Customizing infection control educational programs within the health care facility. Meeting a challenge vs. just satisfying a requirement.

Infection control practitioners working within health care facilities are charged with the providing of in-service education programs for all new employees and volunteers as well as for all hospital departments, at least annually. To be effective, each program should be customized to meet the needs of the group for which it is given. Such a charge may be viewed as simply a "requirement that must be satisfied," or it may be approached as a challenge to be met with a measure of ingenuity and inventiveness. Academic preparation in the principles and skills germane to teaching are traditionally lacking in the training of health care professionals, and the ICP is thus left accountable for a job function for which she/he may have little proficiency. Customized education programs may be achieved with thoughtful planning and through the use of a few innovative ideas and resource materials available to most practitioners.