Population-Based Infection Control & Environmental Safety (PICES) Advanced Practice Nursing
MSN Degree Programs
Overview
The Population-Based Infection Control and Environmental Safety (PICES) specialty track prepares professional nurses for practice in an advanced practice role to meet the challenges of health care and community associated infections, emerging diseases, environmental hazards and bioterrorism. Our rapidly evolving health care system demands that professional nurses concerned about patient safety and health care associated infections go beyond an individual or hospital focus. Prevention, early detection, surveillance and treatment modalities must be designed, implemented and evaluated at the system level. Today's health care system calls for nurses to be community and population-focused; capable of recognizing and managing emerging infections; and able to deal effectively with environmental hazards and threats of bioterrorism.
Graduates of the PICES major are well positioned for roles that require collaboration among disciplines, critical analysis of systems and outcomes, and the creation of key improvements in health care delivery.
Certification
Graduates who meet the criteria for practice hours will be eligible for certification by A.N.C.C. in Advanced Public Health Nursing until 2015. Graduates will also have the knowledge and skills to take the examination to be certified in infection control (CIC) offered by the Association of Professionals in Infection Control.
Curriculum
The PICES specialty track consists of 44 hours of study. For more information, please see the PICES program plan (linked above).
Clinical Experience Requirement
2,000 hours of recent clinical nursing experience is required prior to beginning the first practicum in the nursing specialty to which you are applying.
