Infection Preventionist

6 days ago

Jackson, WY, United States St.John's Health Full time
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 OR
  • Infection Prevention certification
RNs without a CIC certification should obtain it 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

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