This spring, Quality Insights hosted two well-attended infection control boot camps, which trained 135 nursing home Infection Preventionists (IPs) from 115 unique facilities in Pennsylvania and West Virginia on this critical aspect of healthcare. The two-day intensive training provided in-depth, foundational infection prevention education and leadership skill development.
Quality Insights Infection Preventionist Jennifer Brown, RN, BSN, CIC, developed and led both boot camp trainings. Brown has 12 years of nursing experience, with five of those years focused on infection prevention and education. Having worked in a nursing home facility as an IP and also supporting nursing homes in her role as the IP for Quality Insights, Jennifer knows firsthand that most nursing homes/facilities have only one IP, and when issues or challenges arise, IPs have limited resources.
These challenges can be overwhelming contributing to high turnover rates in the IP role. Quality Insights developed the IP Leadership Boot Camp to fill these potential gaps.
The boot camp training sessions focused on several key topics related to infection prevention, including antibiotic stewardship, occupational health, immunization programs, and environmental infection control, plus guidance on implementing these types of programs into practice.
"The boot camp allowed IPs to get the support they need so that they don't feel like they have to go it alone, that there are support and resources available to help them."
- Jennifer Brown, RN, BSN, CIC, Infection Preventionist at Quality Insights
Leadership skill development was another essential part of the training. Brown provided guidance to support IPs in their efforts to effectively work with multidisciplinary team members and make confident decisions to strengthen the infection control programs in their facilities.
Networking was also a key component of the boot camps and served as an excellent opportunity for IPs to collaborate with their peers. Case studies and scenarios were detailed to the attendees, who were then encouraged to work interactively in groups to strategize solutions.
In addition to the in-person session, Quality Insights invited all participants to join monthly follow-up virtual sessions, which allow for a deeper dive into the topics covered during the boot camp. They also discuss the many regulations surrounding infection prevention, the focus areas of infection control programs, strategies to implement new programs, and much more.
Jennifer Brown, RN, BSN, CIC, an Infection Preventionist at Quality Insights, emphasized that the virtual sessions provide participants with a valuable platform to discuss current hot topics and emerging trends in infection prevention. These sessions also serve as an open forum where Infection Preventionists (IPs) can share their experiences and challenges while implementing the strategies and ideas that were covered during the IP Boot Camp at their respective facilities.
"I am so grateful to know that IP support is available from Quality Insights. Knowing that there are other people out there going through the same things I am experiencing at my facility, and now realizing that I have somewhere to turn when I don't know what to do is so important." - Gina Yekenchik, IP at Maywood Heights in Scranton, PA
Feedback from participants about the in-person boot camp in West Virginia and subsequent monthly virtual sessions has been phenomenal. Participants expressed that they enjoyed the presentation style, thought the education provided and the speakers who presented were excellent, appreciated the many helpful resources shared by Quality Insights (especially the infection control binder contents), loved the interactive game and thought it was a great way to test their knowledge while learning, and found the opportunity to network and interact with peers invaluable.
Post-training evaluations showed significant improvements in participants' knowledge across several areas, including vaccination strategies, data analytics for quality improvement, emergency preparedness, risk assessment, regulatory knowledge, and policy development.
| % Increase in Knowledge | IP Leadership Education Topics |
| 78% | Strategies for improving vaccination uptake |
| 77% | Use of data analytics to assist with quality improvement in the infection control program |
| 71% | Emergency preparedness and how it relates to infection control |
| 70% | Performing an annual risk assessment |
| 70% | Major regulatory bodies related to infection control |
| 69% | Workplace injury and Blood-Borne Pathogen exposure reporting |
| 66% | Policy development process |
Quality Insights partnered with the PA Directors of Nursing Administration (PADONA) to host the PA virtual IP Leadership Boot Camp. Due to the positive feedback from participants, PADONA has expressed interest in collaborating with Quality Insights to host additional boot camps in the future.
Quality Insights Medical Director Dr. Jean Storm recently highlighted the IP Leadership Boot Camp in her podcast series, Taking Healthcare by Storm. In the episode titled "Industry Insights with Gina Yekenchik & Jennifer Brown," Brown and Yekenchik discuss their views on the boot camp and the issues faced in nursing homes related to infection control.
I was lucky enough to attend the IP Leadership Bootcamp in person in West Virginia and witnessed firsthand how beneficial this training was to so many of the attendees. Aligning with our mission to improve health and healthcare, I am so proud of the education and support our team continues to provide through the IP Leadership Boot Camps." - Dr. Jean Storm, Medical Director at Quality Insights.
During the podcast, both Yekenchik and Brown highlighted the importance of specialized training for IPs. They discussed how the virtual follow-up sessions enhance networking, support the implementation of new infection control programs, and build a community for ongoing issue resolution.
The boot camps have proven to be a valuable resource for Infection Preventionists, providing essential education, support, and networking opportunities that enhance their ability to manage infection control in their facilities effectively.
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