Infection Prevention Specialist

Position Summary:

Supports the Infection Prevention and Control Program through surveillance, data analysis, education, consultation, regulatory reporting, and quality improvement activities. Assists in identifying and preventing healthcare-associated infections, supporting regulatory compliance, investigating infection prevention concerns, and promoting evidence-based practices that improve patient and employee safety.

Key Responsibilities

• Conduct infection prevention surveillance, including healthcare-associated infections, communicable diseases, and other designated indicators using NHSN and organizational criteria.

• Review laboratory reports, patient records, and other clinical data to identify infection risks, trends, outbreaks, and opportunities for improvement.

• Complete required NHSN data collection, validation, and reporting within established deadlines.

• Investigate healthcare-associated infections, infection clusters, exposure events, and outbreaks, and assist with corrective action planning.

• Serve as an infection prevention resource for physicians, advanced practice providers, nurses, support services, and other healthcare personnel.

• Provide consultation regarding isolation precautions, communicable diseases, exposure management, hand hygiene, PPE use, and infection prevention practices.

• Assist with required reporting of communicable diseases to public health agencies and participate in public health investigations as needed.

• Perform infection prevention rounds and assess compliance with infection prevention standards and regulatory requirements.

• Assist with development, implementation, review, and monitoring of infection prevention policies, procedures, and guidelines.

• Support healthcare-associated infection reduction initiatives, including CLABSI, CAUTI, SSI, C. difficile, MRSA, MDROs, and other emerging infection prevention priorities.

• Collect, analyze, interpret, and present infection prevention data to support performance improvement activities and organizational decision-making.

• Develop and provide education, training, and competency support for healthcare personnel.

• Participate in interdisciplinary committees, regulatory readiness activities, risk assessments, and quality improvement initiatives.

• Maintain current knowledge of infection prevention, epidemiology, public health, NHSN, CDC, APIC, SHEA, CMS, and Joint Commission requirements.

Professional Expectations

• Demonstrates dependability, professionalism, attendance, and accountability.

• Maintains compliance with organizational policies, regulatory requirements, and safety standards.

• Promotes teamwork, collaboration, patient privacy, employee safety, and a culture of infection prevention excellence.

• Participates in ongoing professional development and maintains APIC membership and certification eligibility as applicable."

Performance and competency expectations should be aligned with the organization's Infection Prevention and Control Program and applicable APIC competency expectations. APIC emphasizes that IP competency should be demonstrated through observable and measurable knowledge, skills, abilities, and behaviors rather than certification alone. The Infection Prevention Specialist is responsible for maintaining awareness of changes to applicable guidance and incorporating current evidence and organizational requirements into practice.

Position Qualification:

Education

Degree / Diploma Type Program

Bachelors Healthcare; Nursing, Public Health, Microbiology Required/Preferred (and/or)

Construction: Management, Civil/Mechanical Engineering Required/Preferred (and/or)

Experience

This position is not entry level. Applicants must have prior Infection Prevention experience.

Years of Experience Type of Experience

1-2 years Related experience in a hospital acute care setting

2 years Clinical Experience

Hospital Epidemiology Experience preferred

Years of Experience can be related experience and/or training; or equivalent combination of education and experience.

Licensure, Certification, Registration

Registered Nurse licensure, Medical Technologist or equivalent licensure when relevant.

Infection Control Certification (CIC) preferred. - or Must obtain within 3 years.