Infection Preventionist - RN, or MLT or MT

Title: Infection Preventionist

Reporting Relationship: CQO

Preventionist is responsible for the facility infection prevention and control program (IPCP), which is designed to provide safe, sanitary, and comfortable environment and to help prevent the development and transmission of communicable diseases and infections.

The Infection Preventionist is responsible to develop, implement and oversee systems for preventing, identifying, reporting, investigating, and controlling infections and communicable diseases for all patients, staff, volunteers, visitors, and other individuals providing services following accepted national standards;

Essential Job Functions/Competencies

1. Provides oversight of the Infection Control Plan which includes:

• A system for preventing, identifying, reporting, investigating, and controlling infections and communicable diseases for all patients, staff, volunteers, visitors, and other individuals providing services following accepted national standards
• Standard and transmission-based precautions to be followed to prevent spread of infections and how isolation should be used for patients
• When and to whom possible incidents of communicable disease or infections should be reported
• Written standards, policies, and procedures for the program, which must include, a system of surveillance designed to identify possible communicable diseases or infections before they can spread to other persons in the facility
• Circumstances under which employees must prohibit employees with a communicable disease from direct contact with patients or their food
• Oversight and periodic review and revision of the Exposure Control, TB/Respiratory, and Communicable Disease Management Plans
• Conduct outbreak investigations

2. Oversee the organization’s hand hygiene program including the sustainment of an active surveillance program

3. Develop and maintain a system for recording incidents identified under the organization’s Infection Control Plan and actions taken by the facility.

4. Collaborate with the Infection Control Committee, medical staff, and to develop, implement, and evaluate the annual infection prevention goals and priorities

5. Establish a facility-wide system for the prevention, identification, investigation, and control of infections of patients and staff including surveillance designed to identify possible communicable diseases or infections

6. Establish and maintain surveillance systems for hospital acquired conditions including but not limited to CAUTI, CLABSI, SSI, hand hygiene, isolation precautions, and use of PPE.

7. Collaborate with pharmacists, medical staff, laboratory and infectious disease to assure a comprehensive antibiotic stewardship program

8. Assess the need for, develop, and present infection prevention education for medical staff, organizational leaders, individual departments, general orientation, and annual review as needed; education includes but is not limited to:

Hand hygiene

Cleaning, disinfection, and sterilization

Use of isolation/barrier precautions when indicated

• • Environmental hazards
  • Use of patient care products and medical equipment
  • Immunization programs
  • Maintain current knowledge of federal, state and local regulations and ensure that the facility leaders are informed of appropriate issues, understand and comply with infection control, safety, and public health procedures and regulations.
  • Prepare and present surveillance data, communicable disease data, hospital acquired conditions data, employee illness and injury data to internal and external stakeholders and regulatory agencies.
  • Serve as a member of the Environment of Care Committee or sub-committee, Accreditation and Quality Management Committees
  • Coordinate and facilitate the Infection Control Committee in collaboration with medical staff chair, laboratory and pharmacy.
• Other Job Functions:

1. Works with CQO on special projects

2. Other duties as assigned

3. Prepares departmental budget in collaboration with CQO

4. Participates in planning and presenting employee education programs

5. Serves on assigned committees

6. Performs other related duties as assigned or requested.

7. Provide patient care within scope of license/certification

• Education
• Required:
  • Have primary professional training in nursing, medical technology, microbiology, epidemiology, or other related field and completed specialized or equivalent on the job training in infection prevention and control
  • post-secondary education in a health or science-related field
• Preferred: Certification in Infection Control; Active, unrestricted Nebraska RN License, or MLT or MT with Lab certification
• Conditional: Attain certification in Infection Control, (CIC) or equivalent certification/degree within 1 year of hire.

Experience/Qualifications

• Required:
  • Any combination of education and experience that would likely provide the required knowledge, skills, and abilities; as well as any required licenses or certifications.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• • Conduct analysis and formulate conclusions
  • Identify occurrences, reservoirs, incubation periods, periods of communicability, modes of transmission, signs and symptoms, and susceptibility associated with the infectious disease process
  • Interpret laboratory and diagnostic tests
  • Differentiate between colonization and infection
  • Differentiate between prophylactic, empiric, and therapeutic uses of antimicrobials
  • Foster effective working relationships and build consensus
  • Maintain confidentiality of sensitive information
  • Plan, organize, prioritize, work independently, and meet deadlines
  • Use judgment and make sound decisions
  • Work effectively with individuals at all levels of the organization
  • Speak, read, write, and understand English effectively at a level appropriate for the safe and effective performance of the job
• 
  Preferred:
  • Previous experience in Infection Prevention and control in the acute or public health setting

BLS for healthcare worker within 90 days of hire

Completion of TeamSTEPPS Master Trainer course within 2 years of hire

All offers of employment are subject to a background and drug screening.

Box Butte General Hospital is a Equal Opportunity Employer.

EOE