Infection Control Officer, Infection Control

Job Description:

ORGANIZATION AND MANAGEMENT 

• Oversee the adherence of infection control measures to the established Vision and Mission statements, goals, objectives, and values, in alignment with the scope of the PCI Service.  

• Manage all scheduled and ad-hoc meetings in compliance with the Prevention of Control Infection (PCI) standard requirements as the liaison to the Prevention of Control Infection (PCI) Chairman. 

• Participate in the planning, management, justification of the budget, and resource utilization of the services. 

• Identify gaps in clinical practice and strategically evaluate nursing interventions to enhance the value they bring to quality patient care and professional practice 

• Collaborate with the head of service in various areas in planning and implementing infection control programs for clinical excellence drive. 

• Collaborate with hospital staff to audit evidence-based infection control practice policies and standard operating procedures (SOPs) to ensure their effectiveness and efficiency. 

• Manage investigations and root cause analyses for any incidents in the services, take appropriate action, and ensure completion of incident reports within the stipulated time frame and shared with the Person in charge (PIC).  

• Monitor, maintain, and analyze the appropriate statistics and records. 

• Establish and maintain care standards that guide evidence-based practice, enhance quality of care, prioritize patient safety, and streamline infection control workflows. 

• Collaborate with other hospital committees to recommend and evaluate procedures or policy statements related to infection control within KPJ Hospital. 

• Produce informational materials relating to infection control that are suitable for the intended audience's level of understanding and their specific needs. 

HUMAN RESOURCE AND DEVELOPMENT 

• Educate, guide, and supervise hospital staff on infection control measures in clinical practice according to predetermined objectives. 

• Provide the updated new guidelines related to the Prevention of Infection Control to the PIC. 

• Manage continuous education in Infection Control during orientation, and structure education programs including supervision to ensure that all team members understand their roles in preventing infections and follow best practices. 

• Provide updates and demonstrate knowledge and skills through continuous education, and seminars, both internal and external. 

• Organizing educational events, workshops, roadshows, and awareness campaigns within the hospital to reinforce infection control principles among staff and promote a culture of safety. 

• Provide educational programs for all registered nurses, infection control link nurses, and other hospital staff. 

• Monitor, guide, and supervise link nurses to ensure accurate data collection and adherence to infection prevention practices. 

POLICIES AND PROCEDURES 

• Produce, enforce, revise, and evaluate PCI guidelines and policies regularly to ensure accessibility for all staff. 

• Monitor and assess compliance of the staff with infection control policies, including activities directly related to the audit. 

• Plan and organize a regular environmental inspection. 

• Participate in hospital procurement and building committee meetings to advise on infection control requirements during the purchase of equipment, building construction, and renovation. 

• Identify and monitor all new equipment that conforms to infection control requirements standards. 

• Elaborate and update the isolation techniques and procedures following current standards, rules, and regulations. 

FACILITIES AND EQUIPMENT 

• Provide adequate and proper utilization of space and equipment for patient management and staff 

• Enforce all medical devices shall comply with the manufacturers’ instructions on Prevention Control Infection (PCI). 

• Enforce all staff to comply with no reuse of any disposables of medical surgical instruments or equipment. 

• Monitor the compliance with regulatory requirements for isolation facilities. 

SAFETY AND QUALITY IMPROVEMENT ACTIVITIES 

• Collaborate with the unit manager, and head of services to collect and evaluate clinical and administrative data, and participate in hospital-wide surveys like MSQH, JCI, IMS, etc. for continuous quality improvement efforts. 

• Adhere to the Occupational Safety and Health Act and Regulations 1994, which mandate reasonable work care, employer cooperation, protective equipment use, patient safety goals, World Alliance recommendations, patient and family rights policies, standard people practice, and 5S activities. 

SURVEILLANCE 

• Provide availability of planned and systematic safety and quality improvement activities and organize them according to infection control criteria. 

• Produce indicator reports that are available with tracking and trending. 

• Enforce appropriate action on all emerging and reemerging diseases taken and reported to the relevant authority 

• Evaluate the environmental health according to the standards of Infection Control. 

• Participate in sharp injury investigation and prevention activities. 

• Manage the data on the incidence of selected device use in the intensive care unit. 

• Participate in investigations of unusual hospital infection outbreaks using the microbiology laboratory, consulting with the Infection Control Chairman, and if necessary, with the Ministry of Health. 

• Report investigation findings to the appropriate authorities following the Infection Control Policy and Procedures. 

AUDIT 

• Plan, organize, and maintain a comprehensive audit schedule program for the year by ensuring audits are conducted timely and cover all necessary areas of infection control. 

• Perform audits by adhering to predetermined infection control criteria and best practices, identifying areas of non-compliance, and suggesting necessary corrective actions. 

• Participate in infection control clinical programs, analyze audit results, and provide feedback to relevant departments and nursing management teams. 

 Requirements:

Education: 

• Registered with the Nursing Board of Malaysia with a valid license to practice as a Registered Nurse  

• Post Basic qualification in Infection Control 

• Preferred Bachelor of Nursing 

Knowledge and Experiences: 

• Registered Nurse with at least 5 years of clinical experience and diversity in clinical experience and teaching. 

Skills & Competencies: 

• Evidence of having attended and successfully participated in courses related to Core elements of Infection Control, clinical microbiology, and Infectious Diseases, 

Special skills are . 

• Proficient in writing and conversing in English and Bahasa Malaysia. 

• Critical thinking, negotiation, and problem-solving skills. 

• Basic financial knowledge 

• Microsoft Office literacy 

Personal attributes  

• Good leadership, interpersonal, and communication skills. 

• Willingness to work on scheduled hours, shifts and weekends, public holidays, and any time called during an emergency. 

• Passionate and committed to patient-centered care and continuous quality improvement. 

• Caring, honest, and responsible workers 

• High integrity, patience, and attention to detail. 

• Be a positive and effective team leader