Quantifying the Progressing Landscape of Infection Preventionists: A Survey-Based Analysis of Workload and Resource Needs.

Abstract

Background: Current infection preventionist (IP) staffing ratio recommendations are inadequate to address the increasing demands and complexities of the role. This study sought to characterize current staffing levels and workloads for IPs, while investigating the relationships between these factors and the number of licensed inpatient beds, the complexity of acute care hospital services, and the geographical location of the facility.

Methods: A cross-sectional, web-based survey questionnaire was administered to 91 acute care facilities to assess staffing and resource allocation strategies for infection prevention departments from August to September 2023.

Results: The analysis revealed associations between IP full time equivalents and the number of in-patient licensed beds (p <.001) and geographical regions (p <.001). The average work hours of an infection preventionist (IP) exceeded the traditional 40-hour work week, participants (n=91) reported working an average of 43.6 hours per week. Cross-sharing of IP FTEs increased with the complexity of the healthcare delivery services, with IPs most frequently supporting the Quality department.

Conclusions: This study highlights that Infection Prevention departments are persistently understaffed, and IPs are consistently working excessive hours across healthcare settings. Factors such as geographic location and interdepartmental collaboration significantly influence staffing needs and workload demands.