IPAC Canada Essentials in Infection Prevention and Control

SPONSORED BY IPAC Canada.  
Applications Now Being Accepted. There will be two 2021 course intakes:

New! Accelerated Program Course (details below) runs April 2021-August 2021.
Regular Program Course runs September 2021 to June 2022.

Applications for both intakes will be accepted beginning January 11, 2021, with the following deadlines:
Accelerated Program - deadline March 1, 2021. Students will be advised of their acceptance in mid-March.
Regular Program - deadline March 17, 2021. Students will be advised of their acceptance in June.

Admission to the new Accelerated Program will require students to be actively working in an Infection Prevention and Control role. Because this is an accelerated version of the course, a signed letter of support from the student's employer is required.

Preference for admission into the Regular program will be given to novice infection prevention and control professionals (ICPs) with less than 2 years' experience. Applications will also be considered from others working in healthcare and/or exploring opportunities in infection prevention and control.

Course Structure (Accelerated Program)

• This is a distance education course and is offered entirely online.
• The course consists of six modules and a 12-hour Practical Application Project.
• Evaluation is based on online discussion participation, online quizzes, a final take-home exam, and may include individual and/or group assignments.
• Graduates will receive a Certificate of Completion from IPAC Canada on successful completion of the six modules (with a minimum grade of 65% in each module) and the Practical Application Project.

Course Structure (Regular Program)

• This is a distance education course and is offered entirely online.
• The course consists of six modules and a 12-hour Practical Application Project.
• Modules vary in length from 3 to 5 weeks.
• There is a one-week break between modules and a longer break scheduled over the December holiday period.
• Evaluation is based on online discussion participation, online quizzes, a final take-home exam, and may include individual and/or group assignments.
• Graduates will receive a Certificate of Completion from IPAC Canada on successful completion of the six modules (with a minimum grade of 65% in each module) and the Practical Application Project.

Students must be able to dedicate 12-15 hours per week to read course material, participate in discussions and complete assignments and exams. However, this is an estimation and may vary depending on student's background.

Computer Requirements (all programs)

• Reliable internet access (preferred web browsers: Google Chrome, Firefox)
• Email address
• Word processing program
• Adobe
• Powerpoint

Topics and Schedule (Regular Program; Accelerated Program is condensed into 5 months)

Fall:

• Module 1 (6 weeks): History of IPAC; IPAC Roles and Responsibilities; Teamwork in IPAC; Ethics in IPAC; Teaching and Persuasion; Technical Aspects of Presentations; Policy and Procedure Development; Chain of Infection; Hierarchy of Controls; Hand Hygiene, Routine Practices and Additional Precautions; Personal Protective Equipment
• Module 2 (6 weeks):

  Pathophysiology of Infection; Basic Bacteriology; Basic Virology; Interpretation of Microbiology Lab Results; Antibiotic Therapy; Antibiotic Resistant Organisms

Winter:

• Module 3 (4 weeks): Common Infections: Respiratory, Surgical Site, Bloodstream, GI, Urinary Tract, Skin and Soft Tissue
• Module 4 (5 weeks): Concepts of Epidemiology; Purpose and Types of Surveillance; Data Collection and Management; Data Analysis and Interpretation; Communication Surveillance Results

Spring:

• Module 5 (3 weeks):
  Identification of Outbreaks; Managing Outbreaks; Occupational Health
• Module 6 (5 weeks): Sterilization and Disinfection; Environmental Cleaning; Reuse Issues; Waste Management; Product Selection; Design, Construction and Renovations; Mechanical Systems; Audits and Review Processes

Practical Application Project (June):

This is a twelve-hour learning experience. Ideally the student should secure the assistance of an  experienced professional, such as IPAC, Occupational Health, Microbiology, etc. as a mentor for this aspect of the course. Some examples of opportunities in which the student can participate include:

1. Learning about the functioning of a diagnostic microbiology laboratory
2. Attendance at various committee meetings dealing with issues relevant to IPAC
3. Surveillance
4. Auditing
5. Staff education on IPAC issues
6. Outbreak management
7. Working with the environmental services department
8. Observation of the reprocessing department
9. Shadowing an ICP to observe daily activities and problem solving or attendance at a local chapter of IPAC Canada

Tuition

Tuition (for the Regular Program) is $1790.00 CDN paid in two installments of $895.00 due July 1 and February 1. Tuition can be paid through post-dated cheques (payable to IPAC Canada) or credit card. For the Accelerated Program, tuition in full ($1790.00) is due by April 1, 2021. International students must pay by bank draft or money order. The cost of any textbooks required is not included in the tuition.

A T2202 will be issued to Canadian students, for income tax purposes. IPAC Canada will contact accepted students for their social insurance number.

Certificate of Completion

On successful completion of the course,and by request, students will receive a Certificate of Completion from IPAC Canada.

Inquiries and Online Registration

Applications will be accepted (online only) until the deadline dates noted above. Prospective students must download, fill in and save the Application Form (see below), and have a current C.V. prepared to upload into the system. Applicants for the Accelerated Program must also upload the signed Letter of Support from their employer (see below). Prospective students may download and begin completing these forms to upload on January 11, 2021 (we will install an 'Apply Now' button below) Please thoroughly review Frequently Asked Questions document (see link below). If, after reading this, you still have questions about the course contact Heather Candon or Jane Van Toen, IPAC Canada Course Coordinators at basicde@ipac-canada.org.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Please familiarize yourself with the course Cancellation/Withdrawal Policy, and related cancellation fees. After you complete your online application and upload the requisite documents, you will receive an e-confirmation from the system (verifying your contact information, etc.). If you do not receive it, please email admin@ipac-canada.org

Download, complete, save, and have the following documents ready to upload into the system:

2021 IPAC Canada Essentials in Infection Prevention and Control Course Application Form
Template for Letter of Support from Employer (required for Accelerated Course applicants only)
Ensure you also have a current C.V. complete and ready to upload.

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