EDUCATION-PROGRAMS FOR INFECTION CONTROL IN CANADA

Formal educational programmes for infection control personnel in Canada are limited and most courses have been directed at infection control practitioners (ICPs). Most ICPs report that their preparation comes from in-post training. Although there have been several short, non-credit courses available in the past, the only course available for ICPs at the present time is an intensive 1-week course. Surveys of nurses and ICPs suggest that they prefer flexibly scheduled university credit courses which will not only prepare them for their positions but also enable them to meet entry-to-practice requirements as recommended by the board of the Canadian Nurses Association. The future development of courses for ICPs must endeavour to meet these needs. Moreover, the educational needs of physicians and other health professionals working in this field have not been well identified or addressed and it is clear that educational programmes must also be developed for these health professionals. © 1991.