HAI Infection Prevention Education
The resources below are intended to connect health care facility infection preventionists (IP) with education materials to support their role in preventing, detecting, and responding to healthcare-associated infections (HAI).
IPs play an essential role in facility infection prevention policy development, surveillance, and risk assessment. IPs also serve as a resource to other staff and programs within their facilities.
In addition to the webinars, trainings, and online references below, there are a number of links to trusted education resources, including the CDC (Centers for Disease Prevention and Control), the CMS (Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services), and the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC).
Monthly webinars for IPs
Long-Term Care Education Series
The Long-Term Care (LTC) Education Series provides education presentations on topics that include infection prevention, HAIs, antibiotic stewardship, disease surveillance, and outbreak response for staff at skilled nursing facilities, assisted living facilities, local health departments, and other LTC stakeholders. Each session features a new, timely topic presented by the Department of Health Services (DHS) program staff, HAI infection preventionists, partner organizations, or other external subject matter experts.
The LTC Education Series is a monthly webinar series, typically held the fourth Thursday of each month. Register for the LTC Education Series.
View the full library of education sessions. Links to the presentation slides are available in the description of each Vimeo video. Note: All 2021, 2022, and 2023 education sessions can be found by visiting the full library.
- June 27, 2024
- May 23, 2024
- April 18, 2024
- March 28, 2024
- February 22, 2024
- January 25, 2024
IP Lunch and Learn
The IP Lunch and Learn is a webinar series that gives IPs from all care settings the opportunity to come together to discuss introductory infection prevention and control (IPC) topics, as well as share information, network, and ask questions. Each session focuses on a different basic IPC topic area and includes a brief overview with resources and time for attendees to ask questions and share tips and tricks. IPs newer to their role will especially benefit from the information shared.
The IP Lunch and Learn is typically held the second Tuesday of each month. Register for the IP lunch and learn webinar series.
View the full library of education sessions. Links to the presentation slides are available in the description of each Vimeo video. Note: All 2022 and 2023 education sessions can be found by visiting the full library.
- June 11, 2024
- May 14, 2024
- April 9, 2024
- March 12, 2024
- February 13, 2024
- January 9, 2024
Have a topic request?
Send topic ideas or requests that you have for the long-term care education series or the IP lunch and learn series to DHSWIHAIPreventionProgram@dhs.wi.gov.
Infection Preventionist Starter Kit
Explore the interactive, web-based Infection Preventionist Starter Kit. The starter kit provides IPs with background information, resources, and examples for some of their many infection prevention-related responsibilities. The kit dives into topic areas selected by experienced IPs across the continuum of care including:
- Getting started as an IP
- Infection prevention programs
- Environmental infection control
- Cleaning, disinfection, and sterilization
- Laboratory and surveillance
- Outbreak management
Project Firstline resources
The Wisconsin HAI Prevention Program has partnered with the CDC to roll-out a infection control basics training program aimed at frontline health care workers across health care settings. The content is designed so that frontline health care worker can understand and confidently apply infection control principles and protocols necessary to protect themselves, their facility, their families, and their community from infectious diseases. Visit CDC's Project Firstline webpage for more infection control content.
Project Firstline's infection control in health care webpages are meant to provide frontline health care workers with the foundational knowledge on when and how to take action to protect patients, residents, and themselves from infections in health care.
Infection control in health care
Visit the Project Firstline Infection Control in Health Care website for an overview of where germs live and how to recognize the potential for them to spread and cause infections.
Infection control guidance: respiratory viruses
Read Project Firstline's summary of recommendations and resources on preventing COVID-19 and other respiratory viruses for frontline health care workers.
Project Firstline offers additional educational materials in English and Spanish in the form of videos, job aids, micro-learns, and interactive scenarios. The materials provide frontline health care workers with the knowledge necessary to apply infection control practices to prevent infections in health care settings.
- Print materials, graphics, and social media
- Interactive scenarios, infographics, micro-learns, and training toolkits
- COVID-19 infection control trainings
As a Project Firstline partner, the Wisconsin HAI Prevention Program offers several co-branded fact sheets and resources for health care partners.
Additional resources
- Hand Hygiene Observations, F-02475 (PDF): Use or modify this template audit form to record hand hygiene observations.
- Hand Hygiene and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Observations, F-02726 (PDF): Use or modify this template audit form to record hand hygiene and PPE observations.
- Non-Critical Items Cleaning and Disinfection Product List, F-02705 (PDF): Complete and share this product list with staff to help clarify which products should be used to clean and disinfect non-critical items.
- Situational Risk Assessment Tool (Excel): Use this risk assessment template to assess new or current situations, problems, processes, or practices within your facility.
- Colonization Screening in Health Care Settings: Frequently Asked Questions for Staff, P-03530 (Also available in Spanish): This resource answers commonly asked questions by health care staff regarding colonization screening.
- Disinfectant Considerations for Multidrug-Resistant Organisms, P-03400 (PDF): This resource offers considerations for infection preventionists to use as they assess what disinfectants are effective against a specific organism.
- HAI Happenings newsletter: This newsletter highlights new and noteworthy topics for all things related to HAI, shares helpful guidance and resources, and includes updates on Wisconsin HAI Prevention Program activities.
- 2024 newsletter: Quarter one, quarter two
- 2023 newsletters: Quarter one, quarter two, quarter three, quarter four
- Infection Prevention Facilitated Discussion Guides, P-03583: These discussion guides can be used to help provide education on various infection prevention topics.
- Transmission-Based Precautions Reference Guide, P-03366 (PDF): This reference guide may be used for common diseases to prevent transmission of infectious agents in health care settings
- APIC website
- CDC Healthcare-Associated Infections website
- Minnesota Department of Health: Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) and Fan Considerations for Long-term Care during COVID-19
- Oregon Safety Commission: infection prevention education videos
- The Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America (SHEA) website
- Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene (WSLH): Workplace COVID-19 consulting
Request an infection prevention and control training or educational on-site visit from one of our infection preventionists
The Wisconsin HAI Prevention Program has experienced infection preventionists working in all regions of the state. If you or your facility has specific infection prevention and control questions or training needs, contact us!