Infection Prevention Officer

Job Summary:

The purpose of this position is to manage a program for Infection Control and prevention, through leadership, performance improvement and implementation, and technology.

Essential Functions:

• Responsible for coordinating the Infection Prevention Program which includes surveillance; analysis of data; developing reports, policies and procedures.

• Ensures the Infection Prevention Program complies with current established regulatory requirements and accreditation standards.
• Completes Infection Prevention QAPI activities, which include managing the performance indicators, collecting and reporting employee health data, benchmarks, and performs data analysis
• Develops and implements infection prevention, and control education of all employees during new employee orientation and annually thereafter, including classes in infection prevention and control practices.
• Conduct risk assessments at least annually and as needed with consideration of served populations, regional vulnerabilities, relevant statistical data, and new and emerging infectious diseases.
• Coordinates with employee health to ensure employee health practices meet the recommended infection prevention and control standards
• Responsible for policies and procedures within the organization related to infection control
• Develop and submit Infection Prevention and Control reports to all appropriate committees within established deadlines
• Organize Infection Prevention and Control Committee meetings and maintain all meeting minutes.
• Evaluate effectiveness of the Infection Prevention and Control Plan annually.
• Provides consultation and education to staff in respect to Infection Prevention & Control
• Develop Sterilization policy and procedures, provide oversight and surveillance over the sterilization activities to ensure compliance with established guidelines and regulatory standards.
• Participates as an integral team member, collaborating with various departments and colleagues, including Safety Officer, Human Resources, Quality and Compliance, as needed to advocate for health and safety.

• Must comply with federal laws and regulations as required by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).
• Performs related duties.

Professional Behavior

• Effectively plan, organize workload and schedule time to meet the demands of the position.
• Work in a cooperative and professional manner with OHC and GPTLHB staff.
• Treat Great Plains tribes and collaborators with dignity and respect.
• Utilize effective verbal and written communication skills.
• Advance personal educational development by attending training sessions and seminars as appropriate.
• Exemplify excellent customer service with tribal stakeholders, health board colleagues, program partners, service recipients, visitors and guests.
• Foster a work environment of wellness, courtesy, friendliness, helpfulness and respect.
• Relate well and work collaboratively with coworkers and all levels of staff in a professional manner.
• Consistently demonstrate respect for and acceptance of differing capabilities, cultures, gender, age, sexual orientation and/or personalities.
• Maintain and ensure organizational privacy and confidentiality.
• Handle crisis and tolerate stress professionally.
• Be self-directed and take proactive initiative to assist others.
• Resolve issues with other departments and coworkers without direct supervision if needed.
• Exercise flexibility to alter plans/routines when situations require and continue to perform without projecting stress/frustration that would adversely affect the work environment.
• Promote an alcohol, tobacco and drug-free lifestyle.
• Embrace modes of appearance and attire that reflect a professional presence.
• Adhere to GPTLHB policies and procedures.

• Other duties as assigned by the Supervisor

Requirements

• Exemplify excellent customer service with tribal stakeholders, health board colleagues, program partners, service recipients, visitors and guests.
• Foster a work environment of wellness, courtesy, friendliness, helpfulness and respect.
• Relate well and work collaboratively with coworkers and all levels of staff in a professional manner.
• Familiarity and/or experience working with American Indian populations and respect for and knowledge of traditional, cultural and spiritual practices of diverse American Indian communities, as well as an ability to work with other culturally and ethnically diverse populations.
• Consistently demonstrate respect for and acceptance of differing capabilities, cultures, gender, age, sexual orientation and/or personalities.
• Maintain and ensure organizational privacy and confidentiality.
• Must be able to handle crisis and tolerate stress professionally.
• Must be self-directed and take proactive initiative to assist others.
• Possess the ability to resolve issues with other departments and coworkers without direct supervision.
• Able to exercise flexibility to alter plans/routines when situations require and continue to perform without projecting stress/frustration that would adversely affect the work environment.
• Ability to maintain a flexible work schedule, including evenings, weekends and overnight or extended travel as necessary.
• Ability to effectively present information in one-on-one and small group situations to community members, consumers and other employees of the organization.
• Proficiency with computer programs (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and other Internet technologies.
• Valid driver’s license must be kept current, and certificates, credentials or licenses must be kept current and consistent with regulations required by applicable federal, state and/or grant regulations.
• Ability to promote an alcohol-, tobacco- and drug-free lifestyle.
• Embrace modes of appearance and attire that reflect a professional presence.
• Adhere to GPTLHB policies and procedures.

