What I Wish I Knew Then…Messages of Encouragement to the New Infection Preventionist

IP LifeLine From Infection Control Today

The beginning of my first job as an infection preventionist was filled with a whirlwind of emotions. I’d embarked on a new journey in my career, taking steps toward professional aspirations I’d once only dreamed of achieving. On the morning of my first day, I stood in front of the large statue of Jesus in the domed administration building of the Johns Hopkins Hospital and felt a deep sense of gratitude and accomplishment. In a sense, I was standing in the doorway of a career path I’d been chasing for well over a decade. In high school, I would carry around a book about infectious diseases that I’d read in my spare time. In college, I became involved in international public health opportunities. After years of nursing, I’d finally landed this position in a career I’d only ever dreamed of having at a hospital I’d long aspired to work for. As I stood there grateful for every step of the journey, I whispered, “I did it.”

It didn’t take long for me to realize that settling into this new role wouldn’t be a walk in the park. Or, if it were, it’d be the sort of park filled with thorns, snakes, and uphill climbs. I’ve lost count of the times I’ve felt disparaged, frustrated, overwhelmed, and defeated. I still remember the ophthalmologist dismissively rolling his eyes at me after being unable to answer his question following my presentation.I remember thinking to myself, “Maybe this is a mistake. Maybe this isn’t the field I’m meant to be in.” I think about that girl from time to time, and I wish I could reach out to her again and tell her all that I know now. They say hindsight is 20/20, and in this case, I would agree. I think the version of myself in 2016 would be so incredibly proud of all I’ve fought to accomplish in the last eight years. I wish I could tell my former self that her failed attempts would catalyze “our” growth. The initial stumbles became stepping stones, and the frustration with difficult colleagues fostered resilience. This journey has instilled in me the crucial understanding that we’ll never know everything, but with time, we will know exactly where to find the answers.

Since I can’t go back and share all these truths with myself, I’d like to share them with you, dear reader. While I know we can never travel back in time to deliver these messages to ourselves, I hope that all the things we wish we knew will provide encouragement and hope to you now. This isn’t the easiest profession to survive in. It’s fraught with challenges and requires resiliency and grit. Still, as challenging as our job may be, it’s equally rewarding if you can persevere through the rough patches.

So, from all of us to all of you, here are some key insights gleaned from our experiences that we hope benefit you on your journey:

• “I wish I had known that the “fear” HCPs and the general public felt with I started 42 years ago (during the early days of the HIV/AIDs crisis) would come in handy every 5-10 years during subsequent epidemics and pandemics. Living through and learning from SARS, H1N1, Ebola, MERS, COVID-19, Mpox, etc, has been so helpful to share with newer IPs. As the science evolves, being a calm voice during these scary times has served me well.” —Cutler, DrPH(c), MS, BS, BSN, CIC, FSHEA, FAPIC
• “I wish I knew how quickly I would grow in the profession instead of focusing on the mistakes I made. Each roadblock or mistake was an opportunity for learning and knowledge to equip me for the future.” —Rachel Van Beek, RN, CIC
• “I wish I knew that infection prevention is a lifelong journey of learning and improving our skills. The impression I had then was that there was a constant pressure to “know it all” and master the job quickly.” —Carole W. Kamangu, MPH, RN, CIC
• “I remember thinking (multiple times) on my first day, “What did I get myself into?!?!” I wish I would’ve known then not to worry and feel so much pressure around the new role ahead of me. I wish I would’ve known that it was the start of a lifelong learning journey in a profession that I would come to love so much.” —Lauren Geary, BS, RRT-NPS, CIC
• “I wish I would have known how building relationships positively impacts your IP program. It’s all about people!” —Missy Travis, MSN, RN, CIC
• “I wish I knew the many ways in which IPs partner with stakeholders throughout the entire healthcare facility. Going into the profession, I saw the role from one range of view, and sometimes other health professionals only understand what we do based on ways in which we’ve partnered with them or their department. Being an IP, you’re in a perpetual state of learning. You’re the subject matter expert but there are always learning opportunities and knowledgeable stakeholders to learn from.” —Lerenza L. Howard, DHSc candidate, MHA, CIC, LSSGB
• “I wish I had known it was okay not to have an immediate answer…and to always wear comfortable shoes. Heels on that first day killed me!” —Doran PhD, MA, ACC, CIC
• “I wish I had known that building relationships and trust was key to success in the beginning. My mentor had more of a dictatorial approach, in other words “listen to me instead of work with me.” A good mentor is important in the beginning.” —Brenda Ehlert, MT(ASCP) MBA, CIC, FAPIC
• “I wish hadn’t have been so hard on myself. I give others grace, but never myself.” —Merewyn (Merry) (Furiga) Sheeran, BS, RN, CIC, LTC-CIP