INDUSTRY STATS
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Nursing positions are at a 9% growth rate, which is as fast as average. With that said, there are currently 3,080,100 jobs in the market right now. The total number of jobs is expected to increase by 276,800 to 3,356,900 in the period of 2020-30.
What’s more, the median annual wage for the Nursing jobs was $75,330 in May 2020. The lowest 10% earned less than $53,410, and the highest 10% more than $116,230.
Our conclusion? The Nursing job market is wide open for candidates.
Top infection control nurse sections that make the best resume
- Header
- Professional summary
- Experience (with numbers and results)
- Relevant skills
- Education
- Certifications
Things to remember when writing your infection control nurse experience section
Infection Control Nurse Experience Section Checklist:
- Keep it short: use no more than 4-6 bullet points per position;
- Go for short, easy-to-read sentences to keep recruiters engaged;
- Focus on relevant job experience that will enhance your application;
- Describe your experience using the C-A-R (challenge, action, result) methodology;
- Ditch buzzwords and go for power words instead.
To illustrate it more clearly, we’ve collected some of the best experience section examples from real Infection Control Nurse resumes. Check them out below!
- Assisted the Infection Control Manager with surveillance and reporting of infectious diseases within the patient population
- Created the curriculum and educated hospital employees on proper infection control procedures during monthly in-services and as needed
- Continued to teach curriculums as described in previous position
- Consulted with patients regarding proper infection control safety and prevention¬
- Served as an AHA Basic Life Support Instructor for hospital employees
- Developed and implemented infection control policies, resulting in a 30% reduction in healthcare-associated infections
- Conducted regular audits and risk assessments to identify areas of improvement and implement effective solutions
- Provided staff education on infection prevention and control, resulting in a 25% increase in compliance with hand hygiene protocols
- Collaborated with the Director of Clinical Services to ensure adherence to IPC agenda and standards
- Maintained accurate records and submitted timely reports to the Infection Control Advisor and regulatory bodies
- Supported and mentored nursing staff to promote a culture of excellence in infection prevention and control
- Provided infection control support to nursing staff across multiple departments
- Conducted surveillance and outbreak investigations to identify and manage communicable diseases
- Collaborated with the Infection Control Committee to develop and implement policies and procedures
- Participated in hospital-wide quality improvement initiatives, resulting in a 20% reduction in patient falls
- Delivered education and training to staff on hand hygiene, PPE use, and environmental cleaning
- Maintained accurate records and submitted timely reports to the Infection Control Officer
- Developed and implemented successful infection control strategies resulting in a 30% reduction in hospital-acquired infections.
- Conducted regular surveillance, analysis, and reporting of hospital-acquired infections, leading to an increase in early detection and timely intervention.
- Collaborated with hospital staff and management to develop and maintain infection control standards that met state and federal regulatory and accrediting bodies, CDC, OSHA, and APIC guidelines.
- Educated hospital employees on infection control best practices, resulting in a 20% increase in compliance with standard/universal precautions and guidelines for antibiotic stewardship.
- Managed the implementation of the hospital's COVID-19 prevention and response plan, in accordance with current CDC recommendations.
- Served as the designated associate responsible for monitoring Public Health Advisories from local, state, and federal agencies including the CDC.
- Developed and implemented a successful antibiotic stewardship program resulting in a 40% reduction in antibiotic usage.
- Conducted regular audits of hospital equipment and facilities to ensure compliance with infection control standards, leading to a 25% reduction in hospital-acquired infections.
- Provided ongoing education and training to hospital staff on infection control best practices, resulting in a 30% increase in compliance with standard/universal precautions.
- Collaborated with hospital management to develop and implement a comprehensive infection control plan, which met state and federal regulatory and accrediting bodies, CDC, OSHA, and APIC guidelines.
- Conducted outbreak investigations and implemented effective control measures, resulting in containment of outbreaks and prevention of spread.
PRO TIP
Show off real numbers that display your accomplishments in past roles. Instead of listing out your responsibilities as Infection Control Nurse, talk about the measurable impact you made to their business. Did you boost their revenue? Increase customer retention? Mention your proudest points on your resume.
Action verbs for your infection control nurse resume
Recommended reads:
The Best Way to Write Your Infection Control Nurse Resume’s Skills Section
Infection control nurse resume: skills section checklist
- Scan the job advert for keywords worth including in your resume;
- List both hard and transferable skills;
- Leave room for discussion: include some of your skills in other sections of your resume;
- Focus on skills that prove your expertise and leave the irrelevant ones behind.
Top skills for your infection control nurse resume
Excel
CPR
Bilingual
Cannulation
BSL
Scout/Scrub
Patient care
ACLS
Customer service
Communication
Compassion
Patience
Flexibility, adaptability, and emotional stability
Proactive, ethical, and responsible nature
Honesty
Team-player
Strong work ethic
Time management
PRO TIP
Don’t feel obliged to spend a separate section for your soft skills - you can weave them throughout your job experience or career summary. But, don’t just write empty words - back them with examples.