Supervisory Controls

The supervisor sets the overall objectives and resources available. The employee and supervisor, in consultation, develop deadlines, projects, and work to be done. The employee is considered an expert and is responsible for planning and carrying out the assignment, resolving most of the conflicts that arise, coordinating the work with others as necessary, and interpreting policy on own initiative in terms of established objectives. In some assignments, the employee also determines the approach to be taken and the methodology to be used. The employee keeps the supervisor informed of progress and potentially controversial matters. Completed work is reviewed only from an overall standpoint in terms of feasibility, compatibility with other work, or effectiveness in meeting requirements or expected results.

Guidelines

Guidelines are broadly stated and nonspecific, e.g., broad policy statements and basic legislation that require extensive interpretation. The employee must use judgment and ingenuity in interpreting the intent of the guides that do exist and in developing applications to specific areas of work. Frequently, the employee is recognized as a technical authority in the development and interpretation of guidelines, policies and organizational requirements.

Complexity/Scope of Work

The work typically includes varied duties that require many different and unrelated processes and methods, such as those relating to well established aspects of an administrative or professional field. Decisions regarding what needs to be done include the assessment of unusual circumstances, variations in approach, and incomplete or conflicting data. Positions with this level of complexity include clinical professional positions, advanced professionals, and management positions.

The work involves isolating and defining unknown conditions, resolving critical problems, or developing new theories. The work product or service affects the work of other experts, the development of major aspects of administrative or scientific programs or missions, or the well-being of substantial numbers of people. This level of scope and effect is typically representative of executive management and advanced clinical professional positions within the organization.

Contacts

The personal contacts are with individuals or groups from outside the organization in a moderately unstructured setting. For example, the contacts are not established on a routine basis and the purpose and extent of each contact is different. Contacts are typically with clinical providers, patients/family members, employees, community resource agencies, various Health Departments, Tribal Health programs, and the general public.

Contacts are primarily for obtaining, furnishing, exchanging and providing factual medical information.

Work Environment/Physical Demands

The environment involves everyday risks or discomforts that require normal safety

precautions typical of such places as offices, meeting and training rooms, requiring use of safe

work practices with office equipment, avoidance of trips and falls, observance of fire

regulations and traffic signals. The work area is adequately lighted, heated, and ventilated.

The work involves moderate risks or discomforts that require special safety precautions, including exposure to contagious diseases. Employees may be required to use protective clothing, such as masks, gowns, coats, boots, goggles, gloves, or shields.

The work is sedentary. Typically, the employee sits comfortably to do the work. However, there may be some walking; standing; bending; carrying of light items, such as papers, books, or small parts; or driving an automobile. The employee must be able to read, write, speak and hear.

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential.

Supervisory and Management Responsibility

This is a non-supervisory position that may provide functional direction, guidance and instruction to other employees when necessary. This position possesses authority to assign, coordinate, and review quality and quantity of work of other employees. Instructs employees in specific techniques or technical methods for accomplishing work assignments. The employee may perform the same type of work as other employees but may be responsible for performance of the more technically difficult, controversial, or sensitive work assigned to the unit or group.

Education/Experience/Certificates/Credentials

• Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing and four (4) years of progressively responsible experience sufficient to understand the major duties of this position. An associate degree or Diploma of Nursing and five (5) years of experience may be considered.
• Must successfully pass a criminal and background check, and a pre-employment drug screen.

The GPTLHB is a tribal organization which follows tribal preference laws. It is our policy to give preference to qualified Indian/Tribal candidates over qualified non-native candidates in hiring decisions, if all other qualifications are equal.

Employment is contingent upon the outcome of all required criminal background checks.

To Apply

To apply, please complete the online employment application found at www.GPTCHB.org.

For questions, please contact Human Resources at hr@GPTCHB.org.

Upon Hire

I acknowledge that this job description is neither a contract of employment nor a legal document. I have received the job description and I understand that it is my responsibility to read and comply with the duties contained in this description and any revisions made to it.

Employee Signature: ___________________________________ Date: _________________

Supervisor Signature: __________________________________ Date: _________________