CBIC CIC study guide
CBIC CIC · Work through your exam, one topic at a time.
The Certification in Infection Prevention and Control (CIC®) is a professional credential issued by the Certification Board of Infection Control and Epidemiology (CBIC). It is intended for infection preventionists - in hospitals, long-term care and other facility types - who want independent verification of their IPC knowledge. The CBIC CIC study guide has 7 sections and about 2,361 words.
01Identification of Infectious Disease Processes
Infection preventionists must separate colonization, contamination, and true infection. Pathogenicity depends on organism virulence factors (adhesins, toxins, capsules, biofilm formation) and host defenses - neutropenia, mucosal barrier injury, indwelling devices, and immunosuppressive therapy all lower the infective dose.
335 words, about 2 min02Surveillance and Epidemiologic Investigation
Surveillance is the systematic, ongoing collection, analysis, and dissemination of data for action. Distinguish active (trained staff seek cases) from passive (relying on submitted reports), prospective from retrospective, total-house from targeted (high-risk units, procedures, organisms), and process from outcome measures.
341 words, about 2 min03Preventing and Controlling the Transmission of Infectious Agents
Standard precautions apply to every patient: hand hygiene, gloves for contact with blood or body fluids, gown and eye protection when splash is likely, safe sharps handling, and respiratory hygiene/cough etiquette. Transmission-based precautions are added on top.
334 words, about 2 min04Employee and Occupational Health
Occupational health programs protect both staff and patients through pre-placement history and screening, immunization requirements, exposure management, work restrictions, and surveillance for TB and vaccine-preventable illness. Required vaccination typically includes MMR, varicella, hepatitis B (offered, with documented declination acceptable), Tdap, and annual influenza, with COVID-19 per current policy.
338 words, about 2 min05Program Management and Communication
An effective program has a written plan, defined authority, an infection prevention committee (multidisciplinary, meeting at least quarterly with documented minutes), a trained infection preventionist, and a reporting line to the governing body. CMS Condition of Participation 482.42 requires a hospital-wide program, a designated and trained IP, an antibiotic stewardship program, and annual review and update.
350 words, about 2 min06Education and Research
Adult learners need relevance and application and bring prior experience. Perform a learning needs assessment to target real gaps rather than repeating known material.
320 words, about 2 min07Cleaning, Sterilization, Disinfection, and Environment of Care
Critical items enter sterile tissue or the vascular system (surgical instruments, implants, catheters) and require sterilization. Semicritical items contact mucous membranes or non-intact skin (endoscopes, laryngoscopes, bronchoscopes, transvaginal probes) and require high-level disinfection at minimum.
343 words, about 2 min