Registered Nurse- Infection Preventionist

Veterans Health Administration; Minneapolis (MN); Hybrid; USD 90,000 - 155,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid time off

Federal pension program

Federal health benefits

Job summary

Registered Nurse- Infection Preventionist within the Minneapolis VA Health Care System leads infection-prevention activities and surveillance to safeguard Veterans, staff, and visitors. The IP RN identifies opportunities to improve patient safety and care outcomes through evidence-based practices and regulatory standards.

The role requires applying CDC, NHSN, Joint Commission, APIC, AORN, AAMI, and OIG guidelines to evaluate and improve infection-prevention practices across clinical and

Qualifications

• Infection prevention and control expertise to improve patient safety and care outcomes.
• Public Health or infection prevention experience preferred.
• Certification in Infection Control (CIC) or Public Health certification is desirable.

Responsibilities

• Lead HAI and infection-risk surveillance using NHSN, VACO benchmarks.
• Identify reportable organisms via daily microbiology reviews.
• Conduct outbreak investigations and ensure proper isolation and precautions.

Skills

Infection prevention

HAI surveillance

Risk assessment

Education and consultation

Education

BSN preferred

MSN preferred

Tools

NHSN

MDRO Program Office

Epidemiology data review

Job description

Registered Nurse- Infection Preventionist

• Department: Department of Veterans Affairs

The Infection Preventionist (IP) Registered Nurse (RN) is a professional nurse who brings specialized expertise in infection prevention and control, with an emphasis on identifying and advancing opportunities to improve patient safety and care outcomes, and to safeguard the health of Veterans, staff, and visitors across the Minneapolis VA Health Care System.

Key Responsibilities

Major duties include but are not limited to: Lead HAI and infection-risk surveillance using standardized methodologies and benchmarks such as NHSN, VACO, and the MDRO Program Office. Identify and respond to reportable or actionable organisms by reviewing microbiology and laboratory reports daily, including MDROs, C. difficile, and tuberculosis.

Conduct outbreak and infection-cluster investigations, including case definitions, line listings, epidemic curves, and coordinated response activities. Ensure timely isolation and appropriate precautions for patients, including correct isolation categories, PPE, disinfection supplies, and transmission-based precautions. Conduct daily clinical rounding with nursing and care teams to identify, prevent, and resolve infection risks at the point of care.

Monitor, validate, and submit infection-prevention data to IPEC and other required systems while resolving discrepancies and maintaining data integrity. Evaluate infection-prevention program effectiveness across all clinical and nonclinical practice settings and identify opportunities for improvement. Perform environmental rounds and compliance audits to assess adherence to infection-control practices and regulatory requirements.

Provide expert consultation and education on infection precautions, prevention procedures, and communicable-disease transmission, serving as a subject-matter resource to staff and departments and supporting safe, compliant patient care.

Apply evidence-based practices, published guidelines, and regulatory requirements-including CDC, NHSN, Joint Commission, APIC, AORN, AAMI, and OIG standards-to evaluate and improve MVAHCS infection-prevention practices, products, and procedures.

Benefits and Compensation

• VA Nurse Total Rewards Pay: Competitive salary, regular salary increases, potential for performance awards
• Paid Time Off: 50 days of paid time off per year (26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays per year)
• Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA
• Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement)
• Licensure: 1 full and unrestricted license from any US State or territory
• Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 0730-1600
• Compressed/Flexible: Not Available
• Telework: ADHOC-May be authorized (Employee who Telework on an occasional, episodic, or short-term, and have completed required telework training and telework agreement).

This is not a virtual position. Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized

• Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
• Preferred experience: BSN or MSN preferred
• Experience in Public Health and/or infection prevention and control
• Certification in Infection Control (CIC) and or Public Health certification
• Coursework or academic background in epidemiology, biostatistics, or population health
• Experience with Healthcare Safety Network or other national surveillance reporting systems

The VA Midwest Health Care Network advocates for a Whole Health System of care in each of the Medical Centers.

This aligns with the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Mission Statement to Honor America's Veterans by providing exceptional health care that improves their health and well-being.

Which agency is hiring for this position?

This position is with Veterans Health Administration, Department of Veterans Affairs.

What is the salary for this position?

The posted pay range is $90469 – $154749/yr.

Is this position remote or telework eligible?

This position is eligible for telework.

What is the application deadline?

Applications close on 2026-10-19.

Who is eligible to apply?

This position is open under the 'Fed Internal Search' hiring path.