Registered Nurse- PT Infection Preventionist - RN

JOBPURPOSE:

The Healthcare Center InfectionPreventionist is responsible for the development, direction, implementation,management and operation of the infection prevention in the healthcare center.The healthcare center Infection Preventionist conducts ongoing staffdevelopment, training and quality assurance performance improvement monitoringto insure adherence with the organizational standards, CDC, and the county andstate health departments. The responsibilities encompass compliance with JointCommission (JC) standards, CMS, OSHA, and state regulations, outbreakinvestigation, and overall direction of the infection prevention and control program.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

Infection Prevention

a. Acts as subject matter expert and resourcewithin the healthcare center to residents/families, partners, providers,visitors, community, and public health regarding infection prevention and control measures, includingidentification of infectious disease processes.

b. Provides consultation and expertise to partnersand residents in infection prevention and control practices as it relates tothe transmission of infectious disease, management of isolation of patients,PPE usage, safe infection practices, disinfection, environmental

cleaning, facilities management(maintenance, renovation and construction), water management, and evaluation ofnew products.

c. Assesses the immunization status of residentsand partners, administers vaccines, and educates residents and partners about immunizations.

d. Completes necessary physical assessment andhealth history of resident and partners according to TB program guidelines.

e. Provides counseling and education aboutlaboratory testing, follow-up x-rays, physical examination and therapy for TBprevention and disease.

f. Refers residents and partners for follow-up tooutside agencies for continuity in care for any suspected or confirmedinfectious disease process.

g. Maintains current knowledge with CMS, state andfederal regulatory agencies and public health guidelines as it relates toinfection prevention.

h. Reviewsthe risk of blood borne pathogens, OSHA standards, and exposure control plan toensure implementation of best practice for occupational health to decrease thelikelihood of exposures to infectious diseases.

i. Reviews the infection prevention and controlpolicies and procedures annually and conducts formal partner training onupdates and new regulations.

j. Develops, implements and evaluates infectionprevention and control goals, measurable objectives and action plans for thehealthcare center infection prevention and control program.

k. Providesexpert knowledge, guidance, and perform routine risk assessments in infectionprevention and control in consultation and collaboration with infection controlcommittee teams as appropriate.

l. Participates and supports infection preventioninitiatives on center, region and division levelsto insure our infection prevention program and processes are utilizing bestpractice approaches.

m. Maintains records and reports in accordance toorganization standards, including documentation in electronic health records,reports, etc.

n. Provides ongoing infection prevention andcontrol findings, recommendations, annual reports, policy and procedure updatesto the QAPI committee.

AntibioticStewardship Program

a. Develops and evaluates goals, measurableobjectives and action plans for the HCC antibioticstewardship program.

b. Improves the therapeutic use of antimicrobialsthrough education of clinicians and prescribers, guidelines and data reporting,

c. Collaborates with pharmacy services to identifyand facilitate plans of correction using evidence-based practice interventionsfor improvements in the antibiotic stewardship program.

d. Provides ongoing reports to the QAPI committeeof compliance updates.

Surveillance andCompliance

a. Conducts ongoing healthcare wide surveillance ofhealthcare associated infections through collection, review, analysis andinterpretation of data from various sources, (i.e., hand hygiene, occupationalexposure incidents, etc.).

b. Tracks and trends surveillance to identifyopportunities for improvement based on data analysis including activities todecrease healthcare associated infections and improve resident outcomes relatedto identified infection control deficiencies.

Qualifications:

MINIMUM EDUCATION REQUIRED:

• Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN), OR professional training in medical technology, OR professional training in microbiology, OR professional training in epidemiology, OR other related training.

MINIMUM EXPERIENCE REQUIRED:

• Have a minimum of three years of clinical experience in an acute care or long-term care setting or disease surveillance in public health.

• Previous experience in teaching and curriculum development in clinical instruction.

MINIMUM LICENSURE/CERTIFICATION REQUIRED BY LAW:

• Hold a current, unencumbered license as a Registered Nurse (RN).

ADDITIONAL QUALIFICATIONS: (Additional qualifications)

• All infection preventionist are required to complete specialized training in Infection Prevention and Control by either CDC Nursing Home Infection Preventionist Web-based Training Course and/or University of North Carolina Spice Training as a condition of continued employment within three (3) months of employment.