Welcome back to Voice for Infection Prevention! I'm your host, Jacob Hutcherson, and today, I’m joined by Lerenza Howard, an Infection Prevention leader whose career journey brings such a thoughtful and encouraging perspective to the field.

Lerenza came into Infection Prevention from a microbiology background, and her story is a great example of how valuable non-nursing pathways can be in this profession. From clinical laboratory work to starting her Infection Prevention career in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic, her path reflects both the complexity of the role and the level of resilience, curiosity, and critical thinking it takes to grow in it.

In this conversation, Lerenza shares what it was like to enter Infection Prevention during one of the most intense seasons healthcare has faced, how she built confidence as a non-nurse in a field that has historically leaned heavily toward nursing backgrounds, and what helped her develop the clinical knowledge, leadership skills, and professional presence needed to succeed. We also talk about certification, mentorship, APIC involvement, career advancement, and why relationship-building and continuous learning are so essential in this work.

If you’re interested in nontraditional paths into Infection Prevention, leadership growth, and practical encouragement for both new and aspiring IPs, this is a conversation 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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