Healthcare Associated Infections Coordinator (Senior Consultant)-61053182

State of South Carolina • Lexington County, SC

4d • Hybrid

About The Position

Under the general supervision of the Healthcare Associated Infections Unit (HAI) Manager in the Communicable Disease Epidemiology Section (CDES), this role supports the organization's mission of protecting the public's health by providing consultative, scientific, and technical expertise in the analysis and interpretation of epidemiologic data to prevent and control healthcare-associated infections as part of the HAI Unit. The position plans, organizes, coordinates, and evaluates activities of the HAI program for the Epidemiology and Laboratory Capacity (ELC) grant. This includes providing supervision to a team, serving as the primary point of contact for HAI communications and reporting to the CDC, coordinating activities with partners, and acting as a subject matter expert for HAI surveillance. The role also involves providing consultation and education to healthcare facilities, supporting outbreak investigations, and performing other related duties and special projects as assigned.

Requirements

• A bachelor's degree and professional experience related to the position.
• Graduation from an accredited school with a bachelor’s degree in medical laboratory technology, microbiology, or a Registered Nurse.
• At a minimum, four (4) years of experience as a medical laboratory technologist, microbiologist or as a Registered Nurse.
• One (1) year of work experience in a supervisory, managerial, teaching or consulting capacity.
• Must have a minimum of one (1) of year experience in infection prevention and control.
• Certification in Infection Control (CIC) and experience in healthcare associated infections (HAI) prevention practices, surveillance methods and definitions, and data analysis.
• Any equivalent combination of education and/or experience that demonstrates the required knowledge, skills, and abilities may be considered in meeting the minimum qualifications, subject to approval by the SCDPH Chief Human Resources Officer, or their delegate.

Nice To Haves

• Experience using Microsoft Office software.
• Experience using the National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) infection tracking system.

Responsibilities

• Provide supervision to a team which may include nurses, antibiotic stewardship (AS) pharmacist, and program coordinators.
• Serves as the primary point of contact for HAI communications with and reporting to Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), including annual workplan development for the HAI/AR section of the ELC Cooperative Agreement and reporting performance measures.
• Serves on the ELC work group to monitor HAI/AR program performance measures and spending.
• Coordination of activities with the AR Lab Network regional lab.
• Coordinates prevention activities with partners (e.g., healthcare facilities, SC Hospital Association (SCHA), South Carolina Health Care Association (SCHCA), quality improvement programs such as Quality Innovation Network-Quality Improvement Organizations (QIN-QIOs), etc.).
• Actively participates in convening the HIDA Advisory Committee, including maintaining and fostering relationships and coordinating implementation plans across partners to achieve HAI/AR priorities.
• Serves as a subject matter expert for HAI surveillance for the prevention and control of HAIs and emerging pathogens.
• Provide expert consultation and education to healthcare facilities and select non-healthcare settings regarding facility infection prevention and control programs and advise on procedures to prevent, identify, report, investigate, control communicable diseases, and emerging pathogen preparedness.
• Provide healthcare facilities written recommendations and guidance for mitigation of identified gaps.
• Maintain knowledge of Core Elements of Antibiotic Stewardship (AS) and support staff in the development of AS initiatives.
• Assist in identifying, developing and providing infection prevention and control training for public health staff, healthcare facilities and select non-healthcare settings.
• Assist the HAI epidemiologist in reviewing and validating NHSN data as needed.
• Support outbreak investigation and response activities for novel or targeted multidrug-resistant organisms and other HAIs.
• Support rapid response to control newly identified HAI and AR risks.
• Conduct response-driven on-site infection control assessments at healthcare facilities where an outbreak has been identified.
• Assist as needed with facilitating coordinated response between interconnected facilities.
• Assist as needed with facilitating colonization screenings.
• Provide continued follow-up and assistance with facilities until infection control gaps have been addressed.
• Performs other related duties and special projects as assigned, including required travel if requested, and responds as directed during emergencies which may occur outside normal work hours, and travel if requested.

Benefits

• 15 days Annual (Vacation) Leave per year
• 15 days Sick Leave per year
• 13 Paid Holidays
• Paid Parental Leave
• Health, dental, vision, long-term disability, and life insurance for employees, spouse, and children.
• S.C. Deferred Compensation Program available
• Retirement benefit choices
• State Retirement Plan (SCRS)
• State Optional Retirement Program (State ORP)

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior