Administrative Nurse

Legacy Nursing and Rehabilitation•Pineville, LA

22h

About The Position

The position is responsible for minimizing the risk and spread of infection throughout the facility through oversight of the Infection Prevention and Control Program (IPCP). The role implements infection-control measures, trains residents, staff, and visitors, and participates in facility quality assurance, safety, resident care, education, and other meetings as requested or required. The Infection Preventionist is a member of the Interdisciplinary Team. The role oversees infection surveillance, reporting, investigation, prevention, and control for residents, staff, volunteers, visitors, and contracted service providers. Responsibilities include maintaining written policies and procedures, conducting an annual IPCP review, investigating outbreaks, reporting communicable disease incidents to agencies as required, and ensuring compliance with current infection-control, safety, OSHA, and other applicable regulations. The Infection Preventionist also oversees antibiotic stewardship and monitors residents’ antibiotic use. The position coordinates resident and staff influenza, pneumonia, and COVID-19 vaccinations and boosters, as well as tuberculosis testing. It tracks needs, arranges clinics, maintains consents and declinations, and enters related information into PointClickCare. The role uses PointClickCare to track and trend infections and generate reports as needed. The Infection Preventionist trains staff in infection-control practices and competencies, provides guidance in accordance with current CDC guidelines, promotes hydration practices, and ensures appropriate facility signage and precautions. The position collaborates with facility leadership, the medical director, physicians, and local, state, and national agencies on infection-prevention goals and activities. It also requires professional communication, confidentiality and HIPAA compliance, adherence to facility policies and conduct standards, and attendance at required in-service training.

Requirements

Primary training in nursing, medical technology, microbiology, epidemiology, or another related field.
Current license to practice as a nurse.
Enrolled in or completed Infection Preventionist certification.
Freedom from illegal drug use and from the use and effects of drugs and alcohol in the workplace.
Must not have been found guilty by a court of law of abusing, neglecting, or mistreating individuals in a health-care-related setting.
Comply with infection-control, safety, OSHA, HIPAA, facility policies, and Legacy compliance requirements.

Nice To Haves

Long-term care experience preferred.
Current CPR certification preferred.

Responsibilities

Implement infection-control measures and train residents, staff, and visitors to minimize infection risk and spread.
Participate in daily and monthly or quarterly QA meetings, Safety Committee meetings, Resident Council meetings when requested, care plan and high-risk meetings, in-service training, continuing education, and other required meetings.
Serve as a member of the Interdisciplinary Team.
Oversee the IPCP, including systems for preventing, identifying, reporting, investigating, and controlling infections and communicable diseases.
Maintain written infection-control standards, policies, and procedures, including surveillance, reporting, standard and transmission-based precautions, isolation practices, incident records, and corrective actions.
Conduct an annual review of the IPCP and update the program as necessary.
Obtain and track consents for influenza, pneumonia, and COVID-19 vaccinations and boosters, and tuberculosis testing for residents and staff; arrange clinics as needed.
Ensure vaccination and testing paperwork is scanned and administration data is entered into PointClickCare.
Use PointClickCare to track and trend infections and run reports as needed.
Conduct staff training and competencies upon hire and annually on infection-control topics, including hand hygiene, isolation, PPE, linen handling, environmental hazards, sanitation, and immunization programs.
Guide facility staff on isolation, visitation, group meals and activities, outings, employee isolation, mask requirements, COVID-19 testing, and vaccination or booster administration in accordance with current CDC guidelines.
Report infection-control concerns to the Director of Nursing and/or Administrator and present viable solutions.
Ensure the resident hydration program is effective and train staff on the role of hydration in reducing infection and illness.
Enforce facility policies and regulatory requirements regarding infection control.
Maintain current signage related to isolation, PPE, hand hygiene, visitation, testing, and best practices in high-traffic areas.
Collaborate with facility leadership and the medical director to develop, implement, and evaluate annual infection-prevention goals and action plans.
Partner with facility leaders, physicians, and local, state, and national agencies on infection-prevention activities.
Establish a facility-wide system for infection prevention, identification, investigation, and control, including surveillance to identify possible communicable diseases before they spread.
Conduct outbreak investigations and maintain a system for reporting communicable disease incidents to agencies as required.
Oversee the antibiotic stewardship program, monitor residents’ antibiotic use, and train nurses on assessment skills and tools to use before contacting physicians about antibiotics.
Assess the need for and develop and implement written infection-control policies and procedures, including standard and transmission-based precautions and their appropriate use and duration.
Enforce restrictions on staff with communicable diseases or infected skin lesions from direct contact with residents or their food, and enforce hand-hygiene policies.
Conduct surveillance of healthcare-acquired and community-acquired infections among residents, staff, volunteers, and visitors.
Maintain knowledge of federal, state, and local regulations and inform facility leaders of relevant issues; comply with infection-control, safety, and OSHA procedures and regulations.
Represent the facility professionally and communicate courteously with residents, families, coworkers, and vendors.
Maintain confidentiality of department, resident, and employee information and comply with HIPAA.
Attend required in-service training, accurately clock in and out for work and training hours, and comply with Legacy’s Compliance program, Code of Conduct, and Dress Code.