Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 23, 2025
The Participant-Reported Implementation Update and Score PRIUS: A Novel Method for Capturing Implementation-Related Data Over Time
Published on: February 19, 2021
Quantifying the progressing landscape of infection preventionists: A survey-based analysis of workload and resource
Brenna Doran1, Jessica Swain2, Shanina Knighton3
1Hospital Epidemiology and Infection Prevention, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA.
Background:
Current infection preventionist (IP) staffing ratio recommendations are inadequate to address the increasing demands and complexities of the role. This study sought to characterize current staffing levels and workloads for IPs, while investigating the relationships between these factors and the number of licensed inpatient beds, the complexity of acute care hospital services, and the geographical location of the facility.
Methods:
A cross-sectional, web-based survey questionnaire was administered to 91 acute care facilities to assess staffing and resource allocation strategies for infection prevention departments from August to September 2023.
Results:
The analysis revealed associations between IP full-time equivalents and the number of inpatient licensed beds (P<.001) and geographical regions (P<.001). The average work hours of an IP exceeded the traditional 40-hour workweek, participants (n=91) reported working an average of 43.6 hours per week. Cross-sharing of IP full-time equivalents increased with the complexity of the health care delivery services, with IPs most frequently supporting the Quality department.
Conclusions:
This study highlights that infection prevention departments are persistently understaffed, and IPs are consistently working excessive hours across health care settings. Factors such as geographic location and interdepartmental collaboration significantly influence staffing needs and workload demands.
Related Concept Videos
01:22Healthcare Associated Infections II: Preventive Measures
The best practices for preventing healthcare-associated infections include hand hygiene, patient risk...
01:18Steps in Outbreak Investigation
01:26Standard Precaution
Hand hygiene is the most crucial means to prevent the transmission of disease. Employers are legally required to provide their workers with personal protective equipment (PPE) to minimize exposure or contact with...
01:25Transmission-based Precautions II: Airborne and Protective Environment
Airborne precautions:
Use airborne precautions when treating patients known or suspected to have diseases that spread through the air—for example, tuberculosis or measles. These organisms are present in smaller droplets expelled by an infected person and...
01:17Transmission-based Precautions I: Contact, Enteric, and Droplets
Contact Precautions:
Contact precautions are the measures taken to prevent the transmission of infectious agents, especially epidemiologically important microorganisms such as MRSA or influenza, primarily transmitted through direct or indirect contact with an...
01:20Infection
The chain begins with pathogens: bacteria, viruses, fungi, prions, or parasites such as protozoa helminths. These can be present on the skin as transient or resident flora, or they can be acquired from the environment. Identifying and treating the type of infection and...