Infection Preventionist Specialized Training (IPCO Version 2)

About This Event

We’re excited to partner with AHCA/NCAL to offer  the Infection Preventionist Specialized Training (IPCO), a specialized course of study for healthcare professionals who desire to serve as Infection Preventionists (IPs) as established in the CMS reform of requirements of participation for long term care facilities. Through this program, individuals will be specially trained to effectively implement and manage an infection prevention and control program in a nursing center.

It addresses both clinical and organizational systems, processes and cultural aspects of infection prevention and control which are fundamental to effectively leading and administering a center’s Infection Prevention & Control program.

Now more than ever, an Infection Prevention Control Officer (IPCO) is critical to have in your building/organization.  This updated version incorporates information from the COVID-19 pandemic,  the most recent regulatory requirements as well as sections on Candida auris, Multi-Drug Resistant Organisms (MDROs), and Enhanced Barrier Precautions (EBP).  Additionally, there is an entire section on how to get an effective water management program running in your center.

What’s new and what’s changed:

• Updated regulatory requirements
• Added:
  • Multi-drug Resistant Organisms (MDROs) and Enhanced Barrier Precautions (EBP)
  • Candida auris
  • Water management program
  • COVID-19
• Increased from 23  to 25 ANCC contact hours
• 22 hours of continuing education credit for Nursing Home Administration and Residential Care/ Assisted Living Administration
• Increased length of time allowed to complete the training from 9 months to 12 months

The training is an on-line, self-study program on ahcancalED. The training includes online lectures, case studies and interactive components taught by an array of experts from around the country.

Objectives

Students who complete this course successfully will be able to:

• Effectively manage an Infection Prevention and Control Program within their health care setting
• Convey to staff effective strategies to prevent infections
• Implement practices and procedures to mitigate infections
• Enforce practices and policies related to infection prevention
• Provide on-going education to others including staff, residents and families

Individual module objectives are found in the module resource tab within the module presentations; be sure to access and review for each module.

You have 12 months to complete the course from the date you open the course but, most participants, following the advice above could successfully complete and receive their certificate in a much quicker time frame.

Participants must complete all training modules and successfully pass quizzes and final test with a grade of 80 or above to receive a certificate of completion from AHCA, valid for 3 years.

Certificates

Three certificates will be awarded upon successful completion of the program:

1. UNMC CON CNE will provide a certificate awarding contact hours.
2. AHCA will provide a Specialized Training Completion certificate, valid for 3 years.
3. 22 hours of continuing education credit for Nursing Home Administration and Residential Care/ Assisted Living Administration.

The course is open to AHCA/NCAL members for $450 and non-members for $650.  Group purchase with discount structure is available for groups of 25 or more. There are no refunds and no transfers.

Renewal

Completion certificate of specialized training is valid for 3 years. Renewal may occur via the options below:

• Option 1: Registering for a competency exam requiring a grade of 80% or above to successfully receive certificate of renewal. You must have a score of 80 or greater. The cost of the IPCO certificate renewal exam is $200 for members and $450 for non-members. No CEs are awarded for taking the renewal exam.
• Option 2: Registering for the IPCO course and completing the course requirements as outlined above.

Renewal cost will be the cost of the competency exam registration for option 1 and/or the cost of course registration for option 2.

Please note, the renewal competency exam is only available to individuals who have previously successfully completed the full IPCO course and are seeking renewal. More info is available here.

A Note About Current IPCO Version 1 Enrollees Who Have Not Yet Completed the Course

Those who are active enrollees in IPCO 1 but have not completed their coursework will be given access to all IPCO Version 2 modules and bonus trainings free of charge.  However, they will only receive the 23 ANCC nurse contact hours approved for IPCO Version 1.  All current IPCO Version 1 enrollees in progress of completing the course, will be notified of their ability to access IPCO Version 2 content.

Registrations for IPCO must be done by the individual who will be taking the course, under their individual login.  Registrations cannot be done by another person or under another person’s login.  If you are not sure of your member status, please email educate@ahca.org before making payment.