Welcome to the TIPS course! This module provides background on the course and instructions for navigating this site. 

Our “Why”

Early in the project, we held focus groups with Infection Preventionists (IPs) and frontline healthcare workers to better understand how IPs approach IPC education and what challenges they encounter. A common frustration we heard from IPs was that many had been thrown into their roles with little training or ongoing support. Frontline staff shared that the IPC trainings they were offered often felt disconnected from the realities of their day-to-day work. 

In response to this, we used our backgrounds in medicine, infection prevention, simulation, and education to build a curriculum targeting adult learners with relevant IPC content.   We are sharing practical tools, strategies, and insights that can help IPs and healthcare educators create training that connects with the specific audiences they serve. Our goal is for frontline healthcare workers to feel prepared, confident, and supported in the critical work they do every day. 

Course Objectives

By the end of this course, you will be able to: 

• Develop content for infection prevention education 

• Recognize a “why” centric facilitation structure for teaching 

• Develop a plan for implementing Infection Prevention education 

Additionally, each module has its own set of objectives. 

How to Use the TIPS Materials

We have broken up our content into modules, sections that can be watched and studied independently or as a part of the whole course. 

In each module you will find: 

• Module Objectives – What you should be able to do after completing the module. 

• Educational Content – Videos covering the educational content of that module, as well as slides that were used in the live version of the course. 

• Activities – Games, Simulations, and other Activities you can use to enhance and test your knowledge. 

• For example, in this Welcome Module, to get you thinking about IPC principles, we encourage you to do our Assessing Risk activity, which is linked below. Assessing Risk Link 

• Assessing Risk Facilitator Guide 

• If you would like to play this game in person, please see our Resources page for materials. 

Other Items to Note

• In some of our materials you may notice “Tippy”, our friendly mascot. We are often asked, “Are you teaching us, or teaching us how to teach?”. And the answer is, both! So, we have inserted Tippy at various portions of our course to highlight and point out various teaching suggestions and strategies. 

• These modules can completed in whatever sequence works best for you. That said, some concepts do build on earlier ones. Below are a few modules that go well together, along with the order we recommend for taking them. 

• Vaccine Safety and Efficacy Level Setting, Combatting Vaccine Misinformation 

• Education Basics and the Role of the TIPS Trainer, Educational Design and Delivery 

We hope you find this course and these modules helpful. We encourage you to use and share the materials. If you have any questions, please contact: uwtips@uw.edu. 

In the Infection Prevention & Control Level Setting module, we go though some key IPC principles, including germ spread and the Three I’s of infection prevention. For some, this might be a helpful refresher; for others, it could be brand new information. Either way, it offers a fresh approach to  teaching this content. 

Module Objectives

By the end of this module, you will be able to: 

• Describe how germs are spread 

• Define the three “I”s (Identify, Isolate, Inform) 

• Explain how healthcare workers assess risk 

• Explain how healthcare workers mitigate risk 

Educational Content

TIPS IPC Level Setting - Assessing and Mitigating Risk Video

TIPS IPC Level Setting - Understanding Germ Spread Video

Infection Prevention & Control Level Setting Async Slides 

Slide Deck for the Infection Prevention & Control Level Setting Video 

Infection Prevention & Control Level Setting Slides for Live Session 

Activities

As part of this module, we have created a few activities that help reinforce these concepts. They are good examples of using gamification principles to teach IPC concepts. “Spill in the Blank” provides healthcare workers practice with reading disinfectant labels to clean up different kinds of messes in the healthcare environment. The “Hierarchy of Control” activity breaks down the Hierarchy of Controls into easier to understand concepts by starting with an everyday risky activity. And “Sticky Germs” gets participants up and moving in a game demonstrating the key factors influencing the risk of spreading an infectious illness in the workplace. Below you will find these activities, along with facilitator guides that will walk you through them. 

Spill in the Blank Facilitator Guide 

Spill in the Blank

Spill in the Blank Resources 

Hierarchy of Control Facilitator Guide 

Sticky Germs Facilitator Guide 

Continuing with IPC Level Setting, this module focuses on vaccine safety and efficacy. We break down how the different types of vaccines, how they work, and how they are tested. Like the IPC module, this might be a refresher for some, and brand-new information for others. Regardless of who is taking this module, it is meant to build a shared foundation for the subsequent module. 

Module Objectives

By the end of this module, you will be able to: 

• Explain how vaccines work to create immunity 

• Identify the types of vaccines 

• Describe how vaccines are tested for safety and efficacy 

Educational Content

Vaccine Safety & Efficacy Level Setting Video 

Vaccine Safety & Efficacy Level Setting Async Slides 

Activities

To help demonstrate the challenges of finding accurate vaccination information online, we have created a virtual scavenger hunt activity. Below you will find the activity, along with the associated facilitator guide. 

Vaccine Scavenger Hunt Facilitator Guide 

Vaccine Scavenger Hunt 

Inoculation Intuition Facilitator Guide 

This module provides guidance on  dealing with misleading and false information about the safety and efficacy of vaccines that frequently leads to vaccine hesitancy. It covers common narratives and strategies we see in the spread of online vaccine misinformation and helps you think through appropriate routes to spotting and debunking misinformed narratives when they come up in our interactions with others. In addition to addressing how to engage in these challenging conversations, it also highlights the importance of identifying when not to engage.  

