Get to Know ICT's EAB Member: Jill Holdsworth, MS, CIC, FAPIC, NREMT, CRCST, CHL

Introducing the Infection Control Today^®'s (ICT^®'s) Editorial Advisory Board members—a diverse group of professionals dedicated to advancing infection prevention and control practices. This series highlights each member's unique expertise and contributions to the field.

From groundbreaking research to innovative strategies, these experts are at the forefront of enhancing health care safety. Join us as we learn their insights, experiences, and visions for the future, providing valuable knowledge and inspiration to elevate infection control protocols.

In this installment, we hear from Jill Holdsworth, MS, CIC, FAPIC, NREMT, CRCST, CHL, an infection preventionist from Atlanta, Georgia.

Jill Holdsworth, MS, CIC, FAPIC, CRCST, EMT, never planned on becoming an infection preventionist (IP). “I have to admit, I'd never heard of infection prevention when I was in school,” she recalled. With a background in biology and exercise physiology, she began her career as a cardiac rehab therapist in West Virginia. “I loved working with patients…and I thought that's what I would retire doing.”

Life changes brought her to Washington, DC, where she stumbled into patient safety—and soon into infection prevention. “I slowly took over the IP role and honestly had no idea what I was doing,” she admitted. Determined to grow, she sat for the CIC exam. “If I don't pass this test, I'm not going to have any money to do Christmas shopping this year,” she joked. “Thankfully, I passed, and people got their Christmas gifts that year.”

Holdsworth’s career has been marked by a willingness to learn by doing. “I will never forget the first time I walked into sterile processing…I literally had no clue what I was looking at. The best way to learn was just to stand there, observe, and figure it out.” That commitment eventually led her to earn her CRCST credential, which she sees as a sign of respect for sterile processing department teams. “They’re always so impressed when I say, ‘I’m a CRCST too.’ You become part of them.”

Her leadership extends far beyond her hospital. Holdsworth has served on the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology Board of Directors, now sits on the Certification Board of Infection Control and Epidemiology Board, and has chaired Healthcare Sterile Processing Association’s Certification Council. She also co-led the AAMI Protective Barriers Committee. “I absolutely love being part of all of these organizations to lead our professions to the future and bridge the gaps between sterile processing and infection prevention.”

Looking ahead, she sees pressing challenges: “Emergency preparedness…SPD instrument cleaning…burnout and mental health for IPs. Did we really address it post-COVID? I think we didn’t.”

Her advice to future IPs is clear: “Don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t…. Celebrate the differences we all have in IP, because that’s what makes our team stronger.”