Infection Preventionist

CommonSpirit Health•Santa Maria, CA

6d•Onsite

About The Position

As our Infection Preventionist, you will be responsible for developing, implementing, and evaluating effective infection prevention and control programs across the organization. Every day you will conduct surveillance for healthcare-associated infections, analyze data to identify trends, and design evidence-based interventions to prevent their spread. This includes educating staff, consulting on infectious disease issues, and ensuring compliance with regulatory standards and best practices. To be successful in this role, you will demonstrate expert knowledge of infectious diseases, epidemiology, and public health principles, coupled with strong analytical skills and excellent communication abilities to influence positive changes in clinical practice and safeguard patient and staff well-being. Responsible for assisting the department to ensure compliance with Hospital Accreditation Standards, State and CMS regulations, and for the daily operations of the Infection Prevention Department. Assists the department leader with ongoing assessment and development of programs, policies and procedures, and forms to address the Infection Prevention needs of employees, volunteers, contract workers, independent contractors, physicians, registry workers, and students in accordance with the guidelines established by the regulatory agencies. Oversees and monitors the clinical work of staff. Identifies competency and training needs. Coordinates and oversees training. Utilizes senior area staff to assist with training and provides clinical expertise. Identifies and implements updates to the Infection Prevention Program when new regulations and/or professional guidelines are published. Collaborates with the department leader in all infection prevention related activities associated with surveillance, performance improvement, and education which are intended to ensure that the facility's patients, personnel, and visitors will be protected from transmission of diseases and infection within the facility's environment as identified in the core competency model by the Association for Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC).

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Science (i.e. Microbiology, Biology, Nursing, Public Health) or Associates with three (3) years of related job or industry experience
Minimum of three (3) years clinical experience in Nursing, Microbiology, Biology, Public Health or other healthcare related field
An active license in state of practice is required for a Registered Nurse or Clinical Lab Scientist.
Certification in Infection Prevention and Control by the Certification Board of Infection Control and Epidemiology (CIC) to be obtained during first two (2) years of hire.

Responsibilities

Developing, implementing, and evaluating effective infection prevention and control programs across the organization.
Conducting surveillance for healthcare-associated infections.
Analyzing data to identify trends.
Designing evidence-based interventions to prevent the spread of infections.
Educating staff on infection prevention.
Consulting on infectious disease issues.
Ensuring compliance with regulatory standards and best practices.
Assisting the department to ensure compliance with Hospital Accreditation Standards, State and CMS regulations.
Overseeing and monitoring the clinical work of staff.
Identifying competency and training needs.
Coordinating and overseeing training.
Utilizing senior area staff to assist with training and providing clinical expertise.
Identifying and implementing updates to the Infection Prevention Program when new regulations and/or professional guidelines are published.
Collaborating with the department leader in all infection prevention related activities associated with surveillance, performance improvement, and education.