About this role
SUMMARY: The Infection Prevention Registered Nurse is responsible for leading clinical infection prevention and control efforts across the health system through surveillance, regulatory compliance, staff education, and implementation of evidence-based practices. This role applies clinical nursing expertise to identify infection risks, investigate outbreaks, ensure adherence to CDC/OSHA standards, and drive improvement in patient safety and infection prevention outcomes. ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS: • Lead hospital-wide infection prevention and control program activities in alignment with CDC, OSHA, and public health standards. • Conduct clinical surveillance and analysis of healthcare-associated infections (CAUTI, CLABSI, SSI, and other reportable infections). • Perform direct clinical rounding to assess adherence to infection prevention practices at the bedside. • Investigate suspected infection outbreaks, determine clinical sources, and initiate containment measures. • Serve as clinical subject matter expert on infection prevention practices for nursing and medical staff. • Ensure compliance with infection prevention regulations and immediately escalate compliance risks. • Educate clinical staff and patients on infection prevention strategies and evidence-based practices. • Monitor staff and patient illness trends and coordinate timely outbreak reporting to internal leadership and external public health agencies. • Lead hand hygiene compliance initiatives, including observation, feedback, and corrective action planning. • Participate in policy and protocol development related to infection prevention and patient safety. • Collaborate with physicians, nursing leadership, and quality teams to implement prevention strategies. • Ensure safe infection control practices related to isolation precautions, PPE usage, and biohazard handling. • Maintain accurate documentation and reporting of infection prevention activities and outcomes. • Perform other related tasks as needed.
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES: • Strong clinical nursing knowledge with expertise in infection prevention and patient safety. • Solid understanding of CDC, OSHA, and public health infection control regulations. • Ability to apply clinical judgment to infection surveillance and outbreak investigation. • Strong leadership and education skills for influencing clinical practice. • Excellent communication skills across interdisciplinary teams and leadership levels. • Proficiency in clinical documentation systems and data tracking tools. • Strong critical thinking and problem-solving skills in high-risk clinical environments.
EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE: • Associates Degree in Nursing • Registered Nurse in the State of Texas • Two (2) years of experience in clinical nursing or; • Master’s degree in health-related field, in lieu of experience • Basic Life Support certified • Certification in Infection Control (CIC) certified from the CBIC within two years of hir