In a healthcare facility, the role of the infection control specialist includes all of the following EXCEPT:

• A. Overseeing outbreak investigation and coordinating reporting to appropriate public health agencies when required
• B. Developing and updating infection prevention policies and educating staff on standard and transmission-based precautions
• C. Diagnosing individual patient infections and independently prescribing antimicrobial therapy as the primary provider
• D. Conducting surveillance for healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) and analyzing infection rate trends

Answer: (C)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Understand the role of an infection control specialist in a healthcare facility. Their primary responsibilities include preventing and controlling infections within the facility, which involves surveillance, policy development, education, and outbreak management.
2. Step 2: Review each listed responsibility to determine if it aligns with the typical duties of an infection control specialist. For example, overseeing outbreak investigations and coordinating with public health agencies is a common task.
3. Step 3: Recognize that developing and updating infection prevention policies and educating staff on precautions are core functions of infection control specialists, aimed at minimizing infection risks.
4. Step 4: Note that conducting surveillance for healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) and analyzing infection trends is essential for monitoring and improving infection control practices.
5. Step 5: Identify that diagnosing individual patient infections and independently prescribing antimicrobial therapy is generally outside the scope of infection control specialists, as this role is typically reserved for primary healthcare providers such as physicians or nurse practitioners.