Infection Prevention Specialist

OU Health; Edmond (OK); On-site; USD 52,000 - 75,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

PTO

401(k)

Medical plan

Dental plan

Job summary

OU Health is seeking an Infection Prevention Specialist to support surveillance, data collection, and frontline infection prevention practices across the organization.

The role covers education, risk assessments, policy review, and readiness for accreditation and regulatory surveys, with emphasis on collaboration with clinical teams and staff education.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in clinical healthcare or health sciences required.
• No experience required; entry-level.
• Current Basic Life Support (BLS) certification required upon hire.

Responsibilities

• Conduct weekly unit rounding in inpatient and ancillary areas to assess infection prevention practices.
• Perform ongoing infection control surveillance to identify outbreaks.
• Collect and analyze infection prevention data and prepare routine surveillance reports.
• Review microbiology/virology reports to identify potential HAIs.
• Report communicable diseases to public health authorities as required.
• Provide basic infection prevention guidance to staff, patients, and families.

Skills

Infection prevention

Data collection

Teamwork

Communication

IT literacy

Education

Bachelor’s degree in clinical healthcare or health sciences

Tools

EMR navigation

Microsoft Office

Job description

Position Title: Infection Prevention Specialist

Department: Infection Prevention

Job Description

General Description

The Infection Preventionist I develops foundational skills in surveillance, data collection, and infection prevention practices. This role supports routine monitoring for healthcareassociated infections, assists with outbreak investigations, and contributes to regulatory readiness. The position provides frontline guidance on isolation and personal protective equipment, conducts environmental rounding, and participates in education, risk assessments, and policy review to help maintain a safe and compliant care environment.

Essential Responsibilities

Responsibilities listed in this section are core to the position and encompass all organization facilities, to include outlying Ambulatory Clinics. Inability to perform these responsibilities with or without an accommodation may result in disqualification from the position.

• Conducts weekly unit rounding in inpatient and ancillary areas to assess infection prevention practices.
• Performs ongoing infection control surveillance to identify early or suspected outbreaks.
• Collects and analyzes infection prevention data and prepares routine surveillance reports.
• Reviews microbiology and virology reports to identify potential healthcareassociated infections.
• Reviews patient charts and applies NHSN definitions to accurately report HAIs in electronic systems.
• Reports communicable diseases to public health authorities in accordance with regulatory requirements.
• Conducts weekly environmental rounding to identify risks and ensure compliance with standards.
• Assists with construction plan reviews and completes Infection Control Risk Assessments (ICRAs).
• Provides basic infection prevention guidance to staff, patients, and families on safe practices.
• Advises clinical teams on isolation requirements and appropriate use of personal protective equipment.
• Delivers mandatory education, new employee orientation, and inservice training on infection prevention topics.
• Assists with reviewing and updating infection prevention policies, procedures, and risk assessments.
• Maintains compliance with local, state, and federal reporting requirements for infection prevention activities.
• Supports readiness efforts for accreditation and regulatory surveys, including Joint Commission and Department of Health.
• Participates as a member of the Infection Prevention and Control Committee.

General Responsibilities

• Performs other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

Education: Bachelor's degree in clinical healthcare or health sciences related field required.

Experience: No experience required.

License(s)/Certification(s)/Registration(s) Required: Current Basic Life Support (BLS) issued by the American Heart Association (AHA) required upon hire.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Basic knowledge of infection prevention principles, epidemiology, microbiology, and modes of transmission.
• Introductory understanding of CDC, CMS, OSHA, and Joint Commission requirements.
• Basic knowledge of standard and transmissionbased precautions and PPE use.
• Basic understanding of sterilization, disinfection, and environmental hygiene practices.
• Basic knowledge of common computer systems and EMR navigation.
• Basic proficiency with Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint), email, and digital forms.
• Skill in collecting, analyzing, and accurately documenting infection prevention data.
• Skill in delivering basic infection prevention education to staff and learners.
• Foundational communication skills for interacting with staff, patients, and families.
• Ability to learn and integrate new software, digital workflows, and infection prevention technologies.
• Ability to follow established procedures and apply infection prevention standards consistently.
• Ability to work collaboratively with clinical and nonclinical staff.
• Ability to maintain accuracy, attention to detail, and thorough documentation.

OU Health is an equal opportunity employer. We offer a comprehensive benefits package, including PTO, 401(k), medical and dental plans, and many more. We know that a total benefits and compensation package, designed to meet your specific needs both inside and outside of the work environment, create peace of mind for you and your family.