Mrs Kellie Kenway
Biography:
Kellie Kenway is an Infection Control Practitioner (Clinical Nurse Consultant) within the Gold Coast Hospital and Health Service. She commenced working in Infection Prevention and Control in 2005 and later graduated with a Masters of Advanced Practice in Infection Control and Prevention from Griffith University in 2007.
Kellie is credentialled at the Expert level (CICP-E) with the Australasian College for Infection Prevention and Control (ACIPC). As an active member of the College, she sits on both the Credentialling and Fellowship Assessment Panel and the International Conference Planning Committee. She is also a qualified Immunisation Program Nurse (IPN) with a special interest in staff health, facility building, and redevelopment.
Abstract:
Background: Transitioning into infection prevention requires navigating a complex clinical landscape. The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the critical role of infection control departments alongside severe resource limitations during crises. To bridge this knowledge gap and build resilience, the Gold Coast Hospital and Health Service established the Infection Control Traineeship program in 2021 with executive support. The model prepares nurses to act as specialised resources within home wards, able to pivot into the infection control department when additional capacity is required.
Methods: This six-month program provides participants with a fully funded infection control placement at Clinical Nurse level, offering paid release time to complete core qualifications. These include the Australasian College for Infection Prevention and Control Foundations course (including a home-ward quality improvement activity) and Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care modules. Trainees engage in experiential learning, encompassing hand hygiene auditor training, microbiology laboratory placements, sterilising department visits, and multidisciplinary mentoring.
Results: Since inception, the program has yielded 22 graduates. This model has directly translated into widely distributed ward-level knowledge, and a robust, scalable workforce framework that successfully expands organisational infection control capacity.
Conclusion: This innovative model successfully builds scalable infection control capacity and clinical resilience across the organisation. By providing a clear pathway for professional growth, the program has also directly strengthened the core department, with three of the 22 graduates successfully transitioning into permanent infection control positions within the Gold Coast Hospital and Health Service.