CHCPTI’s IPAC Online Training — beginner-friendly, self-paced, and completed in about one hour.
What Is IPAC and Why Does It Matter in Canada?
Infection Prevention and Control (IPAC) is the framework healthcare workers use every day. In short, its goal is to stop infectious agents from spreading in care settings. It applies wherever healthcare is delivered — hospitals, clinics, long-term care homes, dental offices, home care, and community health programs across Canada.
According to Public Health Ontario, infections can happen to anyone in a healthcare setting — not just patients. For example, workers who skip IPAC precautions can pick up or pass on infectious agents through hand contact, surfaces, droplets, or airborne particles. As a result, the outcomes can range from a mild illness to a serious infection, a facility-wide outbreak, or a critical exposure event.
In addition, IPAC training is now a condition of employment across the Canadian healthcare sector. Employers, licensing bodies, and regulators expect frontline workers to apply infection prevention practices every day — not just occasionally. Therefore, completing a recognized IPAC certification online is the fastest way to show that competence and protect your career.
About the CHCPTI IPAC Certification Online
The IPAC Online Training course is delivered by the Canadian Health Care Provider Training Institute (CHCPTI). CHCPTI is based in Mississauga, Ontario. Its focus is on practical, accessible healthcare education for the Canadian workforce.
This beginner-level course is formally titled Infection Control and Prevention Basics for Healthcare Workplaces (Canada). It is built around two core modules. Together, they cover the basic IPAC knowledge needed in Canadian healthcare settings. No prior experience is required. All you need is a device with internet access and about one hour of your time.
Furthermore, CHCPTI offers a wide range of online safety courses for Canadian workers, including Fire Safety certification, WHMIS training, TDG certification, and BLS certification online.
What You’ll Learn: Full Course Breakdown
This infection control course covers the full foundation of IPAC practice. First, you’ll learn how infections spread. Then, you’ll move on to Routine Practices and Additional Precautions. Finally, you’ll apply those skills to your daily work. By the end, you’ll have a clear, practical grasp of the key topics below.
Infection Spread and Precautions
- The chain of infection — all six links, and how breaking even one prevents transmission
- The five primary routes of transmission in healthcare settings (contact, droplet, airborne, vehicle, vector-borne)
- Routine Practices — the core IPAC framework used in all Canadian healthcare settings
- Additional Precautions — Contact, Droplet, and Airborne precautions and when each one applies
- Point-of-care risk assessment (PCRA) — the quick mental checklist every worker should complete before each patient interaction
Daily Skills and Protective Equipment
- Correct hand hygiene techniques (alcohol-based hand rub vs. soap and water) and the WHO’s 5 Moments framework
- How to select, safely don, and safely doff personal protective equipment (PPE)
- Respiratory etiquette — masking protocols that reduce respiratory transmission
- Safe patient and client management: room placement, visitor guidance, and equipment handling
- Proper handling of sharps and needles to prevent bloodborne exposure
- Environmental cleaning, specimen collection, and post-mortem care under IPAC principles
Module-by-Module Overview
The course is built across two progressive modules. Each one contains a video lesson and a knowledge-check quiz. Here is a detailed breakdown of what each module covers.
First, this module builds the foundation every healthcare worker needs. You’ll learn what infections are and how they spread through the chain of infection. Next, you’ll explore each of the five routes of transmission in a real care setting. The module then introduces Routine Practices — the standard framework used across Canadian healthcare. It also explains why treating all patients as infectious is the safest approach. In addition, you’ll cover Additional Precautions and how to apply point-of-care risk assessment (PCRA). The module ends with a 7-question quiz.
This module puts IPAC concepts into daily practice. It starts with the two methods of hand hygiene and the WHO’s 5 Moments framework. After all, hand hygiene is still the single most effective infection prevention action available. Moreover, the module covers PPE selection, correct donning and doffing order, respiratory etiquette, and safe patient placement. It also includes visitor management, equipment handling, cleaning, specimen collection, sharps safety, and post-mortem care. Finally, it ends with a 7-question quiz to confirm your understanding.
The 5 Routes of Transmission Explained
One of the most important things this IPAC course teaches is how infections travel from person to person. In fact, understanding transmission routes is the key to knowing which precautions to apply and when. Below are the five routes covered in Module 1.
The most common route in healthcare settings. It occurs through direct skin-to-skin contact or indirect contact with contaminated surfaces and equipment.
Spread through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs, sneezes, or talks. Droplets travel short distances and land on mucous membranes.
Spread through tiny particles that stay suspended in air and travel over longer distances. As a result, this route requires specific airborne precautions and respiratory protection.
Spread through contaminated food, water, medications, or care equipment. Therefore, proper handling, storage, and disinfection practices are the key defence.
Spread through insects or animals. While less common in typical healthcare settings, it is still relevant for community health workers and certain international contexts.
Who Should Take This IPAC Course?
This IPAC certification online is designed for anyone working or training in a Canadian healthcare environment. It doesn’t matter whether your role is clinical or non-clinical. In fact, any person in a healthcare setting can both pick up and pass on infectious agents. For this reason, IPAC fundamentals apply to everyone.
Frontline and Direct Care Workers
- Personal Support Workers (PSWs) and Health Care Aides in LTC homes, retirement residences, and home care
- Nurses and nursing students completing onboarding or refresher IPAC training
- Regulated healthcare professionals — physiotherapists, OTs, dental hygienists, paramedics, MLTs, and more
- Home care and community care workers providing support in private homes
Support Staff, Students, and Leaders
- Dental office staff (clinical and administrative) who need IPAC compliance training
- LTC facility staff across all departments — including housekeeping, food services, porters, and maintenance
- Clinic and hospital staff in both clinical and non-clinical roles — reception, environmental services, and volunteers
- Students entering healthcare placements for the first time
- Managers and supervisors who need a solid understanding of IPAC to support their teams
Why Choose CHCPTI Over Free IPAC Resources?
It’s worth being transparent. Public Health Ontario offers a free IPAC course online for healthcare workers. So why choose CHCPTI’s $20 option? The comparison below explains the key differences.
How CHCPTI Compares to the PHO Free Course
| Feature | CHCPTI IPAC Course | PHO Free Course |
|---|---|---|
| Downloadable certificate of completion | ✔ Yes — immediately | Varies / not always |
| No government account required | ✔ Instant access | Requires My PHO account |
| Mobile-friendly platform | ✔ Yes | LMS dependent |
| Direct support (phone, WhatsApp, email) | ✔ Business hours support | Self-serve only |
| HR-ready completion record | ✔ Printable certificate | Not always suitable |
| Canada-aligned IPAC guidelines | ✔ PHO / PIDAC aligned | ✔ PHO content |
| Cost | $20 CAD one-time | Free |
Why the Certificate Makes a Difference
For many healthcare workers, the certificate is the deciding factor. You may need it for a new employer, an HR compliance file, or a continuing education record. The CHCPTI certificate is immediately downloadable and printable. In contrast, many free resources don’t produce a certificate that works for these purposes. As a result, the $20 cost is often a worthwhile investment.
IPAC Certification Requirements in Canada
IPAC training requirements vary by province, role, and care setting. However, the direction across Canada is clear: infection prevention education is now a baseline expectation everywhere.
Ontario Long-Term Care
Under Ontario’s Fixing Long-Term Care Act, every LTC licensee must name an IPAC Lead. They must also ensure all staff get ongoing IPAC education. Notably, this applies to every department — not just clinical staff. As a result, CHCPTI’s course provides a timestamped record of IPAC education that is suitable for LTC compliance files.
Home Care and Community Settings
Similarly, home care, retirement homes, and community health programs are adopting the same expectations. Consequently, workers who enter these settings without documented IPAC training are at a growing disadvantage during hiring.
Hospital and Clinic Accreditation
Accreditation standards through Accreditation Canada increasingly include IPAC competency as a patient safety indicator. Therefore, both clinical and non-clinical staff may need to show basic IPAC knowledge during accreditation reviews.
Regulated Health Professions
For workers in regulated professions, completing an IPAC course online may count toward continuing education requirements. Always confirm your college’s specific rules. Still, a documented IPAC course like this one is generally a strong supporting credential.
For national guidance on IPAC standards, the Public Health Agency of Canada’s IPAC resources are an authoritative reference for employers and workers alike.
Course Format, Passing Score & Certificate
How is the course delivered?
The course is 100% online and self-paced. It includes 4 lessons (with video content) and 2 module quizzes. In total, you can finish it in about one hour. Moreover, you can pause and resume at any time. That makes it easy to fit around shift work and personal commitments.
What score do I need to pass?
Each module quiz has 7 questions. You must reach the passing score to move on to the next module. If you don’t pass on your first attempt, simply review the content and try again. There are no penalties and no limit on retakes.
Do I get a certificate?
Yes. After you finish both modules and their quizzes, you receive a downloadable and printable IPAC certificate from CHCPTI. As a result, you can use it right away for employer onboarding, HR compliance files, or professional development portfolios.
Ready to Get Your IPAC Certificate?
Join Canadian healthcare workers who have trusted CHCPTI for practical, accessible, and recognized infection control training. At just $20 for a one-time purchase, it’s the most affordable step you can take toward IPAC compliance today.
Start the IPAC Course →Frequently Asked Questions
About the Course
IPAC stands for Infection Prevention and Control. In other words, it refers to the practices that healthcare workers use to stop infectious agents from spreading in care environments.
Approximately one hour. However, the self-paced format means you can go as fast or as slow as you like. You can pause and resume at any time, on any device.
No prerequisites are needed. This course is beginner-level. It is designed for anyone entering a healthcare role or needing a basic refresher — regardless of prior training or experience.
Certification and Recognition
This course is issued by CHCPTI. It is aligned with Public Health Ontario and PIDAC guidelines. However, it is not a government-issued certification. For formally mandated roles, consult your employer or regulatory body. PHO also offers a free IPAC course as a complementary resource.
Yes. In fact, this course is built for all healthcare roles — including PSWs, health care aides, and LTC staff across all departments. The content is directly relevant to daily work in LTC homes, retirement residences, and home care settings.
Enrolment and Pricing
All course purchases are non-refundable. Therefore, we recommend reviewing the full course details on the IPAC course page before purchasing.
CHCPTI offers a growing library of online and in-person courses. For example, you can find Fire Safety, WHMIS training, ECG & Pharmacology, and BLS certification online. In addition, CHCPTI offers in-person First Aid & CPR, ACLS, PALS, and PEARS courses at their Mississauga location.
Google 