What Is an Infection Control Nurse?

An infection control nurse is a nurse that specializes in preventing the

spread of infectious agents, such as viruses and bacteria. As an infection
control nurse, you will have a hand in preventing dangerous outbreaks and
epidemics.

In a medical setting, infectious agents are by no means uncommon. This is

why all medical professionals take precautions to prevent them from
spreading. Some of these precautions include frequent handwashing,
sanitizing sprays, and keeping severely ill patients away from other patients.
Even with these precautions in place, infectious agents can spread and make
others ill.

If an infectious agent spread through a hospital, it could make already weak

patients even sicker. It could also possibly spread to otherwise healthy
individuals in the surrounding community. It is an infection control nurse’s
job to try to make sure that this doesn’t happen.

Infection control nurses should demonstrate excellent attention to detail and

effective communication skills. They will often need to perform duties such
as teaching others how to prevent and contain outbreaks and epidemics and
work with government agencies to contain these incidents.

What Do Infection Control Nurses Do?

The primary duty of infection control nurses is to prevent the spread of
infectious agents. To do this, these nurses will often need to educate other
medical professionals and civilians on infection prevention techniques. This
may include informing others about how certain infectious agents spread,
along with how to protect themselves and others from contamination.
In the event of possible widespread contamination, an infection control
nurse will often need to take steps to contain the infection. To do this, they
may need to isolate infected individuals to avoid making contact with
healthy individuals. In some cases, infection control nurses may also be
responsible for informing government agencies, such as the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), of outbreaks and collaborate with
them to bring outbreaks under control.

To determine the origin of a particular pathogen, an infection control nurse

might also study its makeup and structure. This is particularly helpful in
cases that may involve infection from a medical setting or careless medical
professional.

Infection control nurses may also study changes in certain strains of

infectious organisms. By doing so, they can watch how these organisms
change and evolve as they move from one setting to another or one host to
another. This can also help scientists and doctors prevent strains of
medication-resistant contagions and develop treatments for other infectious
diseases.

Where Do Infection Control Nurses Work?

As an infection control nurse, you will often be able to find employment in
many medical facilities, including hospitals, clinics, and long-term care
agencies. Other possible employers include government agencies.

How to Become an Infection Control Nurse

The majority of infection control nurses start by becoming registered nurses
by earning their bachelor’s of nursing degrees and passing the National
Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN). After
you’ve obtained some experience in the nursing field, you can then try to
secure a position in infection control.
The Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology
(APIC) offers certification for infection control nurses. To sit for the
certification exam, you must be currently employed as an infection control
nurse with a couple of years of experience in this area.