Infection Preventionist - Ambulatory (Local)

Vanderbilt University Medical Center•Nashville, TN

15h•Onsite

About The Position

The Infection Preventionist is responsible for identifying, investigating, monitoring, and reporting healthcare-associated infections. The role collaborates with teams and individuals to develop, communicate, and sustain infection prevention strategies. It is a local position based in Middle Tennessee, supporting Vanderbilt University Medical Center’s main campus and surrounding clinics. The position works collaboratively with department leadership to plan, develop, implement, manage, and evaluate infection prevention surveillance and epidemiologic investigations, guided by the Infection Control Plan. It supports communicable disease reporting to public health authorities, infection prevention policies and procedures, quality and safety improvements, and education for staff, patients, and others. The role also monitors environmental conditions that affect safe care and evaluates cleaning, sterilization, and disinfection practices.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree.
Three years of relevant work experience.
Working knowledge of surveillance technology and use of data to identify healthcare-associated and other reportable infections and manage automated reporting.
Practical infection prevention skills, including the ability to train and educate others.
Ability to apply evidence-based infection prevention principles and incorporate research into infection prevention work.
Ability to communicate, educate, build relationships, and support behavior change.
Ability to identify, analyze, and improve processes and support quality standards.
Ability to guide and motivate others and define goals and measurable outcomes.

Responsibilities

Plan, develop, implement, manage, and evaluate infection prevention surveillance and epidemiologic investigations in collaboration with department leadership and in accordance with the Infection Control Plan.
Identify infectious diseases and support public health disease reporting, emergency preparedness, and emerging disease notifications.
Review communicable disease reports for completeness as required by Tennessee law, and coordinate with state and local health departments to obtain missing information.
Develop and promote evidence-based infection prevention policies and procedures to prevent transmission of infectious agents, including strategies for hand hygiene, environmental pathogens, potentially contaminated equipment and supplies, and transmission-based precautions.
Develop management and communication strategies for planning, feedback, quality and performance improvement, and safety activities; use performance improvement methods to enact change.
Design and deliver infection prevention education for staff, faculty, students, volunteers, patients, and families, tailored to their learning needs.
Collaborate on counseling, follow-up, and work-restriction recommendations related to communicable diseases and exposures involving patients, employees, and communities.
Monitor environmental conditions important to safe care, including heating, ventilation, humidity, water standards, and construction issues.
Identify and evaluate cleaning, sterilization, and disinfection practices and quality-control measures; apply expert recommendations and make compliance recommendations.