MPH to IP through Nursing School with Brittney Davis

In this episode, Ivan G interviews Brittney Davis, an infection preventionist at UNC Wayne, who shares her journey into the field of infection prevention. Brittney discusses how her interest was sparked during her capstone project for her Master’s in Public Health, where she worked closely with an infection preventionist. Despite her academic background, she highlights the lack of exposure to infection prevention in her public health curriculum, which led her to explore this niche further.

Brittney recounts the challenges she faced in securing a position in infection prevention after graduation, emphasizing the frustrating catch-22 of needing experience to gain experience. She eventually enrolled in nursing school to meet the qualifications for infection prevention roles.

Throughout the conversation, Brittney reflects on the realities of being an infection preventionist, including the unexpected aspects of the job, such as dealing with insects and the importance of building rapport with healthcare staff. Her insights provide a valuable perspective on the intersection of public health and clinical practice, as well as the need for greater awareness of infection prevention in educational programs.