Infection Prevention and Control Self-Study Course
Infection control was recognized centuries ago as a harsh reality and it remains in the foreground of healthcare today. New and evolving infections and diseases pose ongoing challenges for everyone in healthcare delivery. There is a necessity to focus on preventing infections and not simply control them.
Infection prevention and control is vital in nursing services for safe, competent and ethical care. As nurses, it is a professional role and responsibility to apply routine practices in all roles and practice situations for safe client outcomes. Hand hygiene is one of the most important steps. Promoting awareness about the importance of infection control practices to stop the spread of infections is an important step.
The purpose of this course is to provide Licensed Practical Nurses with a review and increased awareness of the ongoing commitment necessary to reduce the spread of infection in the health-care setting and anywhere nursing services are being delivered.
Key nursing responsibilities include:
This course consists of an IPC Study Guide, several practice quizzes and lists of other resources. To access a learning activity, simply click on the Link. After you have completed an activity, return to this page to proceed to the next activity.
Infection Prevention & Control
IPC Study Guide – A document with detailed information on infection prevention and control (PDF format)
IPC Study Guide II – An electronic version of the Study Guide viewable by browsers and tablets (HTML5 format)
IPC App – An online searchable directory of the appropriate infection precautions to take for 60 common infectious diseases. Data includes name of disease or micro-organism, presentation or symptoms, infectious substances, modes of transmission, appropriate precautions, incubation and communicability periods. Download (see below) to your mobile device to use as a quick off-line reference.
Online Quiz – 25Q | 65Q | 94Q: Online, interactive quizzes on the content covered in the IPC Study Guide (94 questions)
Print Quiz – Print / PDF versions of the quizzes on the IPC Study Guide (Quiz 1 | Quiz 2)
Additional Practice Quizzes
Hygiene and Infection Control – Test your knowledge regarding effective prevention and control of the spread of infectious diseases. (25 questions selected from 70 items). (PDF/PRINT Versions: Quiz 1 | Quiz 2)
Infection Transmission Precautions – Test your knowledge of transmission-based precautions used when caring for clients with known or suspected highly transmissible infections that necessitate more stringent precautions than normally taken. (25 questions selected from 47 items). (PDF/PRINT Versions: Quiz 1 | Quiz 2)
Personal Protective Devices – Test and refresh your knowledge of transmission-based precautions and which personal protective devices to use in what situations. (25 questions selected from 85 items). (PDF/PRINT Versions: Quiz 1 | Quiz 2)
Infectious Diseases – Review and refresh your knowledge of which micro-organisms and pathogens cause some common infectious diseases. (25 questions selected from 85 items). (PDF/PRINT Versions: Quiz 1 | Quiz 2)
Final Examination – This final exam consists of 75 randomly selected questions from a pool of 240 items. A printable CLPNA Certificate of Completion is available upon passing this exam with a score of 80% or better. If you are an Alberta LPN, please enter your Registration Number when requested. Everyone else, leave in the default number. If you want a copy of the Final Exam Results e-mailed to yourself (or anyone else), enter the appropriate e-mail address. Otherwise, leave it blank. (Results are ONLY e-mailed if you have passed the exam).
IPC Course Evaluation – Please complete this online survey after finishing this Module. Your feedback and comments will greatly assist CLPNA in developing and delivering effective, quality nursing educational resources.
Quick Resources
Alberta Health Services – Infection Prevention & Control for Health Professionals
Provincial Infection Control Network of British Columbia. (2017). Guidelines and Toolkits
Independent Practice
Alberta Health Services – Medical Device Reprocessing (MDR) videos
Alberta Health Services – Best Practice Guideline – Foot Care Devices
College of Physicians & Surgeons of Alberta – Medical Device Reprocessing
Additional Resources
Alberta Health – Infection Prevention and Control
Alberta Health Service – Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) Resource Manual for Continuing Care
Alberta Health Services – Knowledge Resource Service
Infection Prevention and Control Best Practices
Infection Prevention and Control practices in physician offices and clinics
Patient Safety Institute – Infection Prevention and Control Video’s
Suggested Readings
Alberta Health. (2015). Infection Prevention and Control Strategy Update.
Alberta Health. (2012). Standards for Cleaning, Disinfection and Sterilization of Reusable Medical Devices for Health Care Facilities and Settings.
Alberta Health Services. (2013). Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) Diseases and Conditions Table: Recommendations for Management of Acute Care Patients.
Billings, M. (2005). The 1918 influenza pandemic.
Canadian HIV/AIDS Information Centre. (n.d.). Universal Precautions.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2013). Everyday Preventive Actions That Can Help Fight Germs, Like Flu: FACT Sheet.
College of Licensed Practical Nurses. (2012). Practice Guideline: Preventing Nurse-To-Client Transmission Of Blood Borne Virus And Other Communicable Diseases. Edmonton, AB: Author.
Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care. (2010). Annex B: Best Practices for Prevention of Transmission of Acute Respiratory Infection In All Health Care Settings.
Public Health Agency of Canada. (2013). Routine practices and additional precautions for preventing the transmission of infection in healthcare settings. Infectious Disease Prevention and Control, 2012, 69-78. doi: 978-1-100-22038-3.
College of Nurses of Ontario. (2009). Practice Standard: Infection prevention and control.
The Practice Quizzes and Final Exam can be completed on regular browsers, tablets and smart phones. For iPhones and iPads, download and install the FREE iSpring viewer from the iTunes Store. For Android devices, iSpring Play is available here. The quizzes can also be downloaded and saved on your mobile device and completed off-line at your convenience.
To view and download the PDF/PRINT documents requires Adobe Acrobat Reader.
If you are using these quizzes or final exam for class assignments or continuing education credits, and want a copy of the Results for your records, enter your name when requested. Otherwise, use Guest and proceed with the quiz or exam. No results or scores are recorded or tracked!