Staff Development and Infection Control (RN)

SDC Infection Control – Infection Preventionist (Registered Nurse)

Summary:
Staff Development and Infection Control (RN) serves as the coordinator of an Infection Prevention, and coordinates and provides total nursing care for residents and provides supervision and guidance to clinical staff members in relation to Infection Prevention and Control Program.

Qualifications:

Education:

• Graduate of accredited School of Nursing.

Licenses/Certification:

• Valid license in the state employed.
• Valid CPR certification.

Experience:

• Two years of nursing experience preferred with training in Infection Control

Job Functions:

• Collecting, analyzing, and providing infection data and trends to nursing staff and health care practitioners
• Consulting on infection risk assessment, prevention, and control strategies
• Providing education and training; and implementing evidence-based infection control practices, including those mandated by regulatory and licensing agencies, and guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• Oversees essential elements of a surveillance system which include: Use of standardized definitions and listings of the symptoms of infections, use of surveillance tools, walking rounds throughout the facility, identification of resident populations at risk for infection, identification of the processes or outcomes selected for surveillance, statistical analysis of data that can uncover an outbreak, and feedback of results to the primary caregivers.
• Ensures the facility’s infection control reports describe the types of infections and are used to identify trends and patterns.
• Provides the facility with summaries of: Observations of staff practices, the investigation of the causes of an infection, and identification of underlying cause(s) of infection trends.
• Defines how often and by what means surveillance data will be collected.
• Monitors practices to ensure consistent implementation of established infection prevention and control policies and procedures based on current standards of practice.
• Share surveillance reports with appropriate individuals including, but not limited to, the director of nursing and medical director.
• Review the use of antibiotics.
• Monitors implementation of standard precautions that constitutes the primary strategy for preventing healthcare-associated transmission of infectious agents among residents and healthcare personnel.
• Implements transmission-based precautions for residents who are known to be or suspected of being infected or colonized with infectious agents, including pathogens that require additional control measures to prevent transmission.
• Plans for containing outbreaks usually include efforts to prevent further transmission of the infection while considering the needs of all residents and staff.
• Performs other tasks as assigned.

Knowledge/Skills/Abilities:

• Skilled in directing and motivating the workforce.
• Ability to work cooperatively as a member of a team.
• Ability to communicate effectively with residents and their family members, and at all levels of the organization.
• Ability to react decisively and quickly in emergency situations.
• Knowledge of training techniques for clinical staff.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality.