Nurse (Infection Preventionist Program Manager)

About the role

The Infection Prevention Program Manager Registered Nurse leads the Infection Prevention & Control Program for VA Portland Health Care System, ensuring regulatory compliance, directing system-wide prevention activities, and providing expert guidance to leadership and clinical teams. The role coordinates surveillance, mitigates infection risks, and supports evidence-based practices to promote safe, high-quality care across all care settings.

Responsibilities

• Leads and manages the IPC Program across all VA Portland Health Care System (VAPORHCS) sites, including inpatient, outpatient, long-term care, residential, and community-based clinics.
• Partners with the Hospital Epidemiologists to direct IPC program planning, implementation, evaluation, and continuous improvement efforts.
• Covers surveillance, analysis, and reporting of infection-related outcomes, identifies trends, conducts risk assessments, and provides data-driven recommendations to leadership and frontline services.
• Promotes alliances across the care continuum, building trust through active listening, engagement, and emotional intelligence. Collaborates with internal stakeholders including Employee Health, Industrial Hygiene, Patient Safety, Engineering, and Risk Management to provide consultation, reports, and programmatic support.
• Establishes and maintains partnerships with regional (VISN) and national (VACO) VA counterparts; local academic (OHSU) and community IP programs; as well as local and state public health.
• Coordinates and provides IP expert consultation for emergency planning, including high-consequence infection and pandemic preparedness.

Requirements

• Graduate of a school of professional nursing approved by the appropriate accrediting agency and accredited by one of the following accrediting bodies at the time the program was completed by the applicant: The Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) or The Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE).
• Current, full, active, and unrestricted registration as a graduate professional nurse in a State, Territory or Commonwealth of the United States, or the District of Columbia.
• Certification in Infection Control (CIC) preferred.
• Four (4) or more years of experience as an Infection Preventionist.
• Four (4) or more years of direct nursing care experience.
• Proficiency in use of Excel and Powerpoint; infection prevention surveillance software; and medical record review.

Qualifications

• Basic Requirements: English Language Proficiency, Graduate of a school of professional nursing, Current, full, active, and unrestricted registration as a graduate professional nurse.
• Preferred Experience: Certification in Infection Control (CIC), Previous managerial experience, Four (4) or more years of experience as an Infection Preventionist, Four (4) or more years of direct nursing care experience, Proficiency in use of Excel and Powerpoint; infection prevention surveillance software; and medical record review.

Benefits

• 50 days of paid time off per year (26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays per year)
• Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA Insurance
• Health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement)

Pay

Competitive salary, regular salary increases, potential for performance awards

Schedule

Full-time

Travel

Occasional travel - This position requires maintenance of a valid Driver's License and is willing and able to drive (government vehicles available) to conduct on-site consultations with and inspections of regional community-based VA clinics on an ongoing basis.