Educational-Award-Application

Educational Award Information:

The California APIC Coordinating Council (CA APIC or CACC) was formed in 1978 as a statewide steering committee for California’s 10 local APIC chapters. One of the original goals of CA APIC was to provide education to both beginning and advanced professionals in infection prevention. In keeping with this goal, CA APIC is happy to announce that we are providing four (2) $1000 and four (4) $500 educational awards to support educational opportunities that will enhance infection prevention skills and abilities. All CA APIC members from novice to advanced practice are welcome to apply. This year, 5 of the 6 awards will be given to any level of IP.

The CA APIC educational award can be used for infection prevention education up through December 31, 2024. Award recipients will be reimbursed for expenses up to $1000.00 (at least $500.00) for registration, travel, lodging and other event related expenses following attendance, including educational material for infection prevention. Awards cannot be used for CIC exam or recertification fees. A 10-minute presentation of information learned from the event attended is highly encouraged at a 2023-2024 CA APIC meeting.

Marguerite M. Jackson Scholarship - Advanced/Expert Stage ($1000.00)

CA APIC will award the Marguerite M. Jackson Educational Aware to an advanced/expert infection preventionist.  This scholarship has been established in honor of Marguerite McMillan Jackson, R.N., Ph.D., FAAN, and her many contributions and accomplishments in infection prevention and control.  Dr. Jackson is especially well known for challenging healthcare workers to evaluate and discard "rituals without reason" and for her practical approach to infection risk reduction in the health care environment.

This scholarship will be awarded to an advanced/expert infection preventionist whose professional activities showcase expertise in leadership, management, education, consultation, advanced analysis, and strategic planning. The expert IP also promotes certification, mentors others, and demonstrates the value of the credential through advanced knowledge and skills. The expert IP is an accomplished, recognized leader and patient safety champion in their own organization, whose collaborative influence may reach beyond their employer/business to regional, national, and international audiences.

Some of Marguerite Jackson’s many accomplishments include, but are not limited to:

• Affiliate of the University of California San Diego (UCSD) for almost 33 years before her retirement in April of 2010, serving most of that time as the Administrative Director of the Epidemiology Unit.
• Director of the Administrative Unit for the National Tuberculosis Curriculum Consortium (NTCC), a multi-center NIH-funded collaborative project to improve knowledge of tuberculosis in health professions schools throughout the United States, 2004 -2010.
• Elected to Fellowship in the American Academy of Nursing in 1991 and served as the Nursing-at-Large representative to the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations’ Standards and Survey Procedures Committee from 1997 through 2003.
• Co-author for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention update of the Guideline for Isolation Precautions: Preventing Transmission of Infectious Agents in Healthcare Settings, completed in 2007.
• Board Member for the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases (NFID) in 2007.
• Consultant to organizations that include the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the American Hospital Association, the California Healthcare Association, and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
• Member of the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC) since 1973.
• Elected as fellow of the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America (SHEA) in 2004.
• Served on the editorial boards of several professional journals and has been on many national level Committees and Task Forces.
• Lectured widely and has published over 90 articles and book chapters on a variety of topics, including infection prevention and control, the relationship between nurse staffing and healthcare-associated infection outcomes, and implementation of evidence-based practices.

Application Process:

1. Application must be completed by their respective deadlines below. Recipients will be notified a week after deadlines or as early as administratively possible.
2. Applicant must be a current APIC member in good standing for at least 1 year. Join here.
3. Applicant is to perform a self-assessment of individual knowledge and skills based on the APIC Competency Model and determine their professional stage (Advanced/Expert, Mid-Career, or Early Career) using the “Examples to Assist with Self-Definition of IP Career Stage” (attached).
4. Applicant is to write a brief description of three things they have accomplished at the current career stage.
5. Applicant is to identify three areas in which further education or skills development is needed.
6. Applicant is to write a brief description of how the scholarship will be used and how this will be integrated into their plans for competency development.
7. Applicant plans to present for at least 5-10 minutes at a 2024/2025 CA APIC meeting in order to meet National APIC non-profit qualifications for educational support. Applicant should arrange with the CA APIC Board as to which meeting they would like to present and on what topic or meeting to present information that they learned. Presentations must be submitted to the CA APIC Board one week prior to the meeting where the recipient will present.

Application Deadlines:
"Marguerite M. Jackson Scholarship"  - Advanced/Expert Stage ($1000.00) May 13, 2024
Early career/novice to Advanced/Expert Stage ($1000.00) May 13, 2024
Early career/novice to Advanced/Expert Stage ($500.00) May 13, 2024