Prevention and Control of Nosocomial Infections

Program Description:

Health care associated infections (HCAIs) are of special importance due to the mortality, morbidity, increased costs, increased hospitalization days and incidence of microbial resistance. Due to the increased invasive diagnostic-therapeutic procedures, increased life span and chronic underlying diseases, the need for extended hospitalization has increased, which in turn would lead to higher incidence of infections. Since the health care team is responsible for saving lives, secure and safe service provision at lower cost and in less time, the control and prevention of HCAIs has gained a high priority in the world and Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI) as well. The incidence of HCAIs is one of the main indicators of hospital evaluation. Due to the great advances in various medical fields in IRI, during recent decades, the need was felt for training the skilled competent human physicians for prevention and control of HCAIs more than ever. Therefore, after approving the need to establish the course in 2008, a committee of experts in the field was established to develop a national curriculum in 2009, which resulted in the present curriculum after the meetings. The committee welcomes the experts' valuable comments for revision of the curriculum.

Definition

Prevention and control of HCAIs Fellowship is a clinical training program, related to infectious diseases, in which the graduates are involved diagnosis, treatment, control, care, prevention of nosocomial infections and HCAIs.

Objectives:

1-To train knowledgeable, competent, liable, sensitive to the health of individuals and society to control HCAIs, provide the society with their knowledge and skills in terms of prevention, control, research, education and therapeutic-diagnostic services.

2-In next 10 years, it is expected to become one of the top countries developed in region, in terms of educational standards, research products, service provision and science production in this field.  

Expected Competencies at the End of the Program

General Competencies*

Specific Competencies and Skills

Procedural skills (diagnostic-therapeutic measures)                 

Sampling of the environment

Preparing disinfectants for different purposes 

**Working with sterilizer devices 

Monitoring sterilization

Pulse filled gel electrophoresis (PFGE)

Preparing direct slide, staining and culture of the specimens Identifying the bacteria (genotyping)***

PCR

Managerial measures to control infection

A systematic scientific visit of infection control in medical care units1

Moderating the meetings of the infection control committee 

Criticizing or designing the surveillance system checklists

Analyzing surveillance system data and giving feedback 

Analyzing equipment and preparing reports

Analyzing processes and procedures and preparing reports

Supervising hand washing (Washing/Rubbing/Scrubbing) Criticizing drug prescriptions containing antibiotics

Controlling hospital events