Lead Infection Prevention Coordinator

Woman's Hospital•Baton Rouge, LA

20h•Onsite

About The Position

The Lead Infection Prevention Coordinator directs and manages the comprehensive infection prevention and control program for Woman’s Hospital Main Campus and all hospital-owned entities, including outpatient clinics, The Wellness center, and Adult Behavioral Health. Functioning as the organization’s recognized infection prevention expert, this role operates with a high degree of independence and leads the enterprise-wide strategy to prevent healthcare-associated infections (HAIs), manage outbreaks and exposures, and ensure compliance with all applicable regulatory and accreditation standards. The Lead Coordinator chairs and facilitates infection prevention workgroups, presents findings and recommendations to organizational leadership, and serves as the primary consultant on infection prevention matters across the health system. This position requires a leader who is self-aware and composed under pressure, listens actively and with genuine curiosity, delivers difficult findings with honesty and without judgment, inspires trust through consistent and transparent communication, and fosters a culture where staff and colleagues feel heard and respected. This individual collaborates effectively across disciplines and applies national best practices to continuously elevate the quality and safety of the care environment.

Requirements

Graduate of an accredited school of nursing currently licensed to practice professional nursing in the State of Louisiana; BSN required, MSN preferred.
Will also consider graduate of an accredited Medical Technology program with a Bachelor of Science degree in Medical Technology and current licensure by the Louisiana State Board of Medical Examiners.
Certification in Infection Control (CIC) through the Certification Board of Infection Control and Epidemiology (CBIC) is required or must be obtained within 24 months of hire.
Membership in APIC (Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology) is required.
Minimum of 5 years of experience as a registered nurse or Medical Technologist in an acute care hospital setting.
Minimum of 3 years of progressive experience in infection prevention and control required, with demonstrated experience leading program-level initiatives.
Prior experience leading committees, workgroups, or multi-disciplinary teams is strongly preferred.

Responsibilities

Leads, coordinates, plans and manages the infection prevention and control program across Woman's Hospital Main Campus and all hospital-owned entities including clinics, wellness center, and Adult Behavioral Health.
Serves as the recognized subject matter expert and primary resource for infection prevention across the organization.
Independently runs the entire infection prevention program, setting strategic direction and operational priorities in alignment with national best practices (APIC, SHEA, CDC, CMS, and The Joint Commission).
Leads and facilitates infection prevention workgroups including the Surgical Site Infection (SSI) Workgroup, the HAI Hospital-Wide Workgroup, and other multidisciplinary teams.
Presents infection prevention data, trends, and program updates confidently and clearly to diverse audiences including senior leaders, medical staff, nursing leadership, quality committees, and administrative teams.
Evaluates epidemiological activities across the enterprise to identify infection rates that exceed established benchmarks.
Maintains records of infections and reportable diseases; performs statistical analyses and prepares timely, objective reports for the PI Council, Medical Staff, Nursing, and Administration.
Develops and implements an organization-wide infection prevention plan that addresses all campuses and entities.
Reports communicable diseases as required by CDC and LA OPH.
Establishes and maintains infection prevention practices consistent with CDC guidelines, APIC practice recommendations, SHEA guidelines, state and federal law, and Joint Commission/CMS requirements.
Collaborates with the antimicrobial stewardship team and microbiology laboratory to monitor antibiotic usage patterns; contributes expertise to product evaluation, facility design review, safety programs, and performance improvement initiatives.
Plans, develops, and implements comprehensive orientation and ongoing education programs for employee’s organization wide.
Provides expert consultation to the Employee Health program including follow-up of infectious disease exposures, development of work restriction standards, and guidance on barrier protection for both employees and patients.
Serves as an active member of the Environment of Control Committee, Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee, Clinical Practice Committee, and other ad hoc hospital committees.
Prepares and presents well-organized reports as needed.
Inputs and manages data in required databases for regulatory and benchmarking agencies (e.g., NHSN).
Analyzes benchmarking data and uses findings to drive evidence-based interventions to reduce healthcare-associated infections.