WHY UT SOUTHWESTERN?
With over 75 years of excellence in Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas, UT Southwestern is committed to excellence, innovation, teamwork, and compassion. As a world-renowned medical and research center, we strive to provide the best possible care, resources, and benefits for our valued employees. Ranked as the number 1 hospital in Dallas-Fort Worth according to U.S. News & World Report, we invest in you with opportunities for career growth and development to align with your future goals. Our highly competitive benefits package offers healthcare, PTO and paid holidays, on-site childcare, wage, merit increases and so much more. We invite you to be a part of the UT Southwestern team where you’ll discover a culture of teamwork, professionalism, and a rewarding career!

BENEFITS
UT Southwestern is proud to offer a competitive and comprehensive benefits package to eligible employees. Our benefits are designed to support your overall wellbeing, and include:

• PPO medical plan, available day one at no cost for full-time employee-only coverage
• 100% coverage for preventive healthcare-no copay
• Paid Time Off, available day one
• Retirement Programs through the Teacher Retirement System of Texas (TRS)
• Paid Parental Leave Benefit
• Wellness programs
• Tuition Reimbursement
• Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Qualified Employer
• Learn more about these and other UTSW employee benefits!

SUMMARY

Infection Preventionist Coordinator will be responsible for assisting with the day to day activities of the Infection Prevention Department; utilizing epidemiologic tools to identify patients and personnel at risk of infection. Provides surveillance, analysis, and interpretation and reporting of Hospital Acquired Infections (HAI); educates employees about infection prevention and works toward the development of health system policies and procedures to meet standards of JC, CMS/NHSN, CDC and other nationally organized agencies recommendations and requirements.  Develops and monitors activities related to performance improvement.  Assists in designing collection, analysis and presentation of data. 

The following job description is designed to indicate the general nature and level of work performed by employees within this classification. It is not designed to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties and responsibilities required of employees assigned to this job.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

Infection Preventionist Coordinator– Job Responsibilities

1. Conducts Routine Surveillance and Monitoring

• Performs daily rounds in assigned units to assess for infection risks and trends.
• Reviews lab reports for abnormal results, identifies clustering or emerging organisms, and initiates appropriate interventions to contain potential outbreaks.

2. Infection Control Procedures and Compliance

• Develops, reviews, and updates, isolation protocols and infection prevention procedures in accordance with current evidence-based practices and regulatory guidelines.
• Ensures compliance with local, state, and federal infection control regulations and standards.

3. Data Collection, Analysis, and Reporting

• Collects, analyzes, and reports infection data using epidemiological tools and statistical methods.
• Conducts risk assessments and ensures timely submission of required reports to the CDC/NHSN, CMS, state health departments, QNet, and other regulatory agencies.

4. Regulatory Certification and Reporting

• Maintains CDC Digital Certificate and supports the Director of Infection Prevention in fulfilling mandatory infection reporting and validation processes.

5. Committee and Team Involvement

• Prepares agendas, data summaries, and presentation materials for the Infection Control Committee, Performance Improvement teams, and other stakeholders.
• Actively participates in multidisciplinary teams, including the Environment of Care (EOC) Committee, and oversees EOC audits and reports.

6. Outbreak and Incident Response

• Responds promptly to emergent situations, such as outbreaks or exposure events, taking necessary actions to contain and control infection spread.
• Serves on the Special Pathogens Team and participates in emergency preparedness efforts.

7. Patient and Staff Monitoring

• Monitors infection control practices related to both community-acquired and healthcare-associated infections (HAIs).
• Reports communicable diseases and notifiable conditions to local and state health authorities as required.

8. Education and Training

• Designs and delivers infection prevention education for staff, patients, and families.
• Maintains formal and informal training programs to promote awareness and compliance with infection control standards across the organization.

9. Policy Development and Quality Improvement

• Participates in the creation and revision of policies, Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), and infection control guidelines.
• Supports continuous quality improvement initiatives, including surveillance for nosocomial infections and employee health and safety programs.

10. Event and Incident Management

·        Oversees the infection prevention aspects of the Event Reporting process, ensuring thorough documentation and timely follow-up.

11. Leadership and Communication

·        Acts as a subject matter expert and resource for infection prevention-related inquiries, offering guidance to departments and leadership.

·        Builds strong collaborative relationships with clinical staff, providers, and administrative teams to implement effective infection control strategies.

12. Program Development and Strategic Planning

·        Develops and implements infection prevention initiatives focusing on hand hygiene, environmental cleaning, sterilization, disinfection, personal protective equipment, and communicable disease management.

13. Professional Development and Research

·        Engages in continuing education, attends relevant conferences and networking opportunities, and stays current on research and trends in infection prevention.

·        Creates educational materials such as tip sheets to support staff learning and awareness.

