Infection Prevention / Director of Staff Development (IP/DSD) - Ahwatukee Post Acute

PACS

12d • Onsite

About The Position

This role is responsible for planning, developing, organizing, implementing, and evaluating the infection control program in accordance with current rules, regulations, and guidelines for nursing care facilities. The position ensures the facility adheres to CDC, OSHA, and local regulations concerning infection control and standard/universal precautions. It involves developing and maintaining infection control precautions, aseptic techniques, and a reference library for infection control materials. The role also includes making reports and recommendations to the Administrator, assisting departments in identifying tasks with exposure risks, monitoring infection control practices, conducting rounds, visiting isolated residents, ensuring laboratory support, and reviewing infectious disease reports. Additionally, the position assists in developing guidelines for decontamination and sterilization, performing tests on sterile supplies, monitoring shelf life, reprocessing items, and ensuring proper disposal of contaminated materials. A key responsibility is preparing monthly summaries of infections and corrective actions, as well as special investigation summaries. The role also involves maintaining records of infections, participating in surveys for carriers, and assisting with discharge planning and TB management programs. Administrative duties such as completing medical forms and reports are also part of the role. The position serves on the Infection Control Committee, representing it as required, and assists in evaluating and revising infection control practices. It also involves developing and implementing a system for detecting, evaluating, recording, and reporting infections among facility personnel, and assisting in the employee health services program. The role includes orienting new employees to infection control policies, reporting occupational exposures, and maintaining good working relationships with other departments and medical professionals. The position participates in resident admission interviews, ensures nursing staff follow isolation precautions, interviews residents/families about precautions, makes rounds with physicians, monitors medication passes for proper hand hygiene, and reviews nurses' notes for residents on precautions. Direct nursing care may be provided as necessary. The Staff Development aspect involves developing and maintaining an effective orientation program for new employees regarding infection control and employee health, assisting in in-service training programs, and developing training for personnel performing tasks with exposure risks. The role also recommends equipment and supply needs, ensures adequate stock levels, assists in developing preventive maintenance for equipment, and develops procedures for efficient supply use and proper labeling of contaminated equipment. The position assists in developing and maintaining resident care plans for those on infection control precautions, encouraging resident participation, and ensuring all involved personnel are aware of the care plan. Budgeting assistance for the infection control program and reporting suspected fraud are also included. The role involves identifying and classifying tasks with potential exposure risks, assisting in developing policies to prevent disease spread, ensuring personnel training for such tasks, and ensuring adequate supplies of personal protective equipment. It also assists in developing policies for handling and disposal of needles, sharps, and infectious waste. The position assesses new resident care products/procedures and provides confidential counseling for employee testing mandates (HBV and TB), maintaining exposure reports confidentially. The Infection Control Nurse is delegated administrative authority and responsibility, reporting to the Director of Nursing Services.

Requirements

• Possession of a Nursing Degree from an accredited college or university.
• 2 years or more experience, preferably in a long-term care facility.
• Working knowledge of epidemiology, microbiology, infectious diseases, and aseptic technique to include standard/universal precautions.
• Ability to read technical procedures.
• Ability to read and comprehend policy and procedure manuals.
• Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from managers and employees.
• Ability to apply concepts such as fractions, percentages, ratios and proportions to practical situations.
• Ability to solve practical problems.
• Ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form.
• Current, unencumbered, active license to practice as a Registered Nurse in this state.
• Current CPR certification.
• Must maintain all required continuing education for licensing.
• Must remain in good standing with the State Board of Nursing at all times.
• Must be able to move intermittently throughout the workday.
• Must be able to cope with the mental, emotional, and physical stress of the position.
• Must be able to see and hear or use prosthetics that will enable these senses to function adequately.
• Must meet the general health requirements set forth by the policies of this facility, which include a medical and physical examination.
• Must be able to push, pull, move, and/or lift a minimum of 25 pounds to a minimum height of 5 feet and be able to push, pull, move, and/or carry such weight a minimum distance of 50 feet.
• Must be willing to perform tasks that may involve exposure to the resident’s blood/body fluids.
• May be necessary to assist in the evacuation of residents during emergency situations.

Nice To Haves

• APIC Certification in infection control preferred, but not necessary.
• Knowledge and experience with PCC preferred.

