Infection Prevention Specialist

OU Medicine, Inc.; United States; On-site; USD 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

OU Health is seeking an Infection Prevention Specialist to develop foundational skills in surveillance and data collection. You will support routine monitoring for healthcare-associated infections, assist with outbreak investigations, and provide frontline guidance on isolation and PPE.

The role involves environmental rounding, education, risk assessments, and policy review to ensure a safe and compliant care environment. BLS certification is required; no prior experience is necessary.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in clinical healthcare or health sciences related field required.
• No experience required.
• Current Basic Life Support (BLS) issued by the American Heart Association (AHA) required upon hire.

Responsibilities

• Performs weekly unit rounding to assess infection prevention practices.
• Conducts ongoing infection control surveillance to identify outbreaks.
• Collects and analyzes infection prevention data and prepares routine surveillance reports.
• Reviews microbiology and virology reports to identify potential infections.
• Reviews patient charts using NHSN definitions to report HAIs.
• Reports communicable diseases to public health authorities as required.

Skills

Infection prevention

Epidemiology

Microbiology

PPE usage

CDC CMS OSHA knowledge

EMR navigation

Microsoft Office

Data collection

Data analysis

Staff education

Communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in clinical healthcare or health sciences related field

Tools

EMR software

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 healthcare‑associated 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

• 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 healthcare‑associated 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 in‑service 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 transmission‑based 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 non‑clinical staff.
• Ability to maintain accuracy, attention to detail, and thorough documentation.

Company Overview

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. OU Health is the state’s only comprehensive academic health system of hospitals, clinics and centers of excellence. With 11,000 employees and more than 1,300 physicians and advanced practice providers, OU Health is home to Oklahoma’s largest doctor network with a complete range of specialty care. OU Health serves Oklahoma and the region with the state’s only freestanding children’s hospital, the only National Cancer Institute‑Designated OU Health Stephenson Cancer Center, Oklahoma’s flagship hospital, which serves as the state’s only Level 1 trauma center and Edmond Medical Center in the heart of the Edmond Community. Becker’s Hospital Review named University of Oklahoma Medical Center one of the 100 Great Hospitals in America for 2020. OU Health’s oncology program at OU Health Stephenson Cancer Center was named Oklahoma’s top facility for cancer care by U.S. News & World Report in its 2020‑21 rankings. OU Health also was ranked by U.S. News & World Report as high performing in these specialties: Colon Surgery, COPD and Congestive Heart Failure. OU Health’s mission is to lead healthcare in patient care, education and research. Experts in prevention, treatment and cures, our team works to improve lives through innovation in medical care, education and research, while investing in the people, technologies and facilities that will enable us to achieve our goals. We are seeking individuals who have a passion and talent for caring for others. By joining our team, you will provide quality health care to our community through the work you do every day. We provide clinical and non‑clinical opportunities to further your career and we invite you to explore our available positions.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Equal employment opportunities are provided to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, national origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or protected veteran status in accordance with applicable federal laws. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including, but not limited to, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.

Reasonable Accommodations

Reasonable accommodations are made to the known physical and mental limitations of qualified individuals with disabilities.