Infection Prevention Nurse

Centralus Health Mission

Our mission is to deliver high-quality care, empower our teams to succeed, and improve the wellbeing of the communities we serve.

Job Summary

The Infection Prevention Nurse serves as a program-level clinical and regulatory expert responsible for the execution, monitoring, and continuous improvement of the organization's Infection Prevention and Control Program. This role manages day-to-day infection prevention activities, conducts surveillance and data analysis, ensures compliance with regulatory and accreditation requirements, and collaborates with interdisciplinary stakeholders to reduce healthcare-associated infections and mitigate infectious disease risks. The Infection Prevention Nurse provides consultation, education, program oversight, and performance monitoring to support patient safety, quality outcomes, and organizational strategic priorities.

Infection Prevention Nurse Core Job Functions

• Coordinates and manages daily infection prevention program activities, including surveillance, investigation, reporting, and follow-up of healthcare-associated infections (HAIs), communicable diseases, and outbreak events. Ensures timely execution of prevention strategies across the organization. *
• Conducts ongoing infection surveillance utilizing electronic surveillance systems, laboratory reports, clinical documentation, and regulatory reporting tools. Analyzes trends, identifies areas of risk, and develops recommendations to reduce infection transmission and improve patient outcomes. *
• Tracks and evaluates infection prevention program performance against established goals, quality metrics, regulatory standards, and organizational objectives. Provides routine reports and presents findings to leadership, committees, and stakeholders to support informed decision-making and continuous improvement initiatives. *
• Maintains working knowledge of federal, state, local, and accreditation requirements related to infection prevention. Ensures program activities align with organizational policies, regulatory expectations, and evidence-based infection prevention practices. *
• Collaborates with clinical, operational, laboratory, and leadership teams to assess, investigate, manage, and evaluate infectious disease events, exposure incidents, and outbreak situations. Supports implementation of mitigation strategies and corrective action plans. *
• Serves as an infection prevention subject matter expert and resource for staff, providers, leadership, patients, and community partners. Develops and delivers mandatory education, department-specific training, and consultation regarding infection prevention practices and emerging infectious disease concerns.
• Participates in the development, review, implementation, and revision of infection prevention policies, procedures, and guidelines. Identifies opportunities to improve processes, strengthen compliance, and enhance patient and employee safety. *
• Provides infection prevention consultation for construction, renovation, environmental safety, and sterilization initiatives. Conducts risk assessments and monitors compliance with infection prevention standards throughout project lifecycles.
• Collaborates with Infection Prevention leadership, Quality teams, Medical Staff, Nursing, Employee Health, Environmental Services, and operational leaders to advance infection prevention goals and support organizational performance initiatives.
• Performs additional responsibilities consistent with the scope, intent, and level of the position.

Important Note: (*) indicates an essential function of the job as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Essential functions are the core duties that are fundamental to the position and must be performed, with or without reasonable accommodation.

Success Factors

Key behaviors, skills, and ways of working that are defined as critical for a candidate to excel and contribute positively to the team and organization. The ideal candidate should be able to:

• Think strategically and proactively identify infection prevention risks while balancing operational realities and organizational priorities.
• Effectively analyze clinical and performance data, translating findings into actionable recommendations that improve patient safety and quality outcomes.
• Build collaborative relationships across disciplines and establish clear communication channels with leaders, providers, and frontline staff.
• Maintain a strong regulatory and compliance mindset, ensuring policies, practices, and program activities align with evolving standards and requirements.
• Remain adaptable and effective during outbreaks, regulatory reviews, investigations, and rapidly changing public health situations.
• Seek opportunities to improve systems, workflows, and infection prevention practices that support better organizational performance.

Education / Experience Qualifications

Required:

• Current NYS Registered Professional Nurse (RN) license in good standing.
• Basic Life Support (BLS) certification (within 90 days of hire).
• Demonstrated proficiency in health assessment, vaccination administration, and exposure management.
• Minimum two (2) years of infection prevention, quality, patient safety, epidemiology, public health, or related healthcare experience.
• Certification in Infection Prevention and Control (CIC) within three years of hire.

Preferred:

• Bachelor's degree in Nursing, Public Health, Healthcare Administration, Microbiology, Epidemiology, or related healthcare field; or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Demonstrated experience with data collection, surveillance methodologies, performance measurement, and interpretation of clinical outcomes.
• Knowledge of CDC, NYSDOH, CMS, Joint Commission, and other applicable infection prevention regulations and standards.
• Strong written, verbal, presentation, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Proficiency with electronic health records, surveillance software, and Microsoft Office applications.
• Prior experience in Employee Health, Community Health, or Infection Prevention.

Physical Requirements

• Must be able to remain at a workstation and move around the workspace as needed to complete job tasks, with or without reasonable accommodation.
• Ability to move throughout clinical and non-clinical areas of the organization while conducting surveillance, investigations, audits, and educational activities.
• Must be able to remain at a workstation and utilize computer systems for extended periods, with or without reasonable accommodation.

NYS Scope of Practice Statement:

Per NYS Education Law §6902, a Registered Professional Nurse independently diagnoses and treats human responses to actual or potential health problems through case finding, health teaching, health counseling, and provision of care supportive to or restorative of life and well-being.

An RN may execute medical regimens prescribed by a licensed physician, dentist, nurse practitioner, or physician assistant, and has autonomy in assessment, planning, implementation, and evaluation of nursing care.