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Queen's Infection Prevention & Control (IPAC) Online Professional Development Course is a fully online program with interactive content for health professionals who are new to or are about to enter into the practice of IPAC. The purpose of the course is to introduce learners to the practice of IPAC and to increase participants’ knowledge and skills for managing the prevention and control of infections and disease.
Need help registering, or looking for group rates? email queensic@queensu.ca
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New infection control practitioners in all Canadian health care settings, including communicable disease staff working in health units. We ask that you have obtained one of the following: RN, RPN, BSc, MD, CRT/RRT, MLT or equivalent. We also welcome registrants who possess credentials in the fields of Public Health, Dental Care, Long Term Care, Environmental Services, Paramedic Operations, and Occupational Health and Safety.
If you have not obtained one of these credentials we recommend having experience in the IPAC field. We will consider a combination of educational background and work experience, if you have any concerns about your eligibility, please do not hesitate to email us for further clarification.
Course Layout
The course will be delivered through a series of 12 interactive online modules over the span of 18 weeks. Each week, a new module topic will become available. Some modules may span one week, while others may span 2-3 weeks. Learners are expected to work through the module along with any additional online resources. Furthermore, there will be weekly quizzes and assignments that must be completed and submitted by specified due dates. There will also be a designated Question and Answer board available for each module topic to facilitate discussion and clarification.
The course will explore the following module topics:
- Lifelong Learning: Principles of Adult Learning and Evidence-based Medicine and Literature Searching (1 week)
- Infectious Disease Processes: Clinical Microbiology (2 weeks)
- Routine Practices and Additional Precautions (2 weeks)
- Disinfection, Sterilization and Construction (2 weeks)
- Employee and Occupational Health (2 weeks)
- Surveillance and Epidemiologic Investigation (5 weeks)
- Epidemiology of Health Care Acquired Infections (2 weeks)
- Public Health and Education (1 week)
- Management and Communication in Infection Prevention and Control (1 week)
Learners should expect to spend an average of 7-12 hours per week on coursework. This includes working through the online modules, discussions, quizzes, and assignments each week. This may vary depending on your comfort level with the module topic and prior experience in the IPAC field.
Assessments
Course assessments will have varying weight percentages, ranging from 2% to 10%, and will encompass a mix of multiple-choice quizzes, assignments, and interactive scenarios. These assessments will be made available alongside the modules and will be due weekly on Sundays at 11:30 p.m. Eastern Time (ET).
If you have any concerns regarding accessibility, please reach out to the coordinator at queensic@queensu.ca to discuss options prior to processing payment.
Live Sessions
This course has a synchronous component where learners are expected to attend a minimum of three live sessions via Zoom. These sessions will be scheduled at various times and dates, and a finalized schedule will be shared with learners on the course page. There are two types of synchronous sessions:
- PubMed Webinars: These sessions will take place during the first week of the course.
- Ask Me Anything! Sessions with Instructors: These sessions will vary in length, lasting from 1 to 2 hours. The instructor may present on a specific topic or keep the conversation open for questions. They offer an opportunity for learners to connect with instructors, seek clarification on course content, discuss assessments, or simply tap into the expertise of our instructors.
At the conclusion of the course, learners will be required to submit a brief reflection about their live session experience.
Course Certificate Requirements
To successfully complete the course and receive your certificate of completion you must achieve an overall final grade of 70% or higher and complete all assessments (including live session reflection).
Please note that completion of this course does not certify the learner as an infection control practitioner. For more information on Certification in Infection Control (CIC), please refer to the Certification Board of Infection Control and Epidemiology’s website.
Intended Learning Outcomes
By the end of this course, participants will be able to:
- Identify fundamental concepts of epidemiology and microbiology as they relate to IP&C
- Examine and investigate scenarios to practice problem-solving for IP&C
- Practice critical thinking and management skills for engaging in:
- routine practices and additional precautions,
- surveillance,
- outbreak control of infections and disease within clinical and public health settings
- Apply research, teaching, and life-long learning skills through engagement within a case-based, online learning community
IPAC Canada has endorsed this course which is reviewed annually to update the Infection Prevention and Control content and to reflect current pedagogical strategies. The course will cover all the IPAC Canada/APIC (Association for Practitioners in Infection Control and Epidemiology) professional practice standards. The curriculum is also based on the Certification Board of Infection Control and Epidemiology's (CBIC) Examination Content Outline, available on the CBIC website.
Program Structure
Our course is structured around three core pillars that are central to every learning activity and its objectives:
- Knowledge gathering occurs by a wide variety of methods: assigned readings, self-directed research, etc.
- Knowledge practice involves assigned case studies of infection control problems, reflection questions, and online quizzes and assignments.
- Knowledge sharing is a huge part of this course. Students' progress through the phases of knowledge gathering, practice and sharing will be continuously monitored. Your assignments will be graded and you will receive feedback on your performance throughout the course.
