Infection Surveillance Nurse

Western Massachusetts Hospital, part of the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH), is seeking an Infection Surveillance Nurse to play an essential role in protecting patients, staff, and visitors by driving the hospital’s Infection Prevention and Control Program. With a focus on data-driven surveillance and real-time collaboration with clinical teams, this position offers the opportunity to identify, investigate, and mitigate infectious risks across the facility. You will work hands-on in monitoring compliance, guiding staff on infection control best practices, and ensuring that hospital policies meet the highest standards of safety and regulatory requirements.

This is a dynamic role for a clinically skilled nurse with a passion for public health, epidemiology, and quality improvement. You will contribute to hospital-wide initiatives, serve on key quality and safety committees, and help shape policies that have a lasting impact on patient care outcomes. The environment is fast-paced, collaborative, and mission-driven—ideal for a nurse ready to advance both their career and the safety of their community.

Scheduled Hours:  This is a full-time, 40 Hours per position.  The schedule will be 8:00 am – 4:30 pm, Monday through Friday.  The scheduled days off will be Saturday and Sunday.

Employees in this position will be required to work mandatory overtime.

Duties and Responsibilities (these duties are a general summary and not all inclusive):

·         Conduct ongoing surveillance to identify and investigate infectious conditions, including contact tracing, and collaborate with clinical teams to implement appropriate infection control strategies.

·         Monitor and evaluate adherence to infection prevention protocols and hospital policies, providing education and support to clinical staff to promote best practices.

·         Participate in hospital audits and environmental safety rounds to assess compliance with infection control procedures and identify areas for improvement.

·         Collect, analyze, and report infection-related data in alignment with the hospital’s Infection Prevention and Control Program and Quality Program.

·         Prepare and submit required reports of communicable diseases to local, state, and federal agencies in accordance with regulatory guidelines.

·         Collaborate with Employee Health to monitor staff compliance with policies related to communicable diseases and support infection-related employee health initiatives.

·         Assist in the development, implementation, and revision of infection prevention policies, procedures, and educational programs based on regulatory standards and hospital needs.

·         Provide infection prevention expertise as a member of hospital quality committees and support quality improvement efforts including root cause analyses and performance improvement initiatives.

·         Conduct infection prevention audits to ensure ongoing readiness for accreditation surveys and compliance with standards set by The Joint Commission and other regulatory bodies.

·         Support facility-wide Quality Assessment and Performance Improvement (QAPI) initiatives by contributing to the development and evaluation of infection prevention strategies and outcomes.

Required Qualifications:

·         Strong knowledge of nursing principles, practices, terminology, and standard abbreviations.