Infection Prevention RN

Job Description Summary

The Infection Preventionist is responsible for the organization's efforts to prevent healthcare associated infections (HAIs). This includes: dissemination of information regarding relevant evidence based practice; development and review of related policies and procedures; education of facility staff; support of monitoring for compliance with policies and evidence based guidelines; oversight of compliance with CMS/DNV infection prevention requirements; surveillance of infectious diseases; reporting on federally mandated infection prevention measures consistent with CDC/NHSN requirements; communication to leaders regarding organization performance on surveillance findings and infection prevention goals; and facilitating and supporting corrective action to reduce occurrence/risk of healthcare associated infections. The responsibilities encompass compliance with applicable state and local standards/guidelines.

Essential Functions

Oversight of Infection Prevention Program

• Coordinates the annual infection control risk assessments in conjunction with relevant service line leaders for the Hospital, Nursing Home, Home Health, Hospice, Inpatient Rehab, and new service lines as required.
• Develops infection prevention goals consistent with risk assessment and organization's purpose, values, and strategic plan.
• Reviews, revises, and collaborates on policies, procedures, and guidelines to align the organizations' clinical practice with efforts to reduce risk of healthcare associated infections.
• Supports implementation/change management efforts when policy, procedure, or guideline changes take place.
• Ensures ongoing compliance with infection prevention CMS/DNV requirements for the Hospital, Nursing Home, Home Health, Hospice, Inpatient Rehab, and new service lines as required.
• Conducts audits regarding the implementation and compliance with infection prevention best practices.
• Communicates infection prevention and control information and data to various committees and healthcare workers across the organization.

Surveillance Monitoring, Data Collection and Reporting

• Conducts surveillance and investigations for nosocomial infections in identified populations (at a minimum to meet federal requirements).
• Submits required and selected optional data to NHSN/CDC.
• Maintains organized records of infection prevention data and HAI log to provide historical record of organization performance.
• Provides regular reports to committees regarding infections and infection prevention practices, including longitudinal performance data, statistical analysis, and comparison to industry benchmarks.
• Reports to Quality Director and relevant leaders emerging trends or concerns related to infection prevention.
• Conducts outbreak investigations and determines when an outbreak is occurring.

Organization Point of Contact for Infection Prevention

• Provides advice for all staff members regarding the management of infectious patients/residents and other infection prevention issues.
• Interacts with physicians, nurses, department managers, supervisors, and other professional/non-professional staff members to identify opportunities to improve infection prevention practices and facilitates improvement efforts.
• Makes recommendations regarding construction and renovation projects and participate in ICRA activities and environmental rounds.
• Cooperates with the county and state department of health regarding infectious and communicable disease reporting.
• Provides guidance for areas experiencing or at risk of an infectious disease outbreak.

Education and Spread of Knowledge

• Provides employee in-services and disseminates information on infection prevention and control.
• Acts as a resource for staff regarding infection control/isolation techniques.
• Provides ad hoc education support to address identified lapses in infection prevention practices and knowledge deficits.
• Develops an education strategy that supports ongoing, consistent use of evidence-based practices to reduce infections.

Performance Improvement

• Utilize PI methodology as a means of enacting change
• Define the scope of projects and select appropriate PI tools to support efficiency, reliability, effectiveness, and ensure sustainability of the initiative.
• Ensure that patients’ and other key stakeholders’ needs and expectations are considered in the development of and continuous improvement of processes, products, and services.
• Monitor and analyze process and outcome measures to evaluate the effectiveness of and sustainability.
• Participate in PI committees, teams and initiatives as indicated.

Employee Health

• Coordinate with Employee Health to develop/review employee health policies and procedures related to infection prevention.
• Evaluate and help reduce risk of occupational exposures to infectious diseases.
• Support immunization and screening programs.
• Coordinate with Employee Health to respond to occupational exposures.

Job Requirements

Minimum Education

Required: Bachelor's degree in nursing, or master's in public health/certified medical laboratory science/Bachelors in related medical field with Certification in Infection Control (CIC)

Minimum Work Experience

Required: Working knowledge of epidemiology, infectious diseases and aseptic techniques. Basic computer, research and statistical skills. Good interpersonal and communication skills.

Preferred: 3+ years of Infection Prevention experience.

Required Licenses:

Current RN license with the authority to practice in the State of Wyoming, Infection Prevention certification (CIC) required within 2 years of hire.

Functional Demands

Working Conditions

Hospital and long-term care settings. Small office and stressful situations. Potential for exposure to infectious agents. Must be on-site at the SJH campus or other facilities to perform the duties of this role.

Physical Requirements

50% of the time sitting, intermittent standing and walking. 50% of the time on the computer. Ability to bend, stoop, reach.

Direct Reports: None

Reports to: Director Quality RN

Internal and External Contacts: All hospital personnel, Medical Staff, patients, community, CDC, State Health Department, and Wyoming Infection Control.

Leadership Capabilities

Approachability

• Is easy to approach and talk to
• Spends the extra effort to put others at ease
• Builds rapport well

Attention to Detail

• Completes tasks in a way that ensures there are no errors
• Methodically and patiently reviews work to identify any mistakes or discrepancies
• Creates and stores documentation in a way that is thorough and easy to access

Industry Acumen

• Knows how the healthcare industry works; understands financial models for successfully running a hospital
• Pays attention to current and possible future policies, practices, and trends, developments in healthcare and how these could affect the organization

Initiative

• Doesn't wait for others to tell him/her what to do; sees a problem or opportunity and immediately starts moving to address it
• Finds his/her own motivation for completing work and accomplishing goals

Interpersonal Skills

• Relates well to all kinds of people, up, down, and sideways, inside and outside the organization
• Builds appropriate rapport
• Uses diplomacy and tact

Presentation Skills

• Gives effective presentations in a variety of formal and informal settings: one-on-one, small and large groups, inside and outside the organization, with peers, direct reports, and leaders
• Able to present complex data in an engaging and understandable manner