Infection preventionists in public health, consultant and academic roles: Results from the 2020 APIC MegaSurvey

Abstract

Background: Infection preventionists (IPs) work and practice in a variety of roles across many practice settings. While the health care-based IP role has been well studied, less is known about IPs who work in public health, consultant, and academic roles.

Methods: Data were collected as a subset of the Association for Professionals in Infection Prevention and Control and Epidemiology 2020 MegaSurvey. Descriptive and bivariate analyses were performed to compare the responses of 147 IPs working in public health, consulting, or academic roles.

Results: Respondents identified their primary IP role as public health (40%), consulting (39%), or academic (21%). Most were White and non-Hispanic females working in long-term care, acute care, and outpatient settings. Most had over 11 years of experience in health care before IP, with nursing being the most common. More consultants were certified in infection control (74%). While half of the respondents in public health reported being certified in infection control, and a third had 6 or more years of experience in infection prevention and control, they reported the lowest annual salary and satisfaction with total compensation.

Discussion: These findings highlight the characteristics and contributions of infection prevention and control in nontraditional roles and settings. Certification and fair compensation are crucial factors for professional development and job satisfaction.

Conclusions: These insights can guide future education, recruitment, and retention strategies for IPs in public health, consulting, and academic roles.

Keywords: Certification; Compensation; Employment satisfaction; Infection preventionist; Survey; Workforce.