Quantifying the progressing landscape of infection preventionists: A survey-based analysis of workload and resource needs

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 inpatient licensed beds (P < .001) and geographical regions (P < .001). The average work hours of an IP exceeded the traditional 40-hour workweek, participants (n = 91) reported working an average of 43.6 hours per week. Cross-sharing of IP full-time equivalents increased with the complexity of the health care 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 health care settings. Factors such as geographic location and interdepartmental collaboration significantly influence staffing needs and workload demands.