Full Job Description

JOB TITLE

Infection Preventionist

DEPARTMENT

Infection Control

REPORTS TO

Quality Management Director

WORK LOCATION

Onsite; Not eligible for remote work

JOB SUMMARY

The Infection Preventionist is responsible for the development, direction, implementation, management and operation of all facility-wide Infection Prevention and surveillance activities. The Infection Preventionist is responsible for the effective direction, management, and operation of the infection prevention program, including education of facility personnel and consultation with the organization, CDC, the county, and state health department. The responsibilities encompass compliance with CMS, state, and other applicable regulations and standards, outbreak investigation, and overall direction of the Infection Prevention and Control Program. Additional responsibilities include data analysis and chart review to identify patterns or trends that may indicate undesirable performance or variation. The Infection Preventionist serves as a subject matter expert to the Medical Staff, leadership and employees and oversees all infection prevention and control activities. Infection delegated to others. The Infection Preventionist participates in and assists the Quality Management Director with performance improvement activities and other quality initiatives as assigned.

JOB REQUIREMENTS

Registered Nurse with current Wyoming RN license or ability to obtain preferred. Bachelor of Nursing preferred or a bachelor's degree in applied clinical science (Medical Technology, Microbiology, or Public Health). Master's degree in nursing, Epidemiology, Public Health, or related field is desirable. Certification in Infection Control preferred. If not certified, certification must be achieved within 18 months of hire and APIC's EPI 101 and

EPI 102 OR EPI

Intensive must be completed within 6 months. Completion of the CDC's Nursing Home Infection Preventionist Training course, with successful certification in LTCC Infection Prevention. If not certified, certification must be achieved within 30 days of hire.

EXPERIENCE

Three years of recent clinical experience in an acute care facility required. Additional clinical experience in Long Term Care facility a plus. Prior experience in infection prevention preferred. Supervision and/or teaching experience helpful. Prior experience with medical record review, data abstraction and analysis preferred. SKILLS Must possess a high degree of confidentiality in all matters with the ability to manage sensitive and confidential situations with tact, professionalism, and diplomacy. Must have professional rapport and strong interpersonal skills with the ability to communicate with staff and the public in a friendly, courteous and helpful manner. Possess the ability to read, write and verbally communicate effectively in English. Excellent communication skills are required with individuals with varying levels of education and authority both internal and external. Demonstrate leadership, creativity, and management skills. Self-motivated with the ability to set priorities and adjust work as required to meet the needs of the organization. Ability to write reports and other forms of correspondence. Ability to effectively present verbal and/or written information. Ability to respond to the most sensitive inquiries or complaints. Mathematical

• Ability to apply mathematical concepts such as fractions, percentages, rates, and proportions to practical solutions. Ability to work with mathematical concepts such as probability and statistical tools for analysis and problem solving. Ability to create and interpret various charts and graphs to present data in an understandable format. Reasoning
• ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions. Ability to interpret instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram or schedule format. Ability to apply principles of logic or scientific thinking to a wide range of intellectual and practical problems. Information Management and Systems
• this job requires computer and system competencies in the following areas: entering data, retrieval of data, assembling and organizing data, using, and analyzing data.

Knowledge and skill of applying quality improvement tools and techniques including statistical process control. Requires minimal supervision but seeks clarification and input as appropriate. Must be able to translate standards and regulations to implement appropriate and effective infection prevention and control activities Strong computer and keyboarding skills. Must be proficient in the use of Microsoft Office Suite products knowledge including Word, Excel and Outlook. Ability to learn new computer software applications. Must be able to work in teams and to facilitate teams when necessary.

REQUIRED CERTIFICATIONS

Certified in Infection Control (CIC) awarded by the Certification Board of Infection Control and Epidemiology (CBIC) designation required within 18 months of hire. CDC's Nursing Home Training Certification is required within 30 days of hire.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

Collaborate with leaders and staff to develop and implement infection control programs, including development of departmental goals, objectives, policies, and procedures. Conduct epidemiologic investigations of clusters, potential/actual outbreaks of infections, and make recommendations for infection prevention and control measures. Conduct ongoing reviews of facility policies, procedures, and guidelines to identify opportunities for improvement and complete revisions as necessary. Ensure that the departmental goals are compatible with and enhance the organization's mission, vision, values and strategic plan. Make recommendations to committees and department leaders to revise policies, procedures and/ or processes which could reduce the spread of infections. Ensure alignment of the Infection Prevention Program with CMS/CDC/AAMI/AORN and other relevant nationally recognized standards that guide infection prevention and control practices. Collect and analyze data for ongoing surveillance of selected indicators related to infection prevention and control, patient safety goals, and quality initiatives. Interact with physicians, nurses, department leaders, employee health, and other team members to provide resource information, resolve infection control problems, and identify new opportunities to improve services and reduce costs. Prepare reports and statistical data for the Quality Improvement Council, the LTCC Quality Assurance Performance Improvement Committee, medical staff committees, facility administration and other committees and project teams, as needed. Provide advice for practitioners and staff regarding the management of infectious patients/residents and other infection prevention issues. Develop and coordinate infection prevention and control program initiatives throughout the facility. Implement the program by formulating, establishing, and evaluating policies and procedures related to patient care infection control measures. Perform an annual infection control risk assessment and evaluation of the program and develop annual goals and action plans. Maintain infection surveillance data logs. Maintain current knowledge of CDC Guidelines and recommendations for infection prevention and control and definitions of health care associated infections, along with McGreers and Loebs definitions. Perform Infection Control Risk Assessments (ICRAs) and review plans for construction and renovation activities. Advise the construction team on infection control measures to ensure the safety of patients and staff. Provide surveillance during construction and renovation through frequent communication with contractors. Ensure completion of audits regarding the implementation of and compliance with selected policies. Collaborate with the Physician Lead, Pharmacy Director, and Laboratory Director to implement and monitor the Antibiotic Stewardship Program. Participate in multidisciplinary Environment of Care rounds and conduct tracers and report findings, as appropriate. Partner with the Facilities department and other relevant parties to develop and implement the Water Management Program. Provide education and training for all staff members and practitioners regarding prevention of hospital acquired infections. Present infection prevention annual reports to the Quality Improvement Council, LTCC QAPI Committee, and other relevant groups and individuals. This report is to include results of the infection prevention program goal achievement and matters of concern. Cooperate with the county and state department of health regarding infectious and communicable disease reporting. Serve as the CDC National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) database administrator for the facility and submit required data to NHSN; supervise infection control data collection and reporting activities delegated to staff Communicate surgical complications identified through infection prevention surveillance. Participate in the development of policies and procedures related to infection prevention and control. Work with the Emergency Preparedness Team to ensure a method of instituting control measures to protect everyone that enters the facility in the event of an infectious disease threat. Interpret Wyoming Department of Health Standards, CMS Conditions of Participation (CoP), and other standards that guide and govern an effective infection prevention and control program. Function as the liaison with CRH Microbiology and the Wyoming Department of Health, and the Centers for Disease Control. Develop relationships with other Infection Preventionists throughout the Mountain West and infection disease experts nationwide. All other duties as assigned.

Location:

Cody Regional Health

INFECTION CONTROL

Schedule:

Full Time (80 pp), Days