P171: Promoting European infection control / hospital hygiene core competencies (EIC/HHCC): a comparative analysis with related disciplines

Training Infection Control in Europe (TRICE) in 2010 identified significant differences within European Countries (EC) in the existence of Infection Control /Hospital Hygiene (IC/HH) courses and their compliance with the Improving Patient Safety in Europe (IPSE, 2008) recommended Core Competencies. The need to improve official recognition of “IC/HH degrees” for healthcare professionals also emerged. TRICE further developed, agreed EIC/HHCC with two tiers, published by ECDC in March 2013 as a Technical Document.

Within the ECDC 2012 commissioned project TRICE-IS (Implementation Strategy) we conducted a comparative analysis between EIC/HHCC and IC/HH related disciplines within the broader aim of promoting mutual recognition of courses based on EIC/HHCC within European Countries.

We collected documents about disciplines that in TRICE were related to IC/HH (Medical Microbiology, Infectious Diseases, Public Health and Epidemiology) and compared them with European IC/HH Core Competencies.

Documents collected were referred to:Public Health (ASPHER), Epidemiology (ECDC) Public Health Microbiology (EUPHEM, ECDC), Medical Microbiology (UEMS) and Infectious Diseases (UEMS). Global alignment with the EIC/HHCC competencies (n.101) resulted: 80% for ASPHER, 56% for epidemiology ECDC, 40% for Infectious Diseases, 20% Medical Microbiology UEMS and 64,4% for EUPHEM. In the Program Management area (n. 24 competencies) poor alignment has been identified for Infectious Diseases 37.5%,and Medical Microbiology (UEMS) 16.7% and Public Health Microbiology (EUPHEM) 4%.

European documents addressing the training of specialties related to IC/HH have many topics similar to those reported in the EIC/HHCC. Almost all of them need to be complemented in order to cover the topics mentioned in EIC/HHCC.

None declared

Affiliations

1. Medical and Biological Sciences, University of Udine, Udine, Italy

   • S Brusaferro

2. University College of London, London, UK

   • BD Cookson

3. Royal College of Nursing London, London, UK

   • R Gallagher

4. Universitè de Lorraine- CHU de Nancy, Nancy, France

   • P Hartemann

5. Staten Serum Institute Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark

   • J Holte

6. University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia

   • S Kalenic

7. University Hospital of Essen, Essen, Germany

   • W Popp

8. DTRM University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy

   • GP Privitera

9. ECDC Stockholm, Stockholm, Sweden

   • CV Santos
   •  & C Suetens

10. Publich Health and Prevention Medicine, School of Specialization in Medical Hygiene, University of Udine, Udine, Italy

    • L Arnoldo
    •  & G Cattani

11. Department of Biological and Medical Sciences, University of Udine, Udine, Italy

    • E Fabbro

Corresponding author

Correspondence to G Cattani.

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