Staff Development Coordinator/Infection Control

The Staffing and Development Coordinator/Infection Control is responsible for planning, directing, coordinating, and evaluating educational programs for nursing service and other departments, performing clinical tasks and assisting in other departments.

Note: All employees of Cascadia Healthcare are required to submit and be cleared to work in the facility per each 

state’s specific background check requirements prior to contact with patients/residents.

Essential Functions

• Ensures that clinical employees receive compliance training and education necessary to perform their job responsibilities.
• Oversees the process for competency evaluation of new clinical department personnel; recommends progression to permanent employment or extension of orientation/probationary period for new employees.
• Participates in employee recognition programs.
• Plans, organizes, and implements ongoing education and training programs for licensed nurses, nursing assistants, unit clerks, and other ancillary personnel to promote the knowledge and skills necessary for the provision of quality care consistent with services provided by the center.
• In coordination with the Chief Nursing Officer and the Chief Executive Officer, periodically reviews the competencies required for clinical personnel.
• Conducts or coordinates certification or training programs for Nursing Assistants to prepare them for state certification/competency exam as applicable.
• Conducts needs assessment through review of survey history, individual performance and competency evaluation, center performance improvement trends, input from center department managers, and input from individual staff members, to identify educational needs to staff.
• Provides and/or assists employees to identify available resources to achieve continuing education requirements if applicable.
• Ensures the educational curriculum in the center meets or exceeds state, federal and accreditation requirements.
• Develops and maintains monthly and annual education calendars.
• Ensures educational opportunities are effectively communicated to facility personnel.
• Provides clinical and classroom hands-on instruction, and on the job coaching to licensed and un licensed personnel.
• Coordinates and/or conducts CPR training for licensed personnel and applicable non-licensed personnel.
• Working with the Chief Nursing Officer (CNO) ensures clinical comptency of nursing staff through observed skills evaluation, and ensures completion of annual competency assessments for clinical personnel.
• Provides supplemental training and education as applicable for identified performance concerns and makes recommendations for additional training and follow up to the Department Manager.
• Collaborates with other staff, within the nursing service and other departments, to provide educational programs and experiences. Utilizes both internal and community resources in meeting staff development needs.
• Organizes and assists individuals with the development of learning opportunities for professional growth.
• Utilizes and disseminates current nursing literature and edcuational materials. Ensures staff awareness of current policies and procedures and professional standards of practice.
• Ensures staff edcuation and skills validation regarding patient care procedures and equipment.
• Ensures that documentation for all training and education is completed and maintained in accordance with state, federal and company requirements.
• Develops and facilititates and orientation program for all facility personnel. Orientation programs to include general orientation for new and rehired facility personnel and clinical orientation for clinical employees in accordance with company policy as well as state and federal requirements and other job specific/roles based training as needed.
• Plans, organizes and implements concise orientations for contract personnel.
• Coordinates students’ clinical experiences within the facility; provides orientation for visiting faculty and students.
• Manages Employee Health Program to include:
• Coordination of employee physicals if required
• Tracking of employee illness for identification of developing infection trends and enforcement of applicable work restrictions.
• Coordination of annual Influenza campaign
• Provision of TB screening and Hepatitis B vaccination
• Coordination of necessary medical follow up for work related injuries
• Ensures proper retention of employee health records in accordance with applicable laws and regulations.
• Participates in Worker’s Compensation/Blood Borne Pathogen programs as assigned with oversight of documentation requirements.
• Serves as a member of the facility Safety Committee and ensures education is provided to personnel in response to identified trends and immediate safety concerns.
• Serves as the facility’s Infection Control Preventionist, as assigned Responsibilities of the Infection Control Preventionist include but are not limited to the following:
• Chairs center Infection Control Committee
• Tracks and trends infections occurring in the center and among center personnel
• Alerts members of the Infection Control Committee of developing trends and infection Outbreaks
• Serves as liaison between the facility and state and local agencies for communication regarding reportable infections, infection trends and outbreaks
• Maintains surveillance documentation in accordance with company policy and procedure, and state and federal regulations
• Ensures appropriate infection control measures are implemented and maintained to contain significant infections, infection trends and infection outbreaks.
• Observes staff adherence to hand hygiene, Standard Precautions, and other infection control practices necessary to protect resident and employee health.
• Provides required routine infection control education as well as education pertaining to developing infection trends or outbreaks
• Reports analysis of infection rates and trends to the facility Quality Assurance/Performance Improvement committee and Infection Control subcommittee 
• Participates as a member of the facility’s Quality Assurance Performance Improvement Committee and applicable subcommittees and develops educational strategies to facilitate quality improvement efforts.
• Communicates effectively, actively listens & functions effectively as part of a team.
• Reads professional literature and participates in educational experiences that assist in maintaining and improving personal, clinical and teaching competencies.
• Recommends staff development program and resource needs to administration for budgets and contains expenditures to current budget.
• Punctuality and regular attendance for assigned shifts.

Other Functions

• Adheres to professional code of ethics.
• Conducts job responsibilities in accordance with the standards set out in the Company’s Code of Conduct, its policies and procedures, applicable federal and state laws, and applicable professional standards.
• Performs other tasks as assigned.

Knowledge/Skills/Abilities

• Ability to read, write, speak, and understand the English language.
• Ability to work in a team environment.
• Ability to make independent decisions when circumstances warrant such action and deal tactfully with personnel, residents, family members, visitors, government agencies/personnel, and the general public.
• Ability and willingness to work harmoniously with other personnel.
• Must have patience, tact, a cheerful disposition and enthusiasm, as well as the willingness to handle difficult residents.
• Willing to seek out new methods and principles and open to incorporate them into existing nursing practices.

Education

• Graduate of an accredited RN school of nursing; BSN degree preferred.

Licenses/Certification

• License as a RN in state employed.
• Current CPR certification.
• Valid CPR teaching certificate preferred.  
• Certified Infection Control Nurse preferred.
• Current with state Continuing Education (CE) requirements.

Experience

• Three (3) years of nursing experience, of which one (1) year was in a long-term care environment.
• One (1) year experience as an instructor preferred.
• One (1) year acute care experience preferred.