Joint Commission Offers Infection Prevention Mentoring and Professional Development Service

The Joint Commission's Mentoring and Professional Development Service involves an extended relationship with a healthcare organization or system, its infection preventionists, and institution leaders. Together, they work to create an effective infection prevention and control (IPC) program based on best practices, with efficient use of resources, economies of scale and cost savings, and system approaches to basic and complex infection prevention issues.

The service is designed to meet the unique needs of the organization(s) and the staff involved; it is creative, flexible, and collaborative, and is grounded in science.

The Mentoring and Professional Development Service:

-- Creates sustained improvement via a structured mentoring program

-- Prioritizes system IPC issues while demonstrating skills and behaviors to enhance IPC team capabilities

-- Provides creative learning experiences on critical components of an IPC program

-- Enhances critical thinking and problem-solving skills for infection prevention professionals

-- Demonstrates potential for results in return on investment

Program components consist of the following:

-- Design a customized program to increase knowledge and skills and model effective behaviors of infection preventionists (IPs) through readings, applied work and one-on-one coaching by infection prevention and epidemiology experts.

-- Develop and coach IPs and hospital epidemiologists to function as a team and develop group skills to add value to their work at the organization.

-- Work with organization leaders for the most effective support of infection prevention and control to maximize retention of highly competent and scarce personnel.

-- Work with clinical and support services leaders to position IPs to be most effective in influencing best practices to minimize infection risk.

-- Teach IPs both scientific skills, e.g., epidemiology and statistics, and management skills, such as effective presentations.

-- Provide educational training sessions and online learning on various topics specific for reducing risk from infections.

For more information on this service, call (630) 268-7400 or send an e-mail to: ConsultingServices@jcrinc.com