Exploring Career Pathways in Infection Prevention and Control: The Role of Certification

Dr. Tiffany Wiksten has been a nurse for over 20 years and has worked as an infection preventionist for over 10 years. In her current role, she is an Associate Director in the Standards Interpretation Group and Infection Control Subject Matter expert at the Joint Commission. She has led infection prevention and control efforts in a variety of healthcare settings including large academic medical centers, a community medical center with associated long term care facilities as well as various ambulatory healthcare sites. She earned her Doctor of Nursing Practice in Transformational Leadership from Rush University and her Master of Science in Nursing from Loyola University with a focus on Population based infection control and environmental safety.  

Steven J. Schweon RN, MPH, MSN, CIC, CPHQ, FSHEA, FAPIC is a seasoned, board certified Infection Preventionist. He first became interested with infectious diseases while serving as an Army medic in South Korea, where he supervised a microbiology department that specialized in sexually transmitted diseases. He later worked on the high technology isolation ward at Ft. Detrick, Maryland, home of “The Hot Zone.” Prior to becoming an infection preventionist, he had 14 years of experience, and achieved certification, in critical care and behavioral health nursing. Steve was also a long-term care “orderly” prior to attending nursing school.

Steve has been an infection preventionist since 1995, achieving continual board infection control certification since 1997. Clinical experiences include the acute care and Long-Term Care settings.