Infection Control Preventionist

POSITION TITLE

The policy will provide the scope of the infection control program for the facility.

Reports to : Director of Nursing

POSITION SUMMARY

The Infection Control Preventionist assumes the responsibility for the Infection Control Program of the facility. The position involves responsibilities in areas of case findings, surveillance, reporting, analysis, interpretation, inspection, control measures, education, consultation, evaluation and recommendations.

POSITION RELATIONSHIP

Collaborates with all levels of nursing personnel as well as with facility consultants, physicians and department managers and other department employees in assessing needs for infection control prevention, control, implementation and management. Provides infection control program related education.

QUALIFICATIONS

1. PROFESSIONAL

a. Current state licensure (either a registered nurse or licensed vocational nurse)

b. Completed nursing program or equivalent required.

c. Advanced educational preparation in infection control.

d. Preferably a minimum of one year in infection control practice.

e. Progressive nursing experience with demonstrated leadership and teaching abilities.

f. Demonstrated skill in management principles of planning, organizing, and directing.

2. PERSONAL

a. Must have strong communication skills, both oral and written

b. Must have knowledge and awareness of the care needs of the elderly and / or chronically ill.

c. Must have knowledge and ability to teach adult learners.

d. Must have basic computer skills.

e. Must be able to organize, analyze, investigate and implement principles of infection control committee.

3. POSITION RESPONSIBILITIES

a. The Infection Preventionist performs daily activities and duties in the processes of infection prevention and control.

b. Performs surveillance to identify individual infections in residents, surveillance to identify individual infections in staff and to identify clusters of infection in a timely manner. Performs surveillance of antibiotic use, suspected infections, culture reports, pertinent lab data and post antibiotic use.

c. Works with each department manager to oversee and coordinate process and outcome of surveillance. Recognizes and manages an infection outbreak within the center

d. Tracks trends in infection within the center, reports specific infections, clusters and communicable diseases to appropriate agencies.

e. Reviews medical record documentation for infection identification, antibiotic use and appropriate transmission based precaution implementation. Documents the reason and need for specific transmission based precautions, if used.

f. Executes walking rounds assessing segments of the resident population at risk for infection and monitoring the use of transmission based precautions for specific residents.

g. Identifies infection prevention and control concerns through environmental rounds making recommendations for corrective actions. Monitors the availability of personal protective equipment (PPE) supplies. Monitors the availability of resident individualized care items.

h. Monitors and enforces infection prevention and control practices including employee compliance. Reviews outbreak preparedness within the center and educates each department in outbreak preparedness.

i. Oversees the process ensuring employees with communicable diseases are not caring for residents or working in food handling areas.

j. Coordinates the oversight of dietary personnel, the process ensuring staff with open skin lesions are not directly caring for residents or working in food handling areas unless the lesion can be covered / contained.

k. Provides new employee orientation related to infection prevention and control practices. Provides continuing education to center staff related to infection prevention and control. Functions as a resource to staff related to infection prevention and control practices. Provides infection prevention and control mentoring to all departments.

l. Attends community based, best practice based, continuing education based infection control programs.

m. Directs development and oversight of the center’s encompassing infection prevention and control program and develop a process to identify and manage residents, staff, visitors, volunteers and practitioners with infections.

n. Oversees the Tuberculosis (TB) and Bloodborne pathogen prevention program as well as oversees the exposure control plan. Oversees the immunization program for residents and healthcare workers.

o. Prepares for and chairs the infection prevention and control committee through the Quality Assurance and Performance Improvement (QAPI) committee review, revises, approves and maintains infection prevention and control policy and procedures

p. Any other duties assigned by the Director of Nursing associated with infection control and education of staff.