INFECTION PREVENTION


 Salary by Region Percentage


6%


Region Average Female


Male Pacifi c $131,550 9%


Mountain $99,785


35%


Central $93,929


27%


Northeast $93,397


23%


Southeast $87,934


5% $131,055 7% $99,500 31% $94,441 26% $92,083 21% $89,114


1% $136,000 1% $101,500 2% $104,375 1% $121,000 1% $87,500 *2% of respondents opted not to answer for gender. Their responses are not included in this breakout.


HPN’s latest survey found that the average salary of an IP profes- sional comes in at approximately $95,000. Although this number is practically identical to survey fi ndings last year, it is up almost $10,000 since the onset of COVID in 2019, and nearly $18,000 since 2016. Moreover, 69% of respondents reported that their annual base salary has increased in comparison to 2021, with the largest chunk (35%) indicating an increase between 2% and 3%. Thus, it is clear that IP professionals are valued for their work, or, better said, overwork. COVID-19 has, beyond all doubt, transformed the entirety of the fi eld. n terms of the ways in which - has done this, close to 90% reported the ‘need to implement new infec- tion prevention protocols;’ over 60% of those who responded saw increases in patient volume and decreases in both staff and personal protective equipment (PPE) as key elements pressurizing the job. “Overworked, tired and burnt out [are] all of the things I would


use to express my current state of mind,” McCready admitted. “Yes, we or at least I was asked to go above and beyond normal functioning. Simply the reporting involved with the pandemic was incredibly daunting and time consuming. There was not enough time in any day or week to complete all of the things that needed to be completed. And certainly, we didn’t have time to keep up with what our jobs actually were,” she added.


McCready’s thoughts seem to echo those of her Infection Prevention colleagues.


“Forty hours turned into 70 hours at the high end of the COVID- 19 Pandemic,” noted Paulina Rodriguez, MSN, RN, Infection


 Salary by Gender


30% 26% 16% 14% 9% 2% 1% 1%


Infection Preventionist Infection Prevention/Control Director Infection Prevention/Control Manager Infection Prevention/Control Coordinator Infection Prevention/Control Nurse Sterile Processing Mgr Infection Prevention/Control Practitioner Quality, Risk Manager


$50,000 $96,500 $80,000  Salary by Facility Type & Location


59% 32% 2% 4% 2% 1%


Hospital, standalone IDN/Alliance/Multi-group health system/VHA Behavioral/Psychiatric health facility Long term acute care facility (LTAC) Surgi-center/Ambulatory center Dental


$67,500


Rural 44% $81,493


Suburban 31% $103,470


Urban 25% $108,183


$90,567 $101,971 $129,500 $104,916 $79,166 $85,410 $120,012


$94,518 $93,869


$71,785


Preventionist at a major health- care facility in the southwest. “We (started) teaching PPE to everyone in the facility. We had to submit spreadsheets every day.” The statistics presented by


HPN’s survey affi rm that  of IP professionals saw their work


hours increased by the demands of the COVID-19 pandemic, and 82% stated that their job responsibilities broadened in scope. These responses included persons who said things such as, “emotionally draining,” “burned out,” and “increased stress.” uch feelings from those in the fi eld is likely not doing much in the way of drawing new persons into the IP workforce. Rodriguez continued, “It is true. There are less people wanting to take over IP roles,” Rodriguez acknowledged. “These are daunting posi- tions with lots of responsibility. When people look at the job responsibilities, it overwhelms them and they realize that it’s too much responsibility. I think that after what we have been through as IP’s with this COVID-19 Pandemic and are still going through presently.” An overwhelming 72% responded that they have taken on additional roles and responsibilities outside of their expected job duties during the pandemic. In fact, several persons responded that, in essence, they have evolved into ‘all-encompassing educa- tors for COVID.’ There seems to be some other glaring numbers regarding the IP industry, and they are particularly even more glaring by the suggested notion that the already seemingly small workforce may not be far removed from getting even smaller. On top of the well-established fact that it is not easy to draw young healthcare professionals into the IP trade, those already employed encompass many who are seasoned with many years under their belt. Sixty-two percent were over 51 years of age, with


Post-Graduate Degree  Salary by Gender & Education


41% 36% 5%


44% 42% 1%


14% 12% 1%


1% 1%


Average Female Male


Bachelor’s Degree


Average Female Male


Associate’s Degree


Average Female Male


High School


Average Female


$32,500 $32,500


*2% of respondents opted not to answer for gender. Their responses are not included in this breakout.


$73,043 $73,125


$82,500


$92,659* $93,123


$126,000


$106,917 $106,542 $109,687


 Salary by Gender 94%


Female $94,926


6% Male $108,600


hpnonline.com • HEALTHCARE PURCHASING NEWS • May 2022 19


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