Director, Infection Prevention

Hackensack Meridian Health•Edison, NJ

7d•$148,262

About The Position

The Director of Infection Prevention oversees the development, implementation, and management of an Infection Prevention program in conjunction with the Hospital Epidemiologist, Regional Chief Quality Officer, Medical Director, Quality and System Improvement, and HMH VP of Infection Prevention and Control. The program is intended to minimize infectious risks to patients, families, and Team Members while complying with applicable regulatory, government, accrediting, and licensing requirements and organizational policies. The role analyzes, interprets, and reports surveillance data; leads performance improvement initiatives; evaluates program effectiveness; oversees outbreak investigations; and directs infection prevention education for Team Members and patients. The Director develops and evaluates the organizational program, conducts annual risk assessments, sets infection prevention plans and goals, oversees healthcare-associated infection surveillance and reporting, and manages outbreak investigations and control measures. The role also oversees infection prevention practices related to sterilization, disinfection, construction, and sanitation, including construction risk assessments. The Director collaborates with clinical and non-clinical teams, public health agencies, Occupational Health, IT, Data Science, committees, and community organizations. The position develops and delivers education, supports regulatory and accreditation readiness, applies performance improvement and high-reliability methods, and contributes to research and implementation of evidence-based practices. It directly supervises Infection Prevention team members, including hiring, orientation, performance appraisals, coaching, and professional development, and develops and maintains departmental budgets. The department must have 24/7 coverage; weekend and/or second-shift work or on-call duty may be required based on department needs.

Requirements

Minimum 5 years of experience in clinical/patient care services or a relevant healthcare position.
Minimum 3 years of experience in Infection Prevention.
Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing, Microbiology, Public Health, Medical Technology, Healthcare Administration, or a related field.
Certification in Infection Control.
Analytical problem-solving skills.
Collaboration skills.
Strong oral and written communication skills.
Ability to implement evidence-based guidelines.
Conflict-resolution skills.
Program and project management skills.
Expertise in data collection and analysis, report writing, and data presentation.
Leadership skills.
Computer experience with multiple programs, including Google applications.
Strong working knowledge of infection prevention programs such as NHSN, CDRSS, and EPIC Bugsy.
Working knowledge of Infection Prevention.

Responsibilities

Develop, implement, and evaluate the organizational Infection Prevention program.
Conduct annual risk assessments and develop annual Infection Prevention plans based on populations served, services provided, and surveillance data.
Develop initiatives and interventions to meet Network- and Hospital-level infection prevention goals.
Communicate infection prevention information and data to committees and administrative, medical, nursing, and other leadership.
Analyze infection prevention data for trends and provide timely, actionable reports and feedback.
Oversee surveillance for hospital-acquired infections and ensure compliance with CDC NHSN definitions, CMS requirements, and state and local reporting requirements.
Manage the NHSN database for accuracy, analytics, and reporting.
Oversee documentation and reporting of communicable diseases as required by federal, state, and local authorities.
Evaluate and manage infection-related outbreak investigations, implement control measures, and monitor their effectiveness.
Develop, interpret, and support implementation and education of infection prevention policies and procedures; review relevant department policies annually.
Oversee standards, practices, and compliance involving sterilization, disinfection, construction, and sanitation as they relate to Infection Prevention.
Oversee Infection Prevention and Control Construction Risk Assessments for construction, renovation, and maintenance projects and monitor compliance with recommendations.
Ensure team members round on units and departments to observe compliance and provide just-in-time coaching on practices such as disinfection, hand hygiene, and PPE.
Serve as a liaison with community and public health departments regarding potential or actual communicable disease issues.
Collaborate with the Value Analysis Committee to establish infection control criteria for medical and surgical products and assist in evaluating new products.
Ensure 24/7 departmental coverage; work or be on call weekends and/or second shift when required by department needs.
Develop written infection prevention and control education materials and assist with orientation and continuing education for employees, volunteers, and clinical staff.
Assess learning needs; develop education goals, objectives, and strategies; and evaluate educational programs and learner outcomes.
Ensure compliance with regulatory and mandatory reporting requirements and facilitate compliance with regulatory and accreditation standards.
Help the organization evaluate and maintain readiness for state, federal, and accrediting agency surveys; maintain current knowledge of applicable standards.
Apply performance improvement methodology and High Reliability principles; scope projects, select tools, analyze measures, and support sustainable improvement.
Participate in performance improvement committees, teams, and initiatives.
Participate in developing and reviewing occupational health policies related to Infection Prevention; assess exposure risks and assist with exposure trends, immunization, screening, work restrictions, and recommendations as needed.
Directly supervise Infection Prevention team members, conduct introductory and annual performance appraisals, identify learning and career opportunities, coach and counsel staff, and take appropriate corrective action.
Hire and coordinate orientation of new team members and maintain documentation of team-member compliance with required programs.
Pursue professional growth, maintain certification and licensure requirements if applicable, establish at least one professional goal annually, and participate in a professional infection prevention organization or association.
Collaborate with clinical and non-clinical team members, public health officials, and community health organizations; provide coaching and hands-on support and involve multidisciplinary stakeholders in changes.
Participate in Network meetings and projects and support emergency preparedness for emerging infectious diseases, bioterrorism, and influenza.
Apply leadership, influence, and change-management principles; share expertise, mentor less-experienced healthcare providers, and deliver presentations to external groups.
Critically evaluate research and evidence-based practices, incorporate appropriate findings into routine practice, and develop strategies to address implementation barriers and sustain improvements.
Use infection prevention software and technology and collaborate with IT and Data Science to create useful electronic reports.
Consider financial, safety, and clinical-outcome implications when making recommendations and evaluating technology, products, policies, and procedures; assess costs, benefits, and efficacy.
Develop and maintain departmental budgets.
Perform other related duties as assigned.