Recommended reads:
Infection control nurse resume header: tips, red flags, and best practices
Checklist for your infection control nurse resume header
- Your name and surname in a legible and larger resume font
- The job title you’re applying for or your current job title as a subheading to your name
- Link to your portfolio or online profile, such as LinkedIn
- Address (City and State for the US; just your city for rest of the world)
- Email address
- Headshot (required or welcomed in the EU; not required and sometimes frowned upon in the US)
Stick to popular email providers such as Gmail or Outlook. And use these professional formats to create your username:
- first.last@gmail.com
- last.first@gmail.com
- firstlast@gmail.com
- f.last@gmail.com
- first.l@gmail.com
Recommended reads:
PRO TIP
Some companies, states, and countries have policies about identifying information like photos on your Infection Control Nurse resume. Be sure to check all the relevant rules before submitting yours. If you’re in doubt, you can always try contacting the company’s HR department to ask for their policy.
Writing a strong infection control nurse resume summary
Infection control nurse resume summary checklist:
- Mention your position and total years of experience in the field;
- Highlight 1-2 of your top achievements;
- Go for shorter sentences and keep them to the point – don’t include anything that doesn’t support your application;
- Add 2-4 keywords present in the job description.
Resume summary formula:
PRO TIP
Your summary section should act as a professional taster. Use it wisely. Effectively convey your professional profile and let the hiring manager know that if they hire you, they won’t be disappointed. Make sure to include keywords from the job description too! Elaborate on your abilities further in your experience section. Again, cater to the job description.
Recommended reads:
Adding education, courses, and certifications to your infection control nurse resume
Education section tips and tricks:
- Add info about your highest degree level, incl. year of graduation, place of study, and degree subject;
- Mention some education-related awards you’ve received;
- Share a bit more about your certifications (if they are relevant);
- Entry-level applicants: Tailor your education section by including classes that are relevant to the position you’re applying for.
Top Certifications for Your Infection Control Nurse Resume
Masterclass in Infection Control (Basic and Advanced)
Learn all about infection control from basic to advance level
Infection control and prevention (home study course)
for health and social care professionals and people with caring duties
Infection Control for the Esthetician
Understanding the importance of protecting ourselves and our clients in the Esthetic industry
Complete Infection Prevention & Control For Dental Office
Ensure Public Safety, Prepare For Public Health Audits, Prevent Fines & Closures
Infection Control & Safety for Beauty Service Providers
Private Certification for unregulated services i.e. hair braiding, blow dry bar, simple hair care, locticians and more
Recommended reads:
PRO TIP
There are dozens of certifications that you can claim as a Infection Control Nurse. But, some are more effective than others. That’s why you mustn’t include every certificate other applicants might have. Try instead to earn and list a few of the difficult ones.
The best format for your infection control nurse resume
Choosing the right format for your resume might seem difficult, regardless of whether you’re a newbie or a master. In short, there are three basic resume formats for you to choose from:
- Reverse-chronological resume format;
- Functional skills-based resume format;
- Combination (or Hybrid) resume format.
The choice you make depends on your level of experience and the company you’re applying for.
The reverse-chronological resume format is great for you if you have at least 10 years of experience, no employment gaps, and are not looking for a career change. Here, you are expected to list all your previous jobs in a reverse-chronological format, starting from your most recent position and going back to the oldest one. It’s perfect for experienced individuals who are looking for a straightforward way to highlight their expertise.
The functional skills-based resume format, on the other hand, is great for recent graduates or professionals with large employment gaps. It focuses on skills and education, rather than experience. This makes it ideal for showing you’re the right fit without putting too much emphasis on your lack of (relevant) experience.
If you’re looking for something a bit more creative, go for the combination resume format. It’s a mix of the reverse-chronological and the functional skills-based formats, which makes it ideal for all types of applicants. What’s more, it’s considered modern and innovative, and isn’t this what you want your application to feel like anyway?
After choosing the right format for your Infection Control Nurse resume, it’s time to perfect the layout and style.
- Go for traditional 1-inch resume margins;
- Choose a simple resume font, sized 10-12p;
- Make sure that the length of your resume matches your applicant profile: try to fit in a one-page template; two-page templateare suitable only for candidates with over 10 years of experience.
- Save your resume in PDF to avoid issues around formatting and unauthorized editing.
Looking for more ways to make your application stand out? Read this article!
recommended reads:
PRO TIP
Sometimes you’ll want to go after a job which requires more experience than you have. Instead of using a typical Infection Control Nurse resume layout, you can use a creative layout. Getting noticed is the most important challenge and a creative resume layout might help you get invited for an interview as most of other accountants have boring resume designs.
Other sections to include in your resume
Depending on the type of company, your position, and your general desire to experiment and showcase your creative side, you might want to add some additional sections to your resume. Some examples include:
Creating a memorable infection control nurse resume
You want your resume to put you in front of other candidates even when the competition is high, right? Right!
One of the easiest ways to do this is by adding a drop or two of creativity. You can choose a colorful and out-of-the-box template, or maybe even put a ‘what my typical days look like’ section at the bottom of your resume
It’s totally up to you. Just make sure to match the level of creativity to the industry, the position, and the company.
What makes a great infection control nurse resume: key takeaways
- Choose a resume layout that sends the right message across and fits your current career situation;
- Create a resume header that shows your desired job title, and easy to find contact numbers;
- Be specific about your experience, accomplishments and future goals in your summary;
- Feature detailed metrics and specific examples that show the impact you made in your previous roles when describing your experience;
- List soft skills backed by examples;
- Add all of your technical skills and certifications that you have and match the job description;
- Show off a dash of personality in your resume that will demonstrate your culture fit and the right mix of hard and soft skills.
