Infection Prevention Nurse

CenterPointe Hospital Columbia • Columbia, MO

6d • Onsite

About The Position

CenterPointe Hospital Columbia is seeking a nurse to coordinate and lead the infection prevention and control program at its 80-bed inpatient psychiatric facility in Columbia, Missouri, serving adolescent, adult, and geriatric patients. The role carries clinical authority and responsibility for determining, preventing, and containing infectious outbreaks. The nurse is expected to promote patient safety and perform duties with a positive, empathetic, and professional attitude.

The position develops and implements infection surveillance, prevention, and control policies; monitors compliance; maintains and interprets infection data; and reports findings to facility committees and leadership. It also involves investigating exposure incidents, supporting antibiotic stewardship, notifying appropriate authorities about reportable diseases, and educating facility and medical staff on infection prevention practices.

The employer lists competitive pay, an employee appreciation program, work-life balance support, employee discounts through PerkSpot, paid psychiatric training, and career advancement and cross-training opportunities.

Requirements

• Graduation from an accredited school of nursing, medical technology, microbiology, or epidemiology.
• Working knowledge of disease-causing agents, reservoirs, disease spectrum, carriers, modes of transmission, host susceptibility factors, colonization and infection, and approaches to infection control.
• Knowledge of basic epidemiology principles and the infectious disease process.
• Current professional license as required by the state for nurses in the role.
• CPR and de-escalation/restraint certification; training is available upon hire and offered by the facility.

Nice To Haves

• Bachelor's degree preferred.
• One or more years of infection control experience preferred.
• Certification by the Board of Infection Control and Epidemiology preferred.
• First aid may be required based on state or facility.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement facility-wide infection surveillance, prevention, and control policies and procedures in accordance with nationally recognized guidelines.
• Prevent and control health care-associated infections, including auditing facility and medical staff adherence to infection prevention policies and procedures.
• Communicate and collaborate with the antibiotic stewardship program.
• Develop an infection control plan with prioritized goals at least annually and when changes occur, based on program evaluation and current risk assessment.
• Gather and interpret data and maintain accurate infection records.
• Compile and present infection reports to the Safety/Infection Control Committee and Performance Improvement Council at assigned intervals.
• Inspect the environment and observe personnel activities to detect infection hazards.
• Monitor and evaluate compliance with facility policies and industry standards.
• Keep department supervisors informed of area-specific infection prevention policies and procedures.
• Investigate exposure incidents and oversee post-exposure evaluation and follow-up, recommending appropriate actions.
• Notify designated medical and administrative staff and appropriate health department authorities about reportable communicable diseases.
• Develop and provide in-service and orientation programs on infection prevention and control, standard precautions, isolation techniques, and current infectious diseases.
• As applicable, gather, analyze, and present infection prevention data, facts, and trends to facility or corporate leadership.
• Train facility and medical staff on infection prevention and control protocols.
• Assess and reinforce infection prevention practices.
• Communicate therapeutically and professionally with patients, visitors, coworkers, and others.
• Perform other functions and tasks as assigned.

Benefits

• Competitive pay
• Employee appreciation program, including meals, kudos cards redeemable for gifts, Nurses Week recognition, holiday parties, and other staff appreciation
• Work-life balance support
• PerkSpot employee discount program for over 30,000 merchants
• 100% paid psychiatric training
• Career advancement and cross-training opportunities

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Education Level: No Education Listed