Coordinator - Infection Prevention - ROC - FT

UHS•Edinburg, TX

12h•Onsite

About The Position

This position assists the Infection Prevention Director with various hospital activities. Key responsibilities include delivering educational presentations, providing consultation to departments on infection control and prevention strategies, conducting surveillance of healthcare-acquired infections, and ensuring organizational compliance with regulatory agency protocols. The role is crucial in maintaining the goals and objectives of the Infection Prevention and Control Department and serving as a resource for all hospital employees and departments. The Coordinator will collaborate with the Infection Prevention Director to implement and maintain updated reports to comply with TJC, OSHA, CDC, DSHS, and other governing bodies. This includes maintaining department records, reviewing microbiology reports daily, investigating infections, and entering data into the Infection Control Module of MIDAS and/or the National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) database. The role also involves attending advanced training to enhance expertise, maintaining the Infection Prevention continuous quality improvement plan, performing surveillance monitoring, conducting weekly environmental rounds with follow-up on deficiencies, submitting required reports of reportable infections, and providing staff education on infection prevention and control. Additionally, the Coordinator will support staff with PPE education and needs, implement and ensure compliance with specific toolkits developed by UHS, monitor and implement improvement plans for National Patient Safety Goals related to Infection Prevention and Control, assist in reviewing and supporting the execution of STHS’s Pandemic Plan, and conduct pre-construction and annual IP risk assessments to determine future IP needs. The ultimate goal is to protect staff, providers, and patients from infectious illnesses and diseases.

Requirements

One to three years of experience in nursing, microbiology, public health or other related sciences.
Working knowledge of aseptic techniques and Infection Prevention for all age groups.
Must demonstrate commitment and adherence to STHS’s Compliance Program and Code of Conduct through compliance with all policies and procedures, the Code of Conduct, attendance at required training and immediately reporting suspected compliance issue(s) to the Compliance Officer.

Nice To Haves

Additional training in microbiology surveillance, techniques, statistics and education beneficial.
Previous experience in Infection Prevention and Control or related field such as a local, state, or federal health department preferred, or disease prevention in another capacity.
If Registered Nurse must be currently licensed in the State of Texas, part of a compact state license, or have a valid temporary RN license for the State of Texas while waiting to receive the permanent one.
RN will have BLS upon hire (and maintain through employment).
APIC Basic IC Course, Critical Care or Operating Room experience preferred (Nursing).
Microbiology clinical experience preferred.
Certification in Infection Control (CIC) or obtain certification within 2 years upon hire. All current employees not CIC Certified have 2 years to successfully complete certification.

Responsibilities

Assist Infection Prevention Director with assigned hospital activities, including educational presentations, consultation to departments on matters of infection control and prevention, surveillance of healthcare acquired infections, and organizational compliance with regulatory agency protocols.
Maintain goals and objectives of the Infection Prevention and Control Department.
Serve as a resource person to any hospital employee/department as requested.
Meet at least weekly or as needed with the Infection Prevention Director to review status of significant surveillance issues.
Assist IP Director in implementing and maintaining updated reports in order to comply with TJC, OSHA, CDC, DSHS and any other governing body.
Maintain department records of all surveillance reports and Infection Prevention meetings.
Review microbiology reports daily and conduct investigation of those that identify infections.
Enter infection data in the Infection Control Module of MIDAS and/or into the National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) data base.
Attend advanced training in areas of specific needs applicable to Infection Control in order to enhance the capabilities of the employee and the department.
Maintain the Infection Prevention continuous quality improvement plan as indicated by the hospital wide Infection Prevention and Control Program.
Perform surveillance monitoring according to IP schedule.
Conduct environmental rounds weekly and rotate sites each week, provides written deficiency report to director of the area evaluated and follows up on all deficiencies related to infection control.
Submit required reports to Hidalgo Health Department and TDH/CDC of reportable infections.
Provide staff education related to infection prevention and control.
Support staff with any PPE education or needs.
Implement any specific toolkits developed by UHS and ensure compliance of these kits.
Monitor and/or implement improvement plans for those National Patient Safety Goals related to Infection Prevention and Control.
Assist in reviewing and supporting execution of STHS’s Pandemic Plan.
Assist in conduction pre-construction IP risk assessments rounds.
Assist in an annual IP risk assessment and utilize the assessment to determine IP needs for the next year.
Evaluate the annual IP Plan for successes and areas for improvement to aid in developing the next year’s plan.
Work to protect staff, providers and patients from infectious illnesses and disease.