Module Objectives 

By the end of this module, you will be able to: 

• Explain the drivers of vaccine hesitancy 

• Identify common misleading narratives about vaccines 

• Feel confident in discussing misleading information with others when it arises in personal and professional conversations 

Educational Content 

Combatting Vaccine Misinformation Video 

Combatting Vaccine Misinformation Async Slides 

Combatting Vaccine Misinformation Slides for Live Session 

Misinformation Worksheet 

Activities 

The first activity for this module is “Rate the Clickbait.” In this small group game, a “master manipulator” tries to spread the most convincing misinformation using prompts from the other participants. The second is a role play activity, which provides examples of difficult conversations related to vaccines that individuals can work through in pairs or small groups to practice motivational interviewing skills. Both activities provide you with opportunities to practice navigating difficult conversations using logic-based arguments while preserving trust. For the role play activity, consider completing the “Misinformation Worksheet” first as this can serve as a cognitive aid during the activity. Below you will find these activities, along with facilitator guides that will walk you through them. 

Rate the Clickbait Game

Rate the Clickbait Cards

Rate the Clickbait Facilitator Guide 

Motivational Interviewing Facilitator Guide 

Role Playing Information 

• Scenario One 

• Scenario Two 

• Scenario Three 

This module introduces simulation as a powerful tool for IPC training. Learners will explore what simulation is, the types commonly used in healthcare, and the educational theories that support it. It covers the key components of a strong simulation, how to design meaningful simulations, and helps you identify when and how to integrate simulation into your IPC efforts. 

Module Objectives

By the end of this module, you will be able to: 

• Define simulation and associated terminology 

• Name several educational theories supporting the use of simulation 

Educational Content

Introduction to Simulation Video 

Introduction to Simulation Async Slides 

Introduction to Simulation Live Session Slides 

Simulation Worksheet 

Activities

The “Waiting Room” simulation encourages critical thinking to assess risk and employ risk mitigation strategies when faced with less-than-ideal situations. It is meant for frontline healthcare workers from both clinical and non-clinical backgrounds. We have also employed it with IPs to help them better understand the challenges faced by frontline workers. The in-person version is best for groups of 10-20. We have provided a recording of the simulation that can be shared and discussed in virtual or in-person trainings, which allows for larger numbers to participate. Please see the Facilitator Guide below for links and instructions for how to use it. 

The second simulation, “Out of Ink,” targets PPE donning and doffing skills, and prompts discussion of barriers to PPE utilization. It is meant for non-clinical healthcare workers (e.g., registration, security, social workers) and is best for groups of 5-10.  

 Waiting Room Facilitator Guide – In Person 

Waiting Room Facilitator Guide – Virtual  

Out of Ink Facilitator Guide – In person 

This module explores how to effectively teach and engage adult learners, starting with the importance of defining a clear “why” behind your teaching. You will learn to structure SMART(IE) learning objectives, and apply strategies to address resistance to change. The session also emphasizes empathy, communication, and inclusion as key elements of successful facilitation and change management. 

Module Objectives 

By the end of this module, you will be able to: 

• Recognize the core principles of teaching to adult learners 

• Develop appropriately structured goals and objectives for facilitation 

• Describe the concept of resistance, and how “ownership” can help to address common resistance factors 

Educational Content 

Educational Basics Video 

Educational Basics Async Slides 

Educational Basics Live Session Slides 

Activities 

During this module we encourage you to complete the “Personal Styles” activity, which was adapted from Merrill-Reid. Through this, you gain tools to increase ownership, foster engagement, and design meaningful, measurable learning experiences.  

Personal Styles Activity (Link and Handout) 

Personal Styles Facilitator Guide 

This module focuses on strengthening your skills as a facilitator by exploring ways to engage adult learners through gamification, processing styles, and learner activation. You will also be given an opportunity to reflect on common fears faced by educators, and learn strategies to overcome them. The module also emphasizes the importance of warming up your audience, tapping into prior knowledge, and creating purpose-driven activities that reinforce learning.  

Module Objectives

By the end of this module, you will be able to: 

• Utilize different processing types and styles in future class planning and facilitation 

• Gamify learning activities to create content that resonates with adult learners 

• Identify and address common facilitation challenges 

Educational Content

Educational Design & Delivery Video 

Educational Design & Delivery Async Video 

Educational Design & Delivery Live Session Slides 

Activities

This module includes a “self-assessment” you can take to learn their processing style, as well as an activity they can do as a group. This activity helps emphasize how incorporating multiple processing

Processing Styles Activity

Processing Styles Handout

Processing Styles Facilitator Guide 

During the live offering of this course, the final module was when participants would share the educational plans they have been working on throughout the course with their group/cohort members and the instructor team. It provides an opportunity to ask questions and get feedback prior to implementing their plan.  

Below we have included examples of the final presentation a few of our previous course participants shared. Please take a look to see what a “Marketplace” presentation looks like and how participants have used TIPS to enhance their educational offerings! 

To supplement our educational offerings, the TIPS team created a mini-module on Assessments. During this module, you will learn what assessment really means and why it’s such an important part of effective teaching and training. We walk through different types of assessments and show you how to choose the right tool for your goals, as well as how to analyze and share your results in a way that helps improve future trainings and supports requests for more resources or support.

Module Objectives

By the end of this module, you will be able to: 

Educational Content

• Assessments Video 

• Assessments Live Slides 

• Checklist Rubric Example 

• Clinical Evaluation 

• Get an A+ in Assessment 

In this mini-module, you will learn how gamification—adding game elements like competition, collaboration, and fun challenges—can make IPC trainings more engaging and effective. We walk through how to design a gamified activity and how to plan a strong debrief after a game to connect the activity back to real-life learning.  

Module Objectives 

By the end of this module, you will be able to: 

• Describe how gamification objectives differ from learning objectives 

• List the steps in creating your own gamified activity 

Educational Content 

Gamification Worksheet 

Gamification Slides from Live Session