Registered Nurse Infection Preventionist

Veterans Health Administration • Honolulu, HI

1d

About The Position

The Infection Preventionist Registered Nurse provides competent, evidence-based infection control practices and is accountable for nursing-process elements when providing or supervising infection-control practices. The role coordinates care focused on education, self-management, and customer satisfaction across the continuum of care, follows established policies and guidelines, and collaborates with interdisciplinary team members to influence care outcomes.

The position contributes to the annual Infection Control Risk Assessment, identifies resources needed for the proposed plan, communicates variances to administration, and revises the plan as needed. It collaborates with Employee Occupational Health and the interdisciplinary team to plan and implement immunization programs, and assists the Infection Control Provider with the Clinical Case Registry for HIV/AIDS and Hepatitis C, including reports and clinician alerts.

The role provides leadership to ensure the Infection Control Program complies with applicable VHA, Joint Commission, OSHA, OIG, and state requirements. It evaluates and revises facility policies and procedures in response to national standards and works with clinical and administrative departments to provide reports, consultation, and data. It also advises on Infection Control Program requirements across organizational services and departments and systematically collects and analyzes infection data using current epidemiological principles.

Requirements

• Graduate from an appropriately accredited school of professional nursing, or meet the stated qualifying education pathway for foreign-educated nurses or master's-level bridge-program candidates.
• Hold current, full, active, and unrestricted registered professional nurse licensure in a U.S. state, territory, commonwealth, or the District of Columbia, subject to the stated Graduate Nurse Technician exception.
• Proficiency in basic written and spoken English.
• Possess a driver's license.
• Meet the education, professional nursing experience, and dimension criteria applicable to the assigned Nurse grade and level.
• Meet VA pre-employment requirements, including a physical evaluation, applicable background/security investigation, and seasonal influenza vaccination program participation.

Nice To Haves

• Bachelor's or master's degree in nursing or a related field.
• At least three years of RN experience.
• One or two years of RN medical-surgical experience.
• Knowledge and experience in infection prevention and control, epidemiology, and quality management.

Responsibilities

• Provide competent, evidence-based infection control practices.
• Contribute to the annual Infection Control Risk Assessment, determine resources needed, communicate variances to administration, and revise the plan as needed.
• Collaborate with Employee Occupational Health and interdisciplinary team members to plan and implement immunization programs, such as influenza vaccination.
• Assist the Infection Control Provider in managing the Clinical Case Registry for HIV/AIDS and Hepatitis C, including providing reports and alerts to clinicians.
• Lead efforts to ensure the Infection Control Program complies with mandated VHA, Joint Commission, OSHA, OIG, and applicable state requirements.
• Evaluate and revise facility policies and procedures to reflect changes in national standards from organizations such as APIC, CDC, SHEA, and IDSA.
• Collaborate with clinical and administrative departments, including Industrial Hygiene, Patient Safety, Engineering, Risk Management, and Employee Occupational Health, to provide reports, consultation, and other needed data.
• Consult on and assist with designing Infection Control Program requirements for organizational services and departments.
• Systematically collect and analyze infection data using current epidemiological principles.
• Coordinate care focused on education, self-management, and customer satisfaction throughout the continuum of care; follow established procedures and collaborate with interdisciplinary team members.

Benefits

• Competitive salary and regular salary increases.
• Potential performance awards.
• 50 days of paid time off per year: 26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, and 11 paid federal holidays.
• Traditional federal pension with five-year vesting.
• Federal 401(k) with up to 5% in contributions by VA.
• Federal health, vision, dental, term life, and long-term care insurance; many federal insurance programs may be carried into retirement.
• Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP) authorization.
• Relocation/recruitment incentives authorized.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: Associate degree