Description:
GENERAL POSITION SUMMARY
The Infection Prevention Specialist is responsible for the day-to-day Infection Prevention program and activities for all designated healthcare facilities, clinics and healthcare services throughout the continuum of care for Harris Regional Hospital and Swain Community Hospital.
Essential Functions:
1. Utilizes standardized definitions for community-associated and healthcare associated infection and case finding methodology. Develops data collection tools for the identification and classification of events, indicators and outcomes, based on available software and healthcare personnel support.
2. At least annually, evaluates surveillance activities that generate healthcare associated and occupationally acquired infection statistics with consideration to population served, services provided including high risk, high volume and problem prone populations/procedures and critical pathogens.
3. Based upon this evaluation and analysis, collaborates with the Director of Quality/Patient Safety Officer, Chief Nursing Officer and the Infection Prevention Committee Chair to design and implement the infection prevention and control strategies.
4. Selects appropriate benchmarks and thresholds, compares rates and analyzes trends. Makes recommendations for improvement based on data analysis, review of current literature, comparison of observed practices to professional standards, and results of multidisciplinary conferences. Evaluates actions, gives feedback, and reports outcomes to appropriate customers.
5. Identifies variances from baseline surveillance data that require actions. Recognizes need for epidemiologic study to investigate a problem. Coordinates with Director of Quality/PSO and the Infection Prevention Committee Chair and/or conducts investigations of clusters of infections or other adverse events occurring above expected levels.
6. Recognizes outbreaks associated with communicable diseases, identifies strategies to control outbreaks, implements interventions, educates staff and evaluates actions.
7. Maintains accurate database of infections. Compiles, analyzes, validates and disseminates infection rate data as required
8. Advocates for the patient, visitor and healthcare worker throughout the continuum of care by creating, implementing and revising at least every three years infection prevention policies.
9. Identify unsafe infection control practices and hazards. Design and implement alternative solutions to system-wide, departmental or unit problems.
10. Formulates, implements and evaluates strategies for system-wide, departmental, and unit based multidisciplinary staff education for Infection Prevention. Provides education and infection prevention strategies at New Employee and Nursing orientation and departmental in services.
11. Prepares accurate written and verbal reports describing studies, outcomes, and plan of action. Presents reports at multidisciplinary meetings including but not limited to: Infection Prevention, Patient Safety and Clinical Quality Committee, and Environment of Care.
12. Works with minimal supervision.
13. Identifies opportunities for improvement on the basis of indicators, process and outcome measures, other findings or observations. Coordinates/participates in quality/performance improvement activities.
14. Reviews national evidence based Infection Prevention and Safety standards and procedures, published studies, and recommendations to design corporate and departmental policies, interventions, and educational activities to reduce the risk for healthcare associated infections and improve patient outcomes.
15. Partners with Employee Health to assist in developing infection prevention and control strategies that address the risk of infection transmission between patients and healthcare workers, including policies and procedures for screening of healthcare workers for specific communicable diseases, investigation and follow-up of healthcare workers exposed to communicable diseases, and occupational exposures.
16. Collaborates with Facilities in policy development, investigation, and recommendations for corrective action related to healthcare facility construction and moisture management activities.
17. Completes and/or attends all required educational offerings.
18. Demonstrates the ability to manage time, coordinate departmental functions and promote professional growth as evidenced by completing assignments, attending programs and conferences, and preparing for and successfully obtaining certification.
19. Performs duties after hours as necessary when urgent and emergency issues arise.
Qualifications:
QUALIFICATIONS (Required or Preferred)
The following qualifications are the minimum requirements necessary to adequately perform this job. However, an equivalent combination of experience, education and training which provides the necessary knowledge skills and abilities would be acceptable, subject to any legal and/or regulatory requirements.
Education:
Current RN licensure in North Carolina.
Completion of a State approved course in epidemiology and health laws is required within the first 18 months of employment in this role.
Experience:
* Certification in Infection Control and Prevention preferred.
* Certification in Infection Control and Prevention required within two (2) years of eligibility.
* At least 2 years clinical experience as RN, preferably acute care, required.
* Knowledge of Microbiology, biostatistics, and basic principles of hospital epidemiology preferred.
* Ability to identify and research problems required.
* Ability to interpret fundamental biostatistical information and computer generated materials preferred.
* Ability to analyze and interpret data and problem solve required.
* Good oral and written communication skills required
