Why Infection Prevention Certification Matters More Than Ever
The Covid-19 pandemic brought global attention to infection prevention and control (IPC), but long before the pandemic IPC professionals were shaping safer environments in hospitals, long-term care facilities, and public health systems. One factor that has consistently shown to strengthen this work is professional certification. As evidence grows, the field is seeing what many of us already knew firsthand – certification elevates competence, improves outcomes, and strengthens trust among employers, patients, and the public.
Infection Prevention and Control in our Daily Lives
Even if you haven’t stepped foot in a hospital or other care facility recently, infection prevention affects everyone – whether you realize it or not! Everyone has heard horror stories of outbreaks on cruise ships or experienced it firsthand with an illness going around our children’s school. We rely on well-trained, certified IPC professionals to play a vital role in keeping all of us safe.
Expanding Certification Pathways to Meet Growing Need
As demand for IPC expertise grows and expands, the profession needs more accessible pathways that uphold rigor while meeting practitioners where they are. The Certification Board of Infection Control and Epidemiology (CBIC®) offers a tiered certification framework that reflects the diverse environments where IPC professionals work – one for novice practitioners, one targeted for mid-career IPC and long-term care infection preventionists, and one for expert-level professionals demonstrating advanced leadership. These certifications undergo rigorous development processes, including practice analyses, subject-matter-expert reviews, and validated testing methods to ensure relevance and fairness.
The CBIC develops content outlines for each certification that defines what knowledge and skills are essential for the role being tested. In IPC, this ensures that the exam measures what a professional needs to know, rather than arbitrary or outdated information. If the exam content were not aligned with a relevant outline, the credential’s credibility would suffer. A relevant outline assures employers, patients, and regulatory bodies that the certification is rigorous, trustworthy, and reflective of current standards.
Certification Strengthens Patient Safety
Certifications like the CBIC Certified in Infection Control (CIC®) are recognized across healthcare and other practice settings. When IPC professionals are certified, studies show that patient care improves. For example, several studies published in the American Journal of Infection Control show that hospitals with a CIC® certified infection preventionist are more likely to participate in evidence-based infection prevention collaboratives.[1] And according to the National Association of County and City Health Officials, local health department staff who received certification reported better collaborative relationships with healthcare providers and peers due to gaining deeper understanding of infection prevention and control.
Value for Certificants Themselves
Certification also carries tangible career benefits. According to multiple surveys and compensation analyses:[2]
- IPC professionals with certification experience increased recognition from peers.
- They report greater confidence in their professional capabilities and express survey readiness within their institution.
- They experience enhanced career opportunities and better compensation.
- Certification fosters professional trust from employers and the public.
Conclusion
Infection prevention and control is fundamental to safe healthcare and life overall. Certification strengthens this by ensuring professionals have validated, up-to-date knowledge that reduces infection risk, protects patients, and supports resilient health systems. As the field continues to evolve, certification remains one of the most powerful tools for elevating practice, advancing careers, and improving outcomes, which benefits professionals, employers, and the public alike.
Read More about the Importance of Certifications in Other Industries through this Blog Series:
- The Importance of Credentialing in Environmental Health
- Quality Credentials in Emergency Medical Services: Safeguarding the Public Through Certification
- The Importance of Quality Credentials in Supporting Public Health in Food Safety
[1] Hsu, Y. J., et al. (2023), “Impact of certified infection preventionists in acute care settings: A systematic review,” American Journal of Infection Control, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajic.2022.05.0656; Marx, J. F., Callery, S., & Boukidjian, R. (2019), “Value of certification in infection prevention and control,” American Journal of Infection Control, 47(10), 1265-1269, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajic.2019.04.169; and Schweon, S. J., Larson, E., Callery, S., & Dangles, J. (2024), “Long-term care certification in infection prevention: The time is…now!” American Journal of Infection Control, 52(2), 249-251, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajic.2023.08.023.
[2] APIC MegaSurvey (2015 & 2020), “Compensation and workforce data for infection preventionists.”