Language Requirements
English is the language of instruction for the Online Infection Prevention and Control Professional Development Course and will be the language used by the participants and by the instructors of this course to communicate orally as well as electronically. All applicants accepted into this course must have a level of comprehension in the English language that will enable them to communicate effectively with their instructors and fellow classmates.
Course Dates
Winter 2024: February 26 to June 30, 2024 - Register now!
Please sign up for the Queen's Infection Prevention & Control Online Professional Development Course Mailing list to receive information on upcoming course dates and registration details.
Course Fee: $1599.00 CAD
In order to confirm a place in this course, you must pay the full fee at the time of registration. Only online credit card payments will be accepted. Payments will be taken through our online registration system.
Our office is exploring funding support opportunities to increase access to this course. If you are interested in this professional development program, but unable to register due to financial limitations, please complete this form.
If funding becomes available, we will assess requests and will be in contact if support is available. Please note that funding support is not guaranteed.
Discounted Group Rates
Save 10% by registering 5 or more learners on a single invoice. Please contact queensic@queensu.ca for details.
Refund Policies are firm and strictly enforced.
Refund requests are to be sent to queensic@queensu.ca by February 25, 2024. Please be aware that a $240 admin fee will be charged per person for any refund. Unawareness of the deadline or its consequences will not be accepted. Refunds are not available for promotional codes that were not applied at the time of registration. Registrations are non-transferable and deferrals are not offered.
- If a learner withdraws prior to February 25, 2024, the course fee will be refunded less the admin fee of $240.
- If a learner withdraws after the refund deadline, the course fee is not refundable.
Only those who are intending to and can complete the course in its entirety should proceed with registration. If you cannot fully commit to all course components, please do not proceed with payment.
Weekly Dedicated Time is Necessary
Please be aware that, on average, this IPAC course requires a commitment of 7-12 hours per week on coursework which includes online modules, discussions, quizzes, and assignments. One module opens per week and learners progress through the course together as a cohort; there is no opportunity to work ahead. No special financial consideration is given to those who were unaware of this time commitment.
Review of all IPAC Course Information
Prior to registering for the course, please ensure that you have thoroughly reviewed and understand all the course details. If you have any questions or uncertainties about the course structure, please reach out to queensic@queensu.ca.
Master of Public Health IPAC Track
Queen's Health Sciences is pleased to offer two, unique programs in Infection Prevention and Control to meet your educational and professional needs.
Is this IPAC Online Professional Development Course or the longer, degree-granting Master of Public Health IPAC Track program right for you? View our course comparison module to learn more.
Online Professional Development
Browse our full menu of online professional development opportunities on our Get Your CPD webpage.
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Dick Zoutman, MD, FRCPC, CCPE, C. Dir, Internal Medicine, Infectious Diseases & Medical Microbiology. Emeritus Professor, Pathology & Molecular Medicine, Medicine, Public Health Sciences, Biomedical & Molecular Sciences, and of Nursing, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario. Past Co-Chair Ontario Provincial Infectious Diseases Advisory Committee (PIDAC), Past Physician Director Infection Prevention and Control Canada (IPAC Canada).
Jim Gauthier, MLT, CIC, Instructor of Pathology & Molecular Medicine, Infection Control Practitioner, Queen's University
Sandra Callery, BScN, MHSc, CIC, Director of Infection Control, Public Health Ontario Toronto, ON
Sandra Halliday, MSL, Public Services Librarian, Bracken Health Sciences Library, Faculty of Health Sciences, Queen's University
Kathleen Poole, RegN, MScN, CIC, COHN(c), Occupational Health, Providence Care, Kingston, ON
David Ryding, BHSc, BASc, CPHI(C), CIC, MPH, Infection Control Consultant, Public Health Ontario, Regional Infection Control Network – South Eastern Ontario
Prameet Sheth, MSc, PhD, D(ABMM) Assistant Professor, Department of Biomedical & Molecular Sciences and Pathology; Clinical Microbiologist, Division of Microbiology, Kingston Health Sciences Centre, Kingston, Ontario
Stephanie W. Smith, MD, MSc (Epi), FRCPC, Associate Professor, Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of Alberta, Director, Infection Prevention and Control, University of Alberta
Denise Stockley, PhD, Professor, Teaching & Learning Centre, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario
Dick Zoutman, MD, FRCPC, CCPE, C. Dir, Internal Medicine, Infectious Diseases & Medical Microbiology. Emeritus Professor, Pathology & Molecular Medicine, Medicine, Public Health Sciences, Biomedical & Molecular Sciences, and of Nursing, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario. Past C0-Chair Ontario Provincial Infectious Diseases Advisory Committee (PIDAC), Past Physician Director Infection Prevention and Control Canada (IPAC Canada).
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