Ever since the COVID-19 pandemic swept around the world, hospitals, assisted living, and nursing homes have been hit hard by the need for Infection Preventionists (IPs). However, this is not a new job title but an evolution from an older, much-needed, and recognizable term for Environmental Monitoring and Mitigation (EMMP) specialists.
Read More About Preventative Care And Why It's Important
What Is An Infection Preventionist (IP)?
An IP is in charge of protecting patients, healthcare workers, and visitors of healthcare facilities against diseases, harmful microbes, viruses, and germs that can cause harm to humans. The background of an IP can have a vast range of experience coming from nursing, public health, medical logistics, epidemiologists, and more.
Where Did the Medical Term Originate?
The IP team is integral to the safety and control of healthcare facilities. In a hospital setting, the IPs oversee all departments like the intensive care units, emergency room, and cafeteria. Within the hospital setting, the IPs also have to monitor the cleanliness of medical devices, machines, people working within the hospital, and all visitors coming and going.
What Do Infection Preventionists Do?
IP jobs become most challenging in a long-term care facility or nursing home because the patients are more susceptible to infectious diseases and viruses. Patients in a nursing home have a more significant percentage of falling ill due to direct contact daily with healthcare workers, visitors, and deliveries from outside vendors. The job duties of an IP can vary greatly but mostly have a common core foundation of protocols. The IPs help contribute to new procedures, monitoring, and sterile techniques. The IPs help train staff on how to best dispose of needles, clean medical devices and equipment, handwashing, and anything that can involve infectious circumstances. The IPs handle every detail for human safety down to the air filtration systems, especially regarding clinical researchers working on infectious diseases in level four Biolabs with independent air filtration systems. IPs are a versatile job category and integral to any healthcare facility.
Infection Statistics
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that Infections occur in one out of 25 hospitalized patients, and 75,000 patients die from them yearly. The reduction and prevention of healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) are top priorities for hospitals and other healthcare facilities because these infections jeopardize patient safety. The CDC also has a free online class for certification and continuing education for people interested in learning more about what goes into the job of an IP here.
What it’s Like to Be An IP
Beth Wallace, from Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC), had this to say about being an IP.
“I love being an infection preventionist because I get to interact with and be involved in every department of the healthcare system. From intensive care units to outpatient clinics to construction project planning, nothing in healthcare doesn’t benefit from an infection preventionist’s involvement. Being part of the overall patient care team, albeit usually behind the scenes, and knowing my work keeps patients and healthcare personnel safe is extremely rewarding.”
What is the Salary of an Infection Preventionist?
According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, the national average of an IP in a nursing home setting is anywhere between $80,000 to $115,000. This range is around $41 to 58 dollars an hour. The range varies a lot depending on education and experience. The salary for a PRN IP shift also differs significantly from healthcare facilities and city locations.
Where to Find a Per Diem IP Shift
The easiest and best way to connect with nursing home facilities when looking for an IP shift is to use the Nursa™ application. NursaTM helps people who want a PRN IP shift in the United States. NursaTM is easy to use, user-friendly and offers IPs the freedom to schedule the next per diem shift on their schedule. All you have to do is download the application, fill out the profile, and upload the required documentation, and then you can start searching for IP shifts in various cities. NursaTM offers the opportunity for IPs to work where they want and when they want while also helping to get the best rates of pay.
