How Infection Preventionists Build Support at Every Level | IP Mentor Monthly Digest December
- Missy Travis MSN RN CIC FAPIC
- Dec 23, 2025
- 3 min read
How Infection Preventionists Can Build Support at Every Level
Infection Prevention can be a lonely role, which is why Infection Preventionist support is so important.
Many Infection Preventionists are responsible for large, complex programs—often with limited resources, little backup, and high expectations. Having worked in infection prevention for over 25 years, I have experienced this myself.
This month, we focused on one important message: You don’t have to do this alone.
Gaining support for your Infection Prevention program is possible—and it starts with being intentional about who you engage and how you engage them.
Here’s a recap of the key groups we discussed and practical ways to strengthen support from each.
Start With Structure: Your IP Oversight Committee
One of the most effective ways to reduce isolation in the IP role is by establishing a strong Infection Prevention oversight committee.
This multidisciplinary group ensures decisions aren’t made in a silo and that infection prevention responsibilities are shared across departments. If your facility doesn’t have a dedicated IP committee, consider using or expanding an existing group such as Quality or Environment of Care.
Key members may include:
Nursing Units
Quality
Administration
Plant Operations
Safety
Risk Management
Medical Staff
Therapy
Laboratory
Surgery
Environmental Services
Diagnostic Imaging
Pharmacy
IT
Meeting at least quarterly—and using a standardized agenda—helps keep everyone aligned and engaged, especially during times of increased infections.
Engaging Frontline Staff: Lead With the “Why”
Frontline staff usually want to do the right thing—but they don’t always understand the reason behind infection prevention practices.
Explaining the “why” makes a difference.
For example:
Connect low hand hygiene compliance to an increase in HAIs.
Explain how isolation precautions prevent future harm, not just citations.
Using real facility data and real scenarios helps staff see how their actions directly impact patient and resident safety. Most frontline staff are motivated by protecting those they care for—help them connect the dots.
Engaging Physicians: Data Matters
While physicians are part of the frontline, engaging them often requires a different approach.
Data is key.
Many physicians aren’t fully aware of infection trends within the facility. Sharing HAI rates alongside hand hygiene or isolation compliance data can be eye-opening. If internal data isn’t available yet, evidence-based CDC guidance and peer-reviewed literature are powerful tools.
It’s also important to recognize physicians as leaders. Their behavior sets the tone for the entire care team. When physicians model infection prevention best practices, others are more likely to follow.
Leadership Support: Speak the Language of Business
Leadership support can make or break an Infection Prevention program.
Because Infection Prevention isn’t a revenue-generating department, it’s essential to frame your work in terms leadership understands: cost, risk, and return on investment.
Assigning a cost—or cost savings—to infections and interventions helps leadership see the value of prevention. CDC resources such as Building the Business Case make this process far more approachable than it sounds.
When leaders understand that preventing infections saves money, improves outcomes, protects reputations, and reduces risk, support becomes much easier to secure.
The Common Thread: You’re Stronger Together
Whether it’s a committee, frontline staff, physicians, or leadership—the goal is the same: shared ownership of Infection Prevention.
You don’t have to carry this work alone. Support grows when communication is intentional, data is used strategically, and relationships are built over time.
If you’re looking for help strengthening your program, gaining buy-in, or simply having someone to think through challenges with, I offer free consultations, one-on-one coaching, and self-paced learning designed specifically for Infection Preventionists.
You do important work—and you deserve support while doing it.
If you enjoyed this edition, be sure to:
About IP&C Consulting At IP&C Consulting, I help healthcare organizations and infection preventionists strengthen their programs through consulting, education, and coaching. Learn more about my services here.
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