Development of Thai Infections Disease and Infection Control Advanced Practice Nurse

Abstract

Increasing prevalence and incidence of infection in hospitals led to the needs for hospital infection control system development. This development required Infection Control Nurse (ICN) in order to perform the roles in the system. Having ICN nurse is an important hospital quality indicator. The needs for ICN nurse with higher competency required the preparation program at a master level in order to perform the roles of hospital infection control system management. However, the master prepared and advanced practice ICN nurses at this level could not meet the demands of the hospitals in the country. Thus, the short course ICN nurse training program was opened. Currently, the Advanced practice in Infectious Diseases and Infection Control Nursing (APICN) program is developed to produce nurses with complex competency. Although, some of the master prepared APN could produce evidence based practice and perform their expected roles well, some could not do well. The roles need to be further developed.