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Job Description Summary

The Senior Infection Preventionist supports the Southeast Health mission through system-wide coordination of planned and reliable processes designed to prevent hospital acquired infections and enhance continuous infection prevention processes.

The Senior Infection Preventionist is responsible for assisting in the administration and clinical operation of the Infection Control and Prevention Program for the organization. This involves professional responsibilities in patient care practices, epidemiology, statistics, infectious disease, education, communication, surveillance, mandatory reporting, product evaluation, disinfection, and sterilization.

They collaborate with stakeholders including ancillary, nursing, and medical staff to identify trends, prioritize and recommend improvements, and ensure compliance with Federal and State regulatory standards.

The Senior Infection Preventionist (SIP) is responsible for the surveillance, analysis, and reporting of hospital acquired infections; educating employees about infection control; and the development of organizational infection control standards that meet state and federal regulatory and accrediting bodies, CDC, and APIC guidelines

The Senior Infection Preventionist will also investigate incident reports and other infection control and prevention issues as requested by the supervisor.

Job Description

Essential Functions

Supports the Director of Quality and Regulatory Programs by:

• Monitoring, analyzing, and interpreting pathogen reports and infection statistics, followed by recommending appropriate control measures to prevent dissemination of resistant microorganisms
• Utilizing CDC’s National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) definitions and applying them consistently. This is performed by collecting, aggregating and analyzing NHSN data, providing the required reports and data submission to NHSN. Serves as National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) administrator for the facility
• Reporting required data to regulatory bodies, and local or federal authorities as required by law
• Leads the development of the annual infection prevention and control plan, annual report and risk assessment, and utilizes them to promote the program to internal and external stakeholders
• Creating a culture of continuous performance improvement and participating in the implementation of evidence-based practices designed to ensure safety, prevent infections, and support the attainment of outstanding clinical outcomes
• Conducting on-site infection control assessment (ICRA) and creating feedback reports following the assessment
• Apply evidence-based guidelines in conjunction with manufacturers’ instructions for use to provide guidance for cleaning, disinfection and sterilization of equipment.
• Providing consultation to prevent, analyze, and predict emerging outbreaks. Providing support to units during outbreaks or cluster of infections investigations
• Participating in ongoing infection prevention continuing educational programs for employees as well as new employee orientation
• Develop infection control rounding tools and coach new infection prevention staff on use of tools and follow up on the rounding process
• Following the principles and requirements of antibiotic stewardship, via tracking infections and antibiotic use. Communicates results and maintains records of investigations.
• Facilitating activities to ensure compliance with hand hygiene and isolation compliance
• Reviewing, revising, and developing policies and procedures within the purview of the Infection Prevention and Antibiotic Stewardship Committees. Facilitates and participates in the Infection Prevention Committee, under the direction of the chair. Participates in the Antibiotic Stewardship committee as representative of the Infection Prevention program, under the direction of the chair.
• Performs other duties as requested by primary manager that do not compromise moral code of conduct or protocols set in place for patient or employee safety

Direct Reports (supervised positions)

• none

Qualifications

Minimum Education Required

Baccalaureate degree in:

• Nursing (current nursing license)

or

• Public Health with Epidemiologist focus or other health related field

or

• Microbiologist

• Certification in Infection Prevention and Control or obtain/maintain within two years of hire.

Minimum Experience Required

• Nursing: five years clinical nursing experience in acute care setting

or

• Non-nursing: two years of acute care experience showing use of knowledge in basic surveillance and epidemiology

or

• Two years of prior experience as an Infection Preventionist in an acute care setting

• Required Skills/Abilities
• Demonstrates ability to communicate and organize concepts, ideas, verbally and in writing, with precise word usage, clear meaning, good presentation, vocabulary, grammar and correct spelling.
• Demonstrates ability to create and provide reports that synthesize infection prevention metric performance
• Advanced computer skills for creating statistical, qualitative, and quantitative analyses
• Demonstrates commitment to organizations five (5) priorities and Six Ground Rules
• Person in this position is required to understand, agree upon and follow our Six Ground Rules:
• No excuses.
• We are a team.
• Bring up your ideas.
• Poor performance will be addressed.
• “That’s not my job” is not acceptable
• Manage Up.

Shift

Day

Shift Details

FTE

1

Type

Regular

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Equal Employment Employer

Southeast Health is committed to provide equal employment opportunity (EEO) to all persons regardless of age, color, national origin, citizenship status, physical or mental disability, race, religion, creed, gender, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, genetic information, marital status, status with regard to public assistance, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local law. In addition, Southeast Health will provide reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities.