Faculty, Staff and Student Publications
Language
English
Publication Date
1-1-2026
Journal
Frontiers in Public Health
DOI
10.3389/fpubh.2026.1774483
PMID
42088250
PMCID
PMC13136231
PubMedCentral® Posted Date
4-20-2026
PubMedCentral® Full Text Version
Post-print
Abstract
Background: The Texas Epidemic Public Health Institute (TEPHI) was established to strengthen infectious disease preparedness across Texas. The Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) 300 Series represents the third year of a multi-tiered educational initiative designed to provide free, accessible, evidence-based IPC training and continuing education credits for the healthcare workforce.
Methods: Registration and attendance data were collected through Zoom™ and Microsoft Teams™. Knowledge assessments, post-module surveys, and mid- and end-of-series evaluations were administered through QuestionPro™. Module content was informed by guidance from APIC, CDC, CMS, and OSHA. Descriptive statistics and the Kirkpatrick Model of Training Evaluation were used to assess participant reaction, knowledge acquisition, and intended behavior change. Quantitative analyses were conducted in Stata/BE 18.0.
Results: The 300 Series registered 5,230 individuals, including 1,685 live attendees and 3,698 asynchronous YouTube views. Each module qualified for 1 h of continuing education credit across multiple certifications (a-IPC, CIC®, CPH, CME, CNE). Among 511 participants completing knowledge assessments, the mean score was 92% (95% CI: 90.8-93.2), exceeding the 80% competency threshold. Participants reported high satisfaction across clarity, usefulness, and relevance (mean 4.7/5.0). A total of 91.4% of respondents planned to apply the knowledge gained, and 97.3% intended to participate in future modules.
Conclusion: The TEPHI IPC Seminar Series supports IPC workforce development by delivering accessible, no-cost, competency-based training. Outcomes from 2023 to 2025 demonstrate strong program reach, high participant satisfaction, and positive learning outcomes across the first three levels of the Kirkpatrick Model. These findings suggest that scalable, competency-based virtual training models may represent a promising strategy for strengthening infection prevention workforce capacity and public health preparedness.
Keywords
Humans, Texas, Education, Continuing, Public Health Infrastructure, Public Health, Infection Control, Communicable Disease Control, Health Personnel, Program Evaluation, Surveys and Questionnaires, continuing education (CE), healthcare epidemiology, infection preventionists, IPC, public health workforce
Published Open-Access
yes
Recommended Citation
Kayla E Ruch and Janelle Rios, "Building the Infection Prevention Workforce: Development, Implementation and Evaluation of Texas Epidemic Public Health Institute Infection Prevention and Control 300 Series" (2026). Faculty, Staff and Student Publications. 1501.
https://digitalcommons.library.tmc.edu/uthsph_docs/1501