Manager Infection Prevention and Caregiver Health

The Manager of Infection Prevention and Caregiver Health provides system-wide leadership for infection prevention and caregiver health programs across the continuum of care at St. Charles Health System. This leader is responsible for the strategic oversight, coordination, and continuous improvement of programs that prevent and control infections, promote caregiver health and safety, and reduce the risk of disease transmission for patients, caregivers, providers, volunteers, and visitors. Responsibilities include overseeing surveillance, outbreak preparedness and response, exposure management, caregiver health services, occupational health programs, immunization and health screening programs, and the development and implementation of infection prevention policies, procedures, and educational initiatives that ensure compliance with local, state, and federal regulations, accreditation standards, and evidence-based guidelines. This position provides direct leadership to the Infection Prevention registered nurses and the Caregiver Health Supervisor, ensuring alignment of infection prevention and caregiver health strategies across the health system.

Clinical Leadership

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS AND DUTIES:

• Develops and maintains collaborative relationships across the health system and medical staff to advance infection prevention, caregiver health, and organizational safety initiatives.
• Responsible for recruitment, hiring, onboarding, coaching, performance management, and professional development of Infection Prevention and Caregiver Health staff.
• Develops, administers, and monitors departmental budgets while ensuring responsible stewardship of resources and achievement of operational goals.
• Leads, coaches, and develops a high-performing team that supports organizational priorities and delivers exceptional service to internal and external customers.
• Ensures departmental compliance with all organizational safety, regulatory, accreditation, and mandatory education requirements.
• Promotes a culture of collaboration, accountability, continuous improvement, innovation, and exceptional customer service throughout the department.
  
  

Infection Prevention

• Oversees system-wide infection prevention activities, including surveillance, infection prevention risk assessment, outbreak preparedness and response, exposure investigations, and implementation of evidence-based infection prevention practices across the continuum of care.
• Completes and maintains the annual system Infection Prevention Risk Assessment and ensures development of the annual Infection Prevention Plan.
• Develops, implements, monitors, and continuously improves infection prevention policies, procedures, standards of practice, and educational programs in accordance with evidence-based guidelines and applicable local, state, and federal regulations, including CDC, CMS, OSHA, accreditation standards, and other applicable regulatory requirements.
• Manages continuous quality assessment and performance improvement activities related to infection prevention, serving as a consultant, facilitator, educator, and resource to operational and clinical leaders.
• Partners with the Infection Prevention Medical Director to evaluate evidence-based practices, establish clinical standards, monitor outcomes, and lead initiatives that improve patient safety and reduce healthcare-associated infections.
• Provides leadership for required public health surveillance and reporting activities and ensures timely reporting of communicable diseases and mandated surveillance data to local, state, and federal agencies.
• Serves as an active leader of the Infection Prevention Committee, analyzing surveillance and outcome data while facilitating multidisciplinary collaboration to improve clinical practice and patient outcomes.
• Collaborates with Environmental Health, Safety and Security, Facilities, Regulatory Affairs, Clinical Operations, and other departments to promote a safe care environment and integrate infection prevention principles into the Environment of Care.
  
  

Caregiver Health

• Provides system-wide leadership and accountability for the Caregiver Health program across the continuum of care, ensuring alignment with organizational quality, safety, regulatory, and workforce health priorities.
• Directly supervises the Caregiver Health Supervisor, who oversees the day-to-day operations of Caregiver Health services, while maintaining overall accountability for program performance, quality, regulatory compliance, and continuous improvement across the health system.
• Provides leadership, coaching, and operational direction to ensure the effective delivery of occupational health, communicable disease prevention, immunization, health screening, exposure management, return-to-work, and other caregiver health services throughout the health system.
• Establishes program priorities, performance expectations, quality measures, and operational goals for Caregiver Health while partnering with the Caregiver Health Supervisor to implement, monitor, and continuously improve daily operations and service delivery.
• Oversees the development, implementation, and evaluation of caregiver health policies, procedures, evidence-based practices, and educational programs to ensure compliance with OSHA, CDC, CMS, accreditation standards, and other applicable regulatory requirements.
• Provides oversight of the Injury Prevention Coordinator and caregiver ergonomics program, ensuring workplace hazards and injury prevention opportunities are evaluated, appropriate recommendations are communicated, and system-wide improvement initiatives are implemented.
• Leads system-wide caregiver health initiatives that promote workforce safety, reduce occupational illness and injury, strengthen communicable disease prevention, and enhance caregiver well-being across the continuum of care.
  
  

Quality, Regulatory, And Performance Improvement

• Leads and oversees system-wide quality assessment, performance improvement, and risk reduction activities related to Infection Prevention and Caregiver Health.
• Oversees occurrence reporting, surveillance systems, and data analysis related to infection prevention and caregiver health, identifying trends, recommending interventions, and evaluating outcomes to reduce organizational risk and improve performance.
• Oversees the development, integration, review, and revision of policies, procedures, and standards of practice to ensure alignment with evidence-based practice, regulatory requirements, and organizational goals.
• Coordinates and leads education, training, and competency programs related to infection prevention and caregiver health for caregivers, providers, leaders, and volunteers.
• Maintains collaborative partnerships with physicians, operational leaders, regulatory agencies, and multidisciplinary stakeholders to promote continuous quality improvement and system-wide standardization.
• Supports the vision, mission, and values of the organization in all respects.
• Collaborates with teams to review processes and identify/implement opportunities for improvements by using Lean principles of continuous improvement with energy and enthusiasm, functioning as a champion of change.
• Provides and maintains a safe environment for caregivers, patients, and guests.
• Conducts all activities with the highest standards of professionalism and confidentiality. Complies with all applicable laws, regulations, policies, and procedures, supporting the organization’s corporate integrity efforts by acting in an ethical and appropriate manner, reporting known or suspected violation of applicable rules, and cooperating fully with all organizational investigations and proceedings.
• Delivers customer service and/or patient care in a manner that promotes goodwill, is timely, efficient, and accurate.
• May perform additional duties of similar complexity within the organization, as required or assigned.
  
  

EDUCATION

Required: Bachelor’s degree from an accredited school of nursing

Preferred: Master’s degree in nursing (MSN, MN)

LICENSURE/CERTIFICATION/REGISTRATION

Required: RN licensure in the state of Oregon. Valid Oregon driver's license and ability to meet SCHS driving requirements. Certification in Infection Control (CIC).

Preferred: COHN, COHN-S, CPHQ, and/or additional certifications preferred.

Experience

Required: 5 years related experience, of which 2 years should be progressively more responsible experience relating to a management role. Infection prevention and control experience required. Excellent verbal and written communication skills with the ability to work effectively with all personnel; experience in adult education, and computer literacy required.

Preferred: 2 years of experience managing infection prevention and employee health programs.