Open Accessibility Menu
Hide

Sign up for Live Healthy eNewsletter here.

MHSC has new Infection Preventionist

Noreen Hove returns home to Sweetwater County

Rock Springs — Health care professional Noreen Hove has returned to Memorial Hospital of Sweetwater County as its new Infection Prevention Director.Noreen Hove

Hove, a registered nurse, brings 29 years of hospital and surgical department experience to the hospital.

“We are excited to have Noreen as part of our MHSC family,” said Sweetwater Memorial Chief Nursing Officer Kristy Nielson. “Noreen’s background, experience, and education are a perfect match for the role of infection preventionist.

Hove was born and raised in Rock Springs. When the position at MSHC opened, she thought it was the perfect opportunity to move back home.

“My husband and I love Rock Springs,” she said. “We love this area.”

For the past five years in Casper, she has honed her skills as a Rapid Recovery Unit Manager at Shepard of the Valley; an Infection Prevention/Quality Nurse at Casper Surgical Center; and, most recently, as Chief Nursing Officer at Summit Medical Center.

At Sweetwater Memorial, her No. 1 priority is to prevent and control the spread of infection, she said.

The Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology likens the job to that of a detective: “Infection preventionists use their detective skills to find the bad germs and make sure that everyone is doing the right things to keep patients – as well as other health care professionals and visitors – safe.”

She will be working with other local and statewide agencies to ensure MHSC is doing all it can for the community.

“The job is more than something that is required by regulatory agencies,” Hove said. “It is a vital part of the hospital. It’s behind the scenes, but it’s important. It keeps the community and hospital employees safe.”

Hove described her job as a partnership with the community. Area residents and patients can help by being aware of their own illnesses.

“If you know you have a cold, wear a mask,” she said. “Wash your hands. Don’t come to the hospital to see a new baby if you’re sick. Know your health history.”

Hove first worked at Sweetwater Memorial from 1993-2014, first as a scrub tech and clinical lead in surgical services. She served as Director of Surgical Services from 2009-14.

She received an Associate of Nursing from Western Wyoming Community College in 1997; completed training at the Elite School of Surgical First Assist in Springfield, Illinois; received a Bachelor of Nursing from Walden University, Minneapolis, in 2013; and earned a Masters of Science in Nursing Leadership in Health Care Systems from American Sentinel University, Aurora, Colo., in 2015.