RN Infection Preventionist and Education Specialist

Cura Health•Long Prairie, MN

13d

About The Position

Cura of Long Prairie is seeking an RN Infection Preventionist and Education Specialist to join its leadership team. Under the direction of the Director of Nursing (DON), this role supervises nursing services and supports resident care in accordance with facility policies and state and federal requirements. The position may fulfill the DON’s duties during an absence or vacancy and may make decisions pertinent to facility operations in the DON’s absence, in accordance with the organizational chart. The role leads infection control activities and staff education, including chairing the Infection Control Committee, coordinating required in-services, maintaining training and vaccination records, and preparing orientation materials for pool staff. It also supports MDS and Medicare processes, quality assurance, resident assessments and care planning, nursing department staffing, and coordination of care with other disciplines. The position manages RNs, LPNs, and NARs and carries out supervisory responsibilities under facility policies and applicable laws. The employee is a mandated reporter of suspected maltreatment, neglect, or abuse involving vulnerable residents or tenants and must report allegations to a supervisor and appropriate state agencies. The job requires an active Minnesota RN registration, nursing-service administration training and/or experience, knowledge of long-term care and Medicare A requirements, and the ability to teach and supervise staff. Physical duties include standing, walking, sitting, reaching, crouching, handling equipment and providing care, and lifting or moving up to 25 pounds. The work environment is occasionally a normal office environment with moderate-to-loud noise.

Requirements

Graduation from an accredited school of nursing.
Registration as a professional Registered Nurse in the State of Minnesota.
Training and/or experience in nursing service administration.
Thorough knowledge of professional nursing theory and practice, nursing service administration, restorative nursing, and Medicare A requirements.
Considerable knowledge of psychiatric nursing and/or geriatric nursing.
Ability to plan, assign, and supervise the work of others.
Ability to establish and maintain effective working and public relationships and harmonious relationships with the healthcare team.
Ability to maintain accurate and complete records and prepare clear, detailed reports.
Ability to read, analyze, and interpret complex documents and respond effectively to sensitive inquiries or complaints.
Ability to write speeches and articles using original or innovative techniques or style, and to deliver effective persuasive presentations on complex or controversial topics.
Ability to work with probability and statistical inference and apply fractions, percentages, ratios, and proportions to practical situations.
Ability to apply logical or scientific thinking to a wide range of problems and work with abstract and concrete variables.
Ability to manage stress from multiple tasks, noise, interruptions, and deadlines while working cooperatively and maintaining a pleasant demeanor.
Basic computer skills or the ability to acquire them.
Ability to organize and prioritize projects, communicate effectively, and process information accurately.
Ability to demonstrate leadership, creativity, integrity, tact, good judgment, honesty, punctuality, dependability, and organizational loyalty.
Ability to monitor nursing operations and maintain a safe, secure, and dignified environment for residents.
Ability to hear and distinguish normal sounds and alarms, distinguish sounