Infection Control Nurse Duties

According to the Association for Professionals in Infection Control (APIC), an infection control nurse has specific expertise to isolate sources of infection, provide education and recommendations to control the spread of the infection and develop strategies to prevent further outbreaks of organisms. (See Reference 1)

Clinical Roles

• APIC describes a multitude of roles for an infection control nurse. She may be involved in direct patient care or provide formal and informal consultations for nurses, physicians and other health-care professionals.

Other Responsibilities

• An infection control nurse may be responsible for data collection, interpretation and analysis. She may serve as an educator and/or a researcher in infection prevention and control. (See Reference 1)

Specialties

• An infection control nurse may have one or more areas of expertise, such as prevention and control of infections in newborns or older adults.

Significance

• Infection control nurses are valued for their contributions to public health and safety. For example, they may help counteract bio-terrorism or epidemics such as influenza. (See Reference 1)

Certification

• The Certification Board of Infection Control and Epidemiology Inc. offers certification for infection control nurses who have actively practiced their specialty for two years or more. A nurse with this certification uses the credential CIC and often serves in leadership roles. (See Reference 2)