14. Personal and Professional Attributes

·        Demonstrates sound judgment and decision-making skills under pressure.

·        Displays initiative, energy, and a proactive attitude toward new challenges.

·        Effectively plans and prioritizes workload in alignment with organizational goals.

15. Other Duties

·        Performs additional duties as assigned to support the goals of the infection prevention and hospital quality improvement programs.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Education:

·        Bachelor’s degree in Nursing from an accredited University.  Must be a Registered Nurse (RN) in the State of Texas or eligible for reciprocity. OR

·        Bachelor’s degree in Medical Technology, Microbiology, Epidemiology. OR

·        Master of Public Health Degree and two years of experience in epidemiology, research or infectious disease.

            Experience:

·        Minimum 4 years of relevant experience in acute care hospital or similar required.  Three or more years of Infection Prevention experience required.

            Certification/Registration/Licensure:

·        Certification in Infection Control from the Certification Board of Infection Control (CBIC). If not certified upon hire, it must be obtained within one year of assuming the position.    

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, & ABILITIES

Ø  Must be knowledgeable in Epidemiology of Infectious Diseases and data analysis.

Ø  Must be knowledgeable about Joint Commission standards, NHSN/CDC definitions and other Infection Prevention requirements.

Ø  Must be able to demonstrate effective facilitator, presenter, and speaker skills.

Ø  Advanced skills with Microsoft applications which may include Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint or Access and other web-based applications. Ability to act as a team leader for small projects or work groups, creating a collaborative and respectful team environment and improving workflows. Must participate in the on call schedule.

Ø  For RN’s only: Provides care to assigned patient population in accordance with the current State of Texas Nurse Practice Act, established protocols, multidisciplinary plan of care, emergency care and clinical area specific standards

THE EIGHT IP CORE COMPETENCY ACTIVITIES INCLUDE:

1.      Identification of infectious disease processes

2.      Surveillance and epidemiologic investigation

3.      Preventing/controlling the transmission of infectious agents/HAIs

4.      Employee/occupational health

5.      Management and communication

6.      Education and research

7.      Environment of care

8.      Cleaning, sterilization, disinfection, and asepsis

INFECTION PREVENTION II COORDINATOR:  Middle (Proficient)  

·        Meets all the requirements for the novice IP

·        Has a baccalaureate degree

·        Has achieved CIC®

·        Has a diverse skill set

·        Is a critical thinker

·        Is considering work toward an advanced degree

·        Mentors new IPs and those preparing for the certification exam

·        Functions successfully in team-based activities

·        Demonstrates competence as an IP and patient safety advocate

·        Is active in a local chapter of a professional association or society

·        Holds leadership positions at chapter level

·        Able to proficiently conduct 5 – 8 of the core competency activities.

The following is the acronym, “PACT”, and is fundamental to all non-clinical positions at UT Southwestern Medical Center:

Ø  P-Problem Solving: Employees take ownership in solving problems effectively, efficiently, and to the satisfaction of customers, or managers. They show initiative in addressing areas of concern before they become problems.

Ø  A-Ability, Attitude and Accountability: Employees exhibit ability to perform their job and conduct themselves in a professional and positive manner reflecting a professional environment readily assuming obligations in a dependable and reliable manner. 

Ø  C-Communication, Contribution, and Collaboration: Who are our Customers?  Anyone who requests our help, needs our work product, or receives our services.  Employees focus on customer service with creative solutions while improving the customer experience through clear, courteous, and timely delivery and communication.  Sharing ideas with others helps expand our contribution to department goals.

Ø  T-Teamwork: Employees work to contribute to the department’s success by supporting co-workers, promoting excellence in work product and customer service, and in maintaining a satisfying, caring environment for each other.

WORKING CONDITIONS

·        Work is performed primarily in an office setting.

·        Any qualifications to be considered as equivalents in lieu of stated minimums require prior approval of the Vice President for Human Resources Administration, or his/her designee.

·        This position is security-sensitive and thereby subject to the provisions of Texas Education Code §51.215.

 
SECURITY AND EEO STATEMENT
Security
This position is security-sensitive and subject to Texas Education Code 51.215, which authorizes UT Southwestern to obtain criminal history record information. To the extent this position requires the holder to research, work on, or have access to critical infrastructure as defined in Section 113.001(2) of the Texas Business and Commerce Code, the ability to maintain the security or integrity of the critical infrastructure is a minimum qualification to be hired and to continue to be employed in the position.

EEO Statement
UT Southwestern Medical Center is committed to an educational and working environment that provides equal opportunity to all members of the University community. As an equal opportunity employer, UT Southwestern prohibits unlawful discrimination, including discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, disability, genetic information, citizenship status, or veteran status.