Infection preventionists wear many hats

If you’ve got the detective skills of Sherlock Holmes, the diplomacy of Henry Kissinger, the persistence of Lt. Columbo and the parental instincts of June Cleaver — you could have a future in infection control and prevention.

As you’ll see in this month’s cover story, the role is growing in responsibility and stature — and new talent is needed.

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BARRY WILLIAMS/AJC Special

Infection control is a significant consideration in Gwinnett Medical Center’s renovation and construction projects. Sticky doormats collect potentially contaminated materials from being spread to sterile areas.

“It’s harder and harder to find trained people. Many of our infection preventionists are older and nearing retirement,” said Denise Flook, RN, MPH, CIC, coordinator for workforce initiatives and prevention initiatives for the Georgia Hospital Association. “We’re starting to recruit the next generation, and we believe that the future holds more and more opportunities for this career path.”

Traditionally, experienced nurses work in this specialty, but physicians and epidemiologists also are employed in the field, Flook said.

The job requires many skills. Flook loves the critical thinking that’s involved in detecting new health risks.

“As soon as I heard about the H1N1 [swine flu] virus, I wanted to know where it came from,” she said. “Where was its origin, how did it spread and how could we stop it?”

Marie Commiskey, BS, RN, CCRN, CIC, manager of infection prevention and control at Gwinnett Medical Center in Lawrenceville, is drawn to the specialty. Her degree in biology with a focus on microbiology has served her well in keeping up with research on emerging resistant infections.

The reason so many drug-resistant bacteria have emerged is that they can mutate in minutes to adapt to stressors — penicillin and its derivatives — in their environments, Commiskey said.

“Infection prevention and control is always evidence-based practice and you continually have to keep learning,” she said. “I read the American Journal of Infection Control from front to back each month, because it increases my knowledge.”

This job isn’t for those who crave established routines.

“You can’t sit at your desk; you have to be out there listening, observing, researching and advising,” Flook said.

You’ll need diplomacy to influence constituencies at all levels — from patients’ families to boardroom officials.

It takes energy and the ability to focus on what’s important, Commiskey added. “You also need a thick skin, because people don’t like to hear bad news, or [to] make changes.”

When she changed GMC’s isolation signage to comply with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines, staff members resisted. But now they appreciate the new signs, because the images are clear and the instructions are in both English and Spanish, she said.

Being a change agent takes assertiveness and empathy.

“You have to be able to go toe-to-toe with a physician when you want to implement a new surgical procedure and relate to the overworked staff person when you are asking them to do one more thing,” said Renee Watson, RN, CIC, system manager of the office of infection control and occupational health at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. “You also need the tenacity of a used-car salesman, because you’re going to say things nine times, nine different ways before people get it.”

The reward? Sitting at the leadership table and knowing your imprint is on everything — education, staff safety, patient care and emergency management.

“You know that what you do touches everyone around you,” Watson said.

- Do you have any story ideas for Pulse? We’d love to hear more about your career and what you do after hours. Send e-mail to pulseeditor@ajc.com or call 404-526-2078.