The Infectious Disease and Infection Control Nursing Certificate 

Nurses who have a master’s degree or who are currently matriculated UW graduate students can develop a certificate program of study in infectious disease or infection control. This graduate certificate, designed to enhance knowledge, clinical experiences, or scientific inquiry, prepares nurses to face emerging areas of threats to health from infectious diseases or infections. The certificate is designed for completion in two (full-time) to four (part-time) quarters of study.

Three infectious diseases (HIV/AIDS, pneumonia, influenza) are the fifth leading cause of death in the United States. Infections such as hepatitis are becoming inextricably linked with chronic diseases such as liver cancer and chronic renal failure. Some infectious diseases that were once well controlled, such as tuberculosis (TB), are reemerging in more virulent strains. The Infectious Disease and Infection Control Nursing (IDICN) Certificate is designed to equip nurses and scholars with a focused area of study in basic science, nursing, and elective courses to supplement their area of practice or scholarship. For example, adult nurse practitioners may need more content on microbiology, antimicrobial therapeutics, and management of infectious diseases to manage their current caseload, which includes patients with infectious diseases. A Master’s prepared nurse with specialty in critical care could return for an IDICN certificate to prepare to become a hospital epidemiologist with expertise in infection control, since critically ill patients are at increased risk for hospital-acquired infections. A doctoral student preparing for research in public policy might obtain an IDICN certificate to conduct research on policies relevant to migrant workers’ health care needs. An international visiting scholar may wish to apply for the IDICN certificate to concentrate an area of study on infectious disease and infection control as pertinent to their country of origin.

The IDICN Certificate is housed in the University of Washington School of Nursing’s Biobehavioral Nursing and Health Systems department, and includes a blend of faculty with expertise in infectious diseases, immunology, and care systems management. Specialty clinical sites include those that provide services to people with HIV/AIDS, TB, hepatitis, sexually transmitted diseases, agency infection control services, and numerous other environments providing care for people are at risk for infectious diseases and infections.

Program Overview

The IDICN Certificate prepares matriculated graduate and Post-Master’s nurses to develop knowledge, refine clinical practice, and/or advance nursing science in the area of infectious disease and infection control.

• Provides a basic science foundation relevant to theory, practice, and research of issues pertinent to infection control or infectious disease.
• Offers faculty and preceptor-guided clinical or capstone opportunities to synthesize knowledge and practice regarding infections or infectious diseases.
• Poses knowledge for nursing and multidisciplinary collaborative efforts to improve the health care needs of people with infections and infectious diseases.

Student Learning Outcomes

• Incorporate knowledge from basic sciences into the expertise and care of patients with infections or infectious diseases.
• Develop skills in the assessment, management, and evaluation of patients with infections or infectious diseases.
• Culminate learning experiences through the development of a clinically relevant project or scholarly analysis paper that addresses the needs of people with infections or infectious diseases or facilities that serve these populations.

Curriculum

The curriculum includes a minimum of 15 credits, nine of which must be earned in courses numbered 500 and above. IDICN Certificate students select from a menu of Health Science courses to earn 3 credits in Epidemiology and 3 credits in Microbiology. Each student completes a 3- credit capstone clinical or project. The remaining 6 credits are elective courses.

Epidemiology (3 credits). Select from:

Microbiology (3 credits). Select from:

Required Capstone Project or Clinical (3 credits). Select from:

Electives (6 credits). Students select from courses in nursing, biostatistics, medicine, educational leadership and policy, economics, environmental health, epidemiology, family medicine, health services, health sciences management, molecular and cellular biology, nutritional sciences, pathobiology, public affairs, pharmacy, psychology, and social work.

Steps to Completing Your Application 

You will be submitting Graduate Certificate in Advanced Practice Nursing application forms.The priority application deadline is January 15, by 5 pm, with an extension made to the next business day by 5 pm, if January 15 falls on a weekend day or holiday . Priority for space in the Certificate Program is limited to applicants who submit complete packets by the January 15 priority deadline. If you submit your application after January 15, your application will only be accepted on a first come, first serve space-available basis and will not be reviewed until June 1. Admission is based on meeting required minimum GCPAPN admission criteria and on acceptance by the University of Washington Graduate School and the School of Nursing.

Incomplete applications are NOT accepted. Please be sure to submit a complete application that includes all materials. You can begin your application process now. To access Graduate Certificate in Advanced Practice Nursing application forms and instructions click here.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a graduate student who is enrolled in a nursing program at another university take the Infectious Disease and Infection Control Certificate Program at the University of Washington?

Students must be admitted to the University of Washington Graduate School in order to complete the certificate. Non-UW students can complete their current graduate program at another university, and apply to be admitted as a Post Master’s student at the University of Washington.

I’m not sure if I am ready to apply. Can I take a single class?

If you have a Bachelor’s degree, you can take a class as Graduate Non Matriculated (GNM) student. GNM students can apply up to 12 GNM credits to the IDICN Certificate (students must apply and be accepted as matriculated students to complete the Certificate). GNM application form and information is available at http://www.son.washington.edu/eo/gnm.asp .

Who can I contact for more information?

Contact Jaime Palmer, jpalmer2@u.washington.edu, if you have questions or need more information.

Additional Resources