Table 1.

Evolution of infection control practice 1976-2002

SENIC project	CBIC practice analyses
1976∗	1982†	1987‡	1992§	1996¶	2001#
Practice dimensions: n = 5	Practice dimensions: n = 8	Practice dimensions: n = 8	Practice dimensions: n = 5	Practice dimensions: n = 5	Practice dimensions: n = 6
Number of tasks: N/A	Number of tasks: 60	Number of tasks: 67	Number of tasks: 95	Number of tasks: 127	Number of tasks: 147
Surveillance	Patient care practices	Patient care practices	Infectious process	Identification of infectious disease processes	Identification of infectious disease processes
Policy development	Infectious diseases	Infectious diseases	Surveillance/epidemiologic investigation	Surveillance/epidemiologic investigation	Surveillance/epidemiologic investigation
Training	Epidemiology and statistics	Epidemiology and statistics	Transmission of infection	Preventing/controlling transmission of infectious agents	Preventing/controlling transmission of infectious agents
Epidemic investigations	Microbiologic practices	Microbiologic practices	Management/communication	Program management/communication	Program management/communication
Consulting	Sterilization/disinfection	Sterilization/disinfection	Education	Education	Education and research
	Education	Education			Infection control aspects of employee health
	Employee health services	Employee health services
	Management/communication	Management/communication

SENIC, Study on the Efficacy of Nosocomial Infection Control; CBIC, Certification Board of Infection Control.

^∗Emori et al, 1980.

^†Shannon et al, 1984.

^‡Larson et al, 1988.

^§Bjerke et al, 1993.

^¶Turner et al, 1999.

^#Goldrick et al, 2002.