Infection Preventionist (Infection Control)

Roosevelt Care Centers•Old Bridge, NJ

About The Position

The Infection Preventionist collaborates with Infection Prevention leadership to develop, implement, and evaluate the organizational infection prevention program. The role conducts surveillance of long-term-care-acquired infections using CDC National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) definitions, records and reports communicable diseases, and helps develop annual surveillance plans and risk assessments. It uses epidemiologic principles to investigate outbreaks and implement control measures, supports infection prevention policies and procedures, and communicates infection prevention information and data to committees, leaders, departments, and healthcare workers. The position supports sterilization and disinfection practices, construction and renovation risk assessments, and compliance monitoring. It rounds on units and departments to observe practices and provide coaching, and participates in environment-of-care rounds and relevant committees. The Infection Preventionist designs and delivers education, supports regulatory compliance and accreditation, and uses performance-improvement methods to evaluate and improve processes and patient safety. The role also assesses occupational infectious-disease exposure risks, collaborates with Occupational Health and public health organizations, evaluates research and evidence-based practices, works with IT and Data Science on infection prevention reporting, and maintains professional development and accountability. Weekend or second-shift work or on-call availability may be required based on department needs.

Requirements

Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing, Microbiology, Public Health, Medical Technology, Health Care Administration, or a related field.
At least 2 years of experience in clinical or patient-care services or a relevant healthcare position.
Familiarity with software technologies such as Excel, MS Word, and NHSN.
Analytical and problem-solving skills.
Collaboration skills and 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.

Nice To Haves

Certification in Infection Control from the Certification Board of Infection Control and Epidemiology (CBIC) is preferred. If not certified, the Infection Preventionist must obtain certification within five years of beginning infection control practice and maintain it, as specified by New Jersey Department of Health licensing standards.

Responsibilities

Develop, implement, and evaluate the organizational infection prevention program in collaboration with Infection Prevention leadership.
Conduct surveillance of long-term-care-acquired infections according to CDC NHSN definitions and record and report communicable diseases as required by federal, state, and local authorities.
Develop annual surveillance plans and risk assessments based on populations served, services provided, and surveillance data.
Use epidemiologic principles to conduct surveillance, investigate outbreaks, and implement control measures.
Participate in developing, interpreting, and implementing infection prevention policies and procedures.
Communicate infection prevention information and data to committees, leadership, departments, and healthcare workers.
Review sterilization and disinfection policies and procedures, identify necessary changes, and monitor compliance.
Assist with Infection Prevention and Control Construction Risk Assessments for construction, renovation, and maintenance projects and monitor compliance with recommendations.
Round on units and departments to observe compliance and provide coaching on practices such as disinfection, hand hygiene, and PPE use.
Participate in environment-of-care rounds and network- or hospital-based committees as assigned.
Develop and conduct formal and informal infection prevention education; assess learning needs, set learning objectives and strategies, and evaluate program effectiveness and learner outcomes.
Comply with regulatory and mandatory reporting requirements and facilitate compliance with regulatory and accreditation standards.
Use performance-improvement methods and tools; monitor process and outcome measures; perform root cause or apparent cause analyses on healthcare-associated infections; and participate in improvement committees and initiatives.
Assess occupational infectious-disease exposure risks, develop mitigation strategies, assist with exposure-rate and trend analysis, and collaborate with Occupational Health on exposure investigations and management guidance.
Collaborate with organizational departments, public health officials, and community health organizations; involve multidisciplinary stakeholders and contribute to network meetings and projects.
Evaluate research and evidence-based practices, incorporate appropriate findings into routine practice, identify implementation barriers, and develop strategies to sustain improvements.
Use infection prevention software and technology and collaborate with IT and Data Science to create useful electronic reports.
Pursue professional development, maintain applicable certification and licensure, establish at least one professional goal annually, advocate for safety, and participate in a professional infection prevention organization or association.
Prepare and deliver infection prevention presentations to external groups and contribute to the development of less-experienced healthcare providers through education and mentorship.