparation for the certification examination will also be helpful. Currkulum

Committee

Awards presented by the Association at the Tenth Annual Conference in San Diego, California, on Nbe a$.%pJ~sations Chapter were received this year from the Detroit, Alabama, Greater Atlanta, Tri-Valley (aeon California), Minnesota, Long Island, Southetit Wisconsin, Delaware Valley, Mississippi chapters. The recip

Awards Recipients this year were Rose l&nkenship, R.N., Stanford, Califorrria; Doris Opalenik, R.N., Springfield, Maa Mary Shetler, B.S.&L, Long Beach, Ca&f%@nia. The awards allow these APIC metiers to:attend one of several AMSCO seminarsgiven thoughout the year. The awards are sponsored by AM!3420 Medical Products. Six applicamembers in ti Canada, Australia, Panama, and’%%st Germany for this award sponsored by E. 82 inCompany. A special maiiing wm se ternational members of APIA this year in an attempt to increase the number of ~~~~~a~~~~ received in 19g3. The recipient of the award was Prof. Dr. Johannes Sander, Osnabruck, West Ed cipients were sdec*d for arW&rds of $ sponsored by Merck, Sharpe & Dohme. As in 1982, the recipients were selected in categories