Responsibilities

• Plan, develop, organize, implement, and evaluate the infection control program.
• Ensure compliance with current rules, regulations, and guidelines for nursing care facilities.
• Ensure adherence to CDC, OSHA, and local regulations concerning infection control and standard/universal precautions.
• Develop, maintain, and update infection control precautions and aseptic technique.
• Maintain a reference library of infection control materials.
• Make written and oral reports/recommendations to the Administrator regarding the infection control program.
• Assist departments in evaluating and classifying job functions involving exposure to blood/body fluids.
• Monitor infection control practices and procedures for all personnel.
• Make rounds to nursing units for case findings, environmental sanitation review, and supervision of isolation precautions.
• Visit isolated residents to ensure adherence to isolation precautions and aseptic technique.
• Ensure laboratory support is available for microbiological and serological services.
• Review and analyze infectious disease laboratory reports and consult with the Director of Nursing Services on care plans.
• Assist in developing and implementing guidelines for decontamination and sterilization.
• Perform periodic testing of sterile packs, bundles, supplies, and sterilization equipment.
• Monitor the designated shelf life of medical items and reprocess as necessary.
• Ensure proper disposal and removal of infective and contaminated materials.
• Prepare monthly summaries of resident/personnel infections, corrective actions, and results.
• Prepare summaries of special investigations on nosocomial and community-acquired infections.
• Maintain a written record of all residents and employees with nosocomial infections.
• Participate in surveys of possible carriers and tracing of infection sources.
• Assist in developing infection control procedures for laundry and environmental services.
• Participate in facility surveys and inspections.
• Assist in developing and implementing discharge plans for residents on infection control precautions.
• Assist in the development and implementation of a facility-wide TB management control program.
• Report all reportable diseases to the county and state health departments.
• Perform administrative duties such as completing medical forms, reports, and evaluations.
• Serve on, participate in, and attend Infection Control Committee meetings.
• Represent the Infection Control Committee as required.
• Assist the Infection Control Committee in evaluating and revising infection control practices.
• Assist the Infection Control Committee in establishing criteria for classifying job tasks involving exposure risks.
• Provide the Infection Control Committee with reports on nosocomial infections.
• Ensure major changes in cleaning products or techniques are approved by the Infection Control Committee.
• Assist in evaluating and implementing recommendations from the Infection Control Committee.
• Provide information and recommendations concerning TB assessment and isolation protocols.
• Develop and implement a system for detecting, evaluating, recording, and reporting infections originating with facility personnel.
• Assist the personnel director in developing and implementing the employee health services program.
• Provide employee counseling as outlined in the infection control and employee health program.
• Provide personnel with information concerning hepatitis B vaccinations.
• Assist in establishing TB Mantoux testing and recordkeeping protocols for employees.
• Orient new employees to infection control policies, procedures, personal hygiene, and handwashing techniques.
• Report occupational exposures to blood, body fluids, infectious materials, and hazardous chemicals.
• Meet with staff to identify and correct problem areas and improve services.
• Develop and maintain a good working rapport with all department directors and personnel.
• Maintain an excellent working relationship with the medical profession and other health facilities.
• Review complaints and grievances filed by department personnel.
• Report known or suspected incidents of fraud to the Administrator.
• Ensure departmental computer workstations are properly logged off or password protected.
• Participate in interviewing and selecting residents for admission.
• Ensure all nursing service personnel follow established isolation precautions and aseptic technique.
• Ensure residents with known communicable or infectious diseases are placed in isolation or on infection control precautions.
• Interview residents or family members and explain isolation and standard/universal precautions.
• Make rounds with physicians as necessary.
• Encourage physicians to record and sign progress notes and orders timely.
• Monitor medication passes and treatments to ensure appropriate handwashing/hand hygiene.
• Review nurses’ notes for residents on isolation precautions.
• Assist nursing service personnel in performing nursing care procedures.
• Obtain culture samples in accordance with established procedures.
• Provide direct nursing care as necessary.
• Develop, implement, and maintain an effective orientation program for new employees regarding infection control and employee health.
• Assist support services in developing, implementing, and conducting in-service training programs relative to infection control.
• Assist the In-service Director/Educator in developing annual OSHA and CDC in-service training programs.
• Develop a training program for all personnel required to perform tasks involving exposure to blood/body fluids.
• Recommend equipment and supply needs for an effective infection control program.
• Ensure a stock level of medical supplies and equipment is maintained.
• Assist the maintenance director in developing a preventive maintenance program for nursing department equipment.
• Develop and implement procedures to ensure efficient use of nursing service supplies and avoid waste.
• Ensure policies governing the labeling or tagging of contaminated equipment are followed.
• Assist in the development, implementation, and maintenance of a written plan of care for each resident on infection control precautions.
• Encourage resident participation in the development and review of their care plan.
• Assist in scheduling care plans for committee meetings.
• Ensure all personnel involved in resident care are aware of the care plan.
• Review nurses’ notes to determine if the care plan is being followed.
• Review and revise care plans as necessary, at least quarterly.
• Develop and maintain a good rapport with all services involved with the care plan.
• Assist the Director of Nursing Services in preparing the department budget for infection control.
• Keep abreast of economic conditions and recommend budget adjustments.
• Recommend equipment and supply needs for the Infection Control Program.
• Report suspected or known incidence of fraud relative to billings, cost reports, kickbacks, etc.
• Identify, evaluate, and classify job functions with potential exposure to blood/body fluids.
• Assist department directors in developing policies and procedures to prevent and control infectious diseases.
• Ensure personnel performing tasks with potential exposure participate in appropriate in-service training.
• Ensure adequate supplies of personal protective equipment are available.
• Assist in developing policies and procedures for handling and disposal of needles and other sharp instruments.
• Assist the maintenance engineer in developing and implementing waste disposal policies for infectious waste.
• Assess and/or evaluate new or improved resident care products or procedures.
• Provide counseling for employee testing mandates (HBV and TB exposure) and maintain in confidential manner.
• Maintain resident/employee exposure reports in a confidential manner.

Benefits

• Equal opportunity employer status
• Consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, protected veteran status, or any other legally protected status.

What This Job Offers

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