Infection Preventionist

Nevada System of Higher Education•Naperville, IL

6d•$39 - $60•Onsite

About The Position

The Infection Preventionist is responsible for overseeing and implementing infection control measures within a healthcare facility. This role involves monitoring, preventing, and controlling the spread of infectious diseases to ensure the safety of patients, staff, and visitors. Assures compliance with Joint Commission, OSHA, and the Illinois Dept. of Public Health standards and regulations, all within the context of controlling and minimizing infection risks and the promotion of quality care.

Requirements

Bachelors Degree Nursing Required Or Bachelors Degree Medical Technology Required Or Bachelors Degree Public Health Required
2 Years Experience as a staff nurse or laboratory scientist with a background in Infectious Diseases required
Strong interpersonal skills
Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal
Proficiency with Microsoft Office and an electronic medical record system
Working knowledge of The Joint Commission and other regulatory agencies’ requirements
Knowledgeable in adult education principles
Ability to prioritize and organize activities
Demonstrates results in their ability to lead others through influence
Demonstrates self-directed, results-oriented, and creative approach to organization change
Experience in group education and presentation
Registered Nurse (RN) - Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) Required Or Medical Laboratory Scientist (MLS) - American Medical Technologists (AMT) Required
Certified in Infection Control (CIC) - Certification Board of Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc. (CBIC) within two years of start date into position Required

Nice To Haves

Masters Degree Nursing Preferred Or Masters Degree Medical Technology Preferred Or Masters Degree Public Health Preferred
Previous Infection Prevention experience preferred

Responsibilities

Conducts surveillance to identify patients with communicable diseases requiring follow-up and isolation. Applies established criteria to identify and classify infections at various body sites.
Tracks risks, rates and trends in hospital-acquired infections. Recognizes statistical significance of surveillance data and identifies variances from baseline that require special attention. Compares data to results from published studies and recognized sources (e.g. CDC).
Conducts investigations of clusters of infection occurring above expected levels by collaborating with appropriate persons to establish study case definition, period of study, and case-finding methods. Utilizes epidemiological principles to design and conduct investigations.
Routinely performs infection prevention rounds and completes associated tracers to support infection prevention efforts and regulatory compliance.
Collaborates with Facilities and key stakeholders to ensure risk mitigation strategies are implemented before, during, and after project work.
Communicates with public health authorities relative to communicable disease control, prevention and reporting. Maintains appropriate records as required by regulation. Ensures maximum confidentiality of and access to such information
Establishes and maintains quality of care through direction of various department personnel and in cooperation with the Medical Staff and Clinical Quality/Clinical Excellence.
Collaborates with various departments on infection control issues as needed including but not limited to: Emergency Preparedness, Employee Health, Sterile Processing, EVS.
Communicates changes in regulations, guidelines, consensus statements, position papers and standards to appropriate parties. Influences and motivates others to enhance Infection Control perception in their work and personal habits.
Participates in development and implementation of system-wide policies and procedures related to Infection Control activities.
Provides new employee orientation and on-going in-service training to hospital personnel using principles of adult learning. Assesses the educational needs of health care providers pertaining to infection control and prepares, presents, or coordinates educational workshops, lectures, or one-on-one instruction as needed.
Works closely with the Employee Health Department to develop infection control strategies which address the risk of infection transmission between patients and health care providers, including investigation and follow-up for health care providers exposed to communicable diseases.
Assumes rotating on call responsibilities as needed including evenings, weekends, holidays. Duties include answering pages, reviewing laboratory reports, and isolation surveillance.