What is the Victorian infection control professional's scope of practice?

Abstract

It is recognised that a successful infection control program requires a qualified infection control professional to oversee its implementation. To date, the knowledge, skills and scope of practice for the Australian infection control professional (ICP) have not been well defined. To advance this process, the scope of practice for the Victorian ICP was investigated. A developing a curriculum (DACUM) technique was employed to determine the role of the ICP within the workplace. A two-day workshop was conducted with twelve identified experts led by a facilitator, to define the speciality role through a series of brainstorming activities. At the end of the workshop, ten main duty areas performed by an ICP were listed with their associated tasks. The knowledge and skills required by the ICP to facilitate an infection control program were also identified. The DACUM process substantiated that infection control is underpinned by core nursing competencies and could be considered a nursing speciality. A follow-up survey will need to be undertaken to validate the workshop outcomes and ensure they reflect the activities within the broader Victorian infection control community.