#65 Crafting Your IP Future: Strategies for Career Advancement in Infection Prevention

What’s the next step in your career as an IP? Join hosts Kelly Holmes and Lerenza Howard as they explore APIC’s Career Development and Advancement Guide with experts Chris Zirges and Angel Mueller. This episode is packed with actionable strategies to help you evaluate your skills, build a standout professional portfolio, and navigate every career stage—from paraprofessional to executive. Whether you’re looking to grow your influence or take the leap into a new role, this empowering discussion will give you the tools to shape your future as an IP. Tune in and take your career to the next level!

Resources:
Infection Preventionist Career Development and Advancement Guide 

"A framework for defining and documenting infection preventionist competency"

Hosted by:

Kelly Holmes, MS, CIC, FAPIC and Lerenza Howard, MHA, CIC, LSSGB

About our Guests:

Angel Mueller, MPH, CIC, FAPIC

Angel Mueller is a certified Infection Preventionist and APIC Fellow with over 16 years of progressive infection prevention and control and leadership experience. She is the System Director of Infection Prevention at UnityPoint Health where she provides leadership and strategic direction for multiple hospital, ambulatory and home care settings throughout Iowa, western Illinois and southern Wisconsin.

Angel was a member of the APIC Professional Development Committee (PDC) for six years and served as chair of the committee for two of those years. Through her work on the PDC, Angel contributed to the updated APIC IP Competency Model, was a participating author of the article introducing the model and helped develop the Infection Preventionist Career Development and Advancement Guide.

Angel is knowledgeable in the infection prevention competency domains, enjoys developing tools and systems to make infection prevention processes more efficient and effective, and is passionate about advancing the profession and supporting the development of IPs throughout the world.

Christine (Chris) Zirges, DNP, ACNS-BC, CIC, FAPIC

Chris is currently the System Director of Infection Prevention for SSM Health. Professional endeavors include past board member of the Certification Board of Infection Control (CBIC), current Chair of the APIC Professional Development Committee, board member on the Board of Directors for the Healthcare Laundry Accreditation Council (HLAC), and the HAI Advisory Council through the University of Missouri (Sinclair School of Nursing).

She is certified in infection prevention (CIC), board-certified as an advanced practice nurse (ACNS-BC), and a Fellow of the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (FAPIC). Her doctoral focus was on reducing the number of indwelling urinary catheter days. Her experience includes practicing infection prevention in many settings, which made integrating a corporate-wide program a natural next step. Chris's interests include standardization of work and sustainment of clinical interventions. The structure and processes of a high-functioning infection prevention and control program are a key driver of success. She is from Kirkwood Missouri and proud parent of two young men – so now an empty nester!