Samantha Butenko is the Director of the Infection Control Service at SA Health, South Australia.
Sam is a Registered Nurse with over 30 years experience, she holds post graduate qualifications in Infection Prevention and Control and has specialised in this area over 20 years. Her experience and expertise spans public, private and community practice. Sam has particular interests in partnering with consumers, having previously undertaken research in this area as part of her completion of a Master of Clinical Science.
Sam also has specialist knowledge in the areas of outbreak management, infection prevention methodology and quality improvement, clinical leadership, teaching and strategic planning as well as particular interest in hand hygiene, device safety, blood stream infection prevention and multi resistant organisms.
During the 2020/21, like many in IP&C, Sam was directly involved in the COVID-19 pandemic response at both the State level as the COVID Operations Infection Control Service Nursing Director (2020 -2022) and National level, including current member of the Australian Govt, Department of Health Infection Control Expert Group (ICEG).
Following the pandemic response, Sam has returned to “core business” and continues to provide leadership in Infection prevention and control within SA Health and is a member of a number of number of National IPC advisory and committee groups.
Sam is passionate about Public Health and patient safety and is keen to ensure that Infection Prevention and Control remains an integral part of the patient journey and that IPC professionals contribute to meaningfully and professionally contribute to health policy.