Infection Control Practitioner
Hospital for Special Surgery, US
Uthpala (Uthy) Rajapakse, BSN, RN, CIC, has been a dedicated member of the infection prevention team at the Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) since 2015, with prior experience in occupational health services and workers' compensation. She's a graduate of American Sentinel University with a degree in Bachelor's of Science in Nursing, and has been a nurse for 14 years.
Across the past decade as an infection preventionist, Uthy has focused on preventing Catheter Associated Urinary Tract Infections (CAUTI) in the orthopedic surgical patient population. She's passionate about leveraging team work, interdisciplinary approaches, and the electronic medical record as tools to prevent infections and improve patient outcomes. In recognition of this work, she received a Nursing Excellence award in 2017 for her initiatives in CAUTI prevention at HSS. She presented her work at Epic User Group Meeting and has contributed towards the hospital's HIMSS 7 and Magnet designations.
Outside of work, Uthy is dedicated to her two daughters, Akira (6) and Enara (3), and husband, Rax. She enjoys whitewater rafting, beach vacations, hiking with her family, and cooking Sri Lankan dishes with her daughters.
