Contact Hour Designation
This online independent study activity is credited for 4 contact hours.
Overview
The role of infection control is to reduce and prevent the risk for hospital-acquired infections. To practice effective infection control practices, the healthcare professional must be knowledgeable of methods to prevent infection transmission. This training encompasses the seven core elements on infection control and barrier precautions and covers the most current and scientifically accepted practices in infection control as recommended by the Center for Disease Control (CDC).
Objectives
Upon completion of the independent study, the learner will be able to:
- Understand the seven elements in relation to infection control
Policy Statement
This activity has been planned and implemented in accordance with the policies of FastCEForLess.com. If you want to review our policy, click here.
Disclosures
Fast CE For Less, Inc. and its authors have no disclosures. There is no commercial support.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is this course specific to New York, and can nurses in other states take it instead?
New York has its own statutory infection control training requirement under Chapter 786 and related Board of Regents/Health Department rules, distinct from general CDC-based infection control CE offered in other states. If you’re licensed in New York, this state-specific course — not a generic infection control CEU — is the one that satisfies your renewal requirement.
How often do New York nurses need to complete infection control training, and does one completion cover my entire career?
New York’s infection control coursework requirement is generally a one-time requirement tied to initial licensure or specific renewal cycles, but requirements can be updated by the state legislature. Confirm your personal requirement status on the New York State Education Department’s website, since individual circumstances (like practice interruptions) can affect this.
What’s the difference between “standard precautions” and the specific isolation precaution types (contact, droplet, airborne)?
Standard precautions apply to all patient care regardless of suspected infection status, while contact, droplet, airborne, and bloodborne precautions are added based on a specific suspected or confirmed pathogen’s transmission route. This course explains how to layer these correctly rather than treating them as interchangeable.
Why does a general infection control course include a section on sepsis?
Sepsis is included because unrecognized or poorly managed infections are the leading pathway to sepsis in hospitalized patients — this course connects infection control practice directly to sepsis prevention, not just isolation procedure compliance.
Is this course still relevant if I primarily work in outpatient or home care rather than acute inpatient settings?
Yes — New York’s infection control training requirement applies broadly to licensed healthcare professionals regardless of setting, and core barrier precaution principles (hand hygiene, PPE selection, disposal) apply identically across acute, outpatient, and home care environments.
Since this course is listed as free, is it fully equivalent in credit value to a paid infection control CEU?
Yes — this course is offered at no cost but still carries a full 4 contact hours and generates the same instant certificate as any paid Fast CE For Less course, making it one of the more valuable free nursing CEUs available for New York-licensed nurses specifically.
Does this course cover updated guidance on hepatitis, HIV, and tuberculosis, or just general infection theory?
This course includes dedicated content on hepatitis, HIV, and tuberculosis as high-priority transmissible conditions relevant to New York’s regulatory framework, giving nurses pathogen-specific precaution guidance rather than only generic infection control theory.
What happens if I complete this course but I’m not actually licensed in New York — will it still count anywhere?
This course is built around New York-specific statutes and regulations, so while the general infection control content (standard/contact/droplet/airborne precautions) has broad educational value, other states typically require their own general infection control CEU rather than this New York-specific version for renewal credit.
