Infection Control Practitioner

Sinai Health; Toronto; On-site; CAD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Sinai Health in Toronto invites applications for an Infection Control Practitioner to advance patient safety and strengthen IPAC practices across our hospitals. The role offers training, mentorship, and opportunities to influence infection prevention programs in diverse clinical settings.

You will lead surveillance, risk assessments, outbreak investigations, and collaborate with local public health partners to implement evidence-based strategies that improve care quality and safety for patients

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in health science is required; Master’s preferred.
• Experience in infection prevention and control in acute care.
• Current registration with a relevant professional college is required.
• Knowledge of infection control literature and guidelines is essential.

Responsibilities

• Provide advanced IPAC advice and consultation to care programs and staff on complex IPAC issues.
• Ensure compliance with legislative and accreditation standards; review guidelines and update policies.
• Supervise development and evaluation of IPAC practices across programs and departments.
• Investigate IPAC-related patient complaints and implement corrective actions.
• Support vaccination programs and collaborate on occupational health related to infection control.
• Evaluate new products for infection risk and advise on implementation.

Skills

Infection control practices

Microbiology

Epidemiology

Statistics

Project management

Leadership

Communication

Coaching

Education

Bachelor’s degree in health science

Master’s in epidemiology/quality & patient safety

Job description

Make a measurable impact on patient safety while enhancing health care standards as an Infection Control Practitioner at Sinai Health. Your expertise will optimize critical infection control policies and the implementation of best practices across diverse clinical environments. Gain confidence and mastery through our comprehensive training and onboarding experience designed to equip you fully for the responsibilities ahead. Your professional journey will be enriched by continuing education initiatives that sharpen your IPAC skills and enhance your ability to contribute to safer health care environments.

Is this you?

If you are skilled at articulating complex concepts clearly, this role will leverage your ability to communicate intricate infection control details to diverse audiences. Your expertise in adjusting the complexity of information to suit different listeners— including health care professionals, patients, families, and visitors—ensures that vital infection prevention strategies are effectively understood and implemented.

You are a critical thinker passionate about applying IPAC principles to real-world challenges. Your ability to assess complex health care environments and translate knowledge into specific actions will be crucial as you navigate issues like emerging pathogens and tailor guidance to enhance infection control. Benefit from the unparalleled subject matter expertise and educational support provided by world-class Infectious Disease physicians affiliated with top academic institutions, including the University of Toronto. Your curiosity will drive you to continually explore the latest innovations and best practices, ensuring our strategies remain at the forefront of safety.

Are you adept at navigating the complexities of urgent health care challenges with a keen eye for prioritization? In this role, your strategic management of both emergent and routine infection control tasks will directly influence our operational effectiveness and patient safety. You'll harness your capacity to analyze and prioritize rapidly, ensuring that our most critical initiatives, from outbreak management to routine preventive practices, are executed with precision and timeliness.

About this team:

At Sinai Health, the Infection Prevention and Control team is integral to ensuring the safety of patients and staff across our hospitals. Our diverse, interdisciplinary team includes experts from fields such as infectious disease, nursing, public health, and laboratory sciences, all working together to implement practices that prevent infection transmission. We conduct surveillance, manage outbreaks, and provide expert consultation, while also contributing to education and quality improvement initiatives. Guided by Sinai Health’s values of service, humanity, inclusivity, and discovery, we work together to drive continuous improvements in infection prevention across all levels of care, ensuring our hospitals remain safe and responsive.

In this role you will:

• Provide advanced infection prevention and control expertise, advice, and consultation to patient care programs, hospital support departments, and individual staff, patients, and families on complex IPAC issues
• Ensure compliance with legislative and accreditation standards; review literature and guidelines to assess impact and develop action plans; evaluate, revise, and update hospital policies as needed
• Work with patient care and hospital support programs to supervise the development and evaluation of infection prevention and control practice
• Investigate patient complaints related to IPAC and work with departments to implement action plans in response
• Support Occupational Health Wellness and Safety in communicable disease management and provide expert advice regarding vaccination programs
• Evaluate new products and equipment for their infection risks and work with users to develop solutions for implementation
• Develop and supervise the implementation of appropriate preventative measures to protect patients and staff during construction and renovation activities
• Review, select and distribute appropriate new scientific literature to stakeholders
• Conduct risk assessments of existing and emerging infection prevention and control threats using specialized knowledge to guide risk analysis and develop solutions
• Stay current with evolving infectious disease threats and management recommendations, while participating in research to enhance the hospital’s ability to protect patients and staff from infections
• Supervise the development, implementation, and evaluation of surveillance and quality improvement programs, conduct patient surveillance activities, and lead quality improvement teams to ensure best practices and proactive strategies in preventing hospital-acquired infection
• Perform epidemiological analysis of outbreak and surveillance data
• Secure cooperation of multiple departments for the development of solutions to infection control problems and for adoption of improved preventive practice
• Develop and implement strategies to prevent and manage outbreaks, lead investigations into exposure incidents, provide risk assessments, chair outbreak management meetings, and coordinate debriefing sessions to reduce outbreak risks in patient care areas
• Liaise with external partners such as Toronto Public Health, Public Health Ontario, and other health care organizations to manage communicable diseases, improve infection prevention practices, and collaborate on regulatory and equipment improvements
• Participate in relevant professional associations
• Develop, implement, and evaluate infection prevention and control education programs for hospital staff, volunteers, and contractors, including orientation, and for patients and families, assessing educational needs and modifying programs as necessary
• Perform other duties consistent with the job classification as required

Job Requirements:

Mandatory

• Bachelor’s degree in relevant health science discipline required from a recognized educational institution; Master’s in epidemiology, quality and patient safety or related area preferred
• 5 years of experience in infection prevention and control in an acute care setting
• Applicants with proven equivalent and related training and experience may also be considered
• Current registration with relevant professional college required
• Experience with medical microbiology and patient safety

Preferred

• Current registration with the Certification Board of Infection Control and Epidemiology (CIC). To be completed within two years of employment
• Active membership in local and national infection prevention and control associations

Skills and Knowledge

• Knowledgeable in infection control practices, microbiology, infectious diseases, epidemiology and statistical analysis
• Motivated self-starter with initiative and strong project management, organizational, problem-solving and coaching skills
• Proven leadership, team building and collaborative communication skills
• Demonstrated ability in settings of outbreaks or new risks to identify and access most appropriate expert resources and mobilize interdisciplinary response
• Demonstrated ability to work with individuals and teams to integrate knowledge into clinical practice
• Possesses knowledge of and is able to utilize educational principles in program development and teaching
• Experienced in evaluative research and/or adult education
• Demonstrated satisfactory work performance and attendance history

Note: Occasional evening and weekend work, along with on-call responsibilities are required for this position