Welcome back to Voice for Infection Prevention! Today, we’re talking with an incredible leader in the field, Wendy Kaler, whose career journey has taken her from the microbiology lab to Infection Prevention leadership. Wendy started with a background in bacteriology and immunology, originally planning to become an epidemiologist. But after working closely with infection control teams and infectious disease specialists, she made the leap into Infection Prevention—bringing a strong, evidence-based approach to the field. In this interview, Wendy shares her experiences in both academic medical centers and community hospitals, the importance of structured training and mentorship in Infection Prevention, and why IPs need to be more than just infection trackers—they need to be change agents and strategic leaders in their organizations. We also discuss the challenges Infection Preventionists face in gaining leadership support, how to advocate for proper resources, and why standardized competency-based training is essential for the future of the profession. If you’re passionate about Infection Prevention, leadership, and the future of the field, this is an interview you won’t want to miss! Let’s dive in.

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Voice for Infection Prevention is a production of Clutch Recruitment.

Clutch Recruitment, founded by Jacob Hutcherson, is the leading recruiting firm exclusively committed to Infection Prevention & Control recruitment.

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