Job Summary
The Infection Preventionist (IP)
is responsible for the development ,
direction, implementation, management and operation of the infection prevention
in facility. Infection Preventionist will work to identify, investigate,
monitor, and report healthcare-associated infections and communicable diseases.
The IP will educate staff in an effort to sustain infection prevention
strategies. Infection Preventionist conducts ongoing staff development,
training and quality assurance performance improvement monitoring to ensure
adherence with the organizational standards, state, and federal regulations.
Job Responsibilities
Program Management:
- Develop, implement, and evaluate
the organizational infection prevention program to include policies and
procedures for surveillance, pandemic preparedness, hand hygiene, standard
precautions, employee and resident infection control education, employee health,
outbreak management, and transmission-based precautions.
- Establish routine, ongoing, and
systematic collection, analysis, interpretation, and dissemination of
surveillance date to identify infections, infection risks, communicable disease
outbreaks and to maintain or improve resident health status.
- Utilize nationally recognized
surveillance criteria such as but not limited to CDC’s National Healthcare
Safety Network (NHSN) or Revised McGeer criteria to track trends and identify
opportunities for improvement based on data analysis.
- Develop an annual surveillance
plan based on the population(s) served, services provided, and analysis of
surveillance data.
- Evaluate and modify the
surveillance plan and infection prevention policies and procedures no less than
annually and as needed.
- Participates in national
collaboratives and external reporting to National Healthcare Network (NHSN)
Design and Deliver Education
- Provide infection prevention
education at time of hire, no less than annually and when lapses in adherence
occur.
- Acts as subject matter expert and
resource within the healthcare center to residents/families, partners,
providers, visitors, community, and public health regarding infection
prevention and control measures, including identification of infectious disease
processes.
- Create a process for
demonstrating competencies following each training activity
Regulatory Requirements
- Comply with regulatory and
mandatory reporting requirements at the local, state and federal levels.
- Maintain current knowledge with
CMS, state and federal regulatory agencies and public health guidelines as it
relates to infection prevention.
Performance Improvement (PI)
- Participate in interdisciplinary performance
and quality improvement process.
- Serve as a member of the quality assessment
and assurance committee (QAAC) and report to the committee on the infection
prevention control program on a regular basis
Occupational Health
- Participate in the
development/review of occupational health policies and procedures related to
infection prevention and control.
- Reviews the risk of blood borne pathogens,
OSHA standards, and exposure control plan to ensure implementation of best
practice for occupational health to decrease the likelihood of exposures to
infectious diseases.
- Develop (or assist with) rates
and trends of occupational exposures. i.e. needle stick injuries
- Develop (or assist with)
immunization and screening programs i.e. Influenza and TB
- Apply work restrictions and
recommendations related to communicable diseases or following an exposure
consistent with CDC and public health guidance.
- Monitor resident care practices
and develop/maintain resident health program.
- Participates in the antibiotic
stewardship program that includes antibiotic use protocols and a system to
monitor antibiotic use.
- Facility Management
- Environmental rounding to
observe infection control and prevention compliance of general maintenance,
plumbing/ventilation, food preparation/storage, laundry collection/cleaning,
infectious waste collection/disposal, housekeeping/cleaning,
disinfection/sanitation, and equipment cleaning
Requirements
- Graduate of an accredited school
of nursing.
- Valid registration as a RN/LVN/LPN in the state of practice.
- Completion of relevant state Board
of Nursing approved.