Infection Prevention and Control
MSN in Infection and Control is a specialized degree that tries to establish infection control indicators used in healthcare delivery systems and explore the creation of programs meant for infection control. I have had many experiences in my previous studies, but my MSN specialization in infection prevention and control has instilled confidence in me as a future nurse. The master in infection prevention and control has enhanced my nursing career by developing my expertise in epidemiology and physiology. Through education, I can assure patients high-quality care associated with the skills and expertise gained from higher education. Infection prevention and control is a great opportunity for influential leaders and for individuals who desire to retain higher nursing management positions in future. My specialization in MSN was directed by my desire to work in various positions globally since with the qualifications; one is a position to help and manage individuals in large groups. The different learning outcomes for a nurse with this specialization allow them to meet most of the nursing goals which include helping people globally to prevent outbreaks and wit the skills acquired during MSN program, the nurses easily identify problems related to infectious diseases.
As a graduate of MSN, Infection Prevention and Control, I acquainted myself with skills relevant to the future of nursing practice. Among the skills acquired is the application of epidemiology to environmental risk assessments and the knowledge gained related to this line is the ability to identify infectious diseases that are emerging in a population. Besides, understanding distribution of disease in a population was also a concept learnt during my master’s specialization. The MSN specialization was a great opportunity to enhance my ability to identify potential problems affecting a particular population. After the infection is well identified, communication of the problem to the superior was also discussed to trigger necessary action for preventing the population from infections. Application of epidemiology to environmental risk assessment is among the learning outcome that greatly boosted my confidence to assist populations at risk of infectious diseases and manage large groups of people. Therefore, with the skills on the application of epidemiology to a population, I can confidently work in any nursing management position since I am not afraid to handle a large population.
MSN degree program enhanced my academic knowledge to develop comprehensive infection prevention and control programs. The program has increased my passion for public health, research and policy development with an aim to prevent and control infections both in healthcare facilities and in a community. My interest to help and serve the population was enhanced after enrolling master’s degree in nursing under the infection prevention and control. My specialization has enhanced my knowledge on various ways I can control and prevent diseases in a population. When an infectious outbreak is identified in a population, nurses in collaboration with the healthcare superiors are expected to come up with prevention programs to minimize the spread of infectious disease to the entire population. My MSN specialization has enhanced my understanding on program creation; therefore, I can manage to infection prevention and control program without assistance from other health practitioners. More to this, I can capture information about a population in need and devise a program that is best suitable to meet their population health needs.
When taking an MSN degree in infection prevention and control, all students are trained to design a surveillance system that can be used in collecting, analyzing and interpreting data in a way that it can be disseminated to the relevant authority for prevention and control of diseases. Enrolling in this master’s program increased my knowledge on designing a surveillance system based on the need of the population. The field of infection prevention and control gives students an opportunity to work in positions that require higher levels of responsibility and designing a surveillance system to be used in a population is among responsibilities meant for higher positions. With the information on creating a surveillance system, I can work in any country with an outbreak by developing a surveillance system for preventing diseases.
The program expected all students to interpret infection control data in a way that the deduced information can be used in prevention and control of infectious diseases in a population. I gained insight on how to sort out infection control data in a way that it could be interpreted for use in that particular population. Besides, working with researchers and other healthcare professionals improved my ability to work in different setups and to use available population data in implementing a solution to a population problem. With the knowledge of infection control data interpretation, I can now work in any location globally to assist in data interpretation and creation of a surveillance system. Also with such knowledge, I can compete in the competitive healthcare system and contribute to the changing roles of nursing care.
Evidence
The leanings of this master’s program have been applied in most of the daily activities as a nurse practitioner. In the facility where I work as a senior nurse, I offer clinical expertise, support, advice and guidance to my colleagues on various techniques to employ so that they can prevent, manage and control all forms of associated healthcare infections. What is more, I am in the team that implements surveillance system in my region, and this has provided an opportunity to practice the skills learnt during the master’s degree. Besides, my responsibility in the healthcare facility I work in is to collect and interpret infection control which is used to identify areas that have increased vulnerability to infections. I facilitate programs in the healthcare facility I work on which are aimed to share experiences on investigating outbreaks of infection. Also, I train other healthcare workers on global perspective of infection control and prevention. I also work with monitoring and evaluation specialist to assess the level of risk of infection not only in the area of practice but in other healthcare facilities that require intervention. Thus, the knowledge attained as part of my learning from my area of specialization has increased my responsibility in my area of practice, and it will offer an opportunity to participate in the changing roles of nursing practice in future.
Changes experienced in my nursing practice that are in line with my specialization tract include the ability to create and design a comprehensive infection prevention and control program. This is advancement since I could not create it before I enrolled my master’s classes under the specialization. Also, with my masters in nursing, I can work in nursing management positions across the country. My leadership skills are enhanced, and I can now manage a large group of people and design a program that can be used to protect a population from infections. Registered nurses can identify a problem in a healthcare facility but lack the responsibility or power to act towards the problem. With a master’s degree, more opportunities are created, and nurses at this level are responsible for implementing a solution without supervision. With my qualifications, I can easily train newly registered nurses on various ways to control infections in their workplace as well as when treating patients. Another change is that I can comfortably treat many infectious diseases from the knowledge gained in my master’s degree. Although working in a team is crucial when deciding on the programs to be implemented in a facility, my qualifications allow me to design a program that I find suitable for a population in matters relating to infections control.
The goals for life-long learning as an MSN prepared nurse include increased competency in nursing practice. Nursing practice is changing dramatically from their roles to a working environment. Increasing the level of education prepare nurses to work in diverse healthcare environments and become future leaders in nursing care. Another goal is to work as infection prevention and control globally where I will assist populations to practice safety measures to avoid infections. Life-long learning allows nurses to have responses to all problems associated with nursing practice. Life-long learning will create an opportunity for nurses to earn higher and deal with the increasing demand for healthcare due to emergent diseases.
Conclusion
With the changing roles in nursing practice, nurses who will have a higher level of education will secure better salaries and will be competitive in the healthcare market. A master’s degree in infection prevention and control is demanded due to a high rate of infections for nurses in the workplace as well as in the management of infectious outbreaks in a population. Therefore, my specialization is an opportunity to compete in the competitive healthcare world and achieve my dream of assisting the population has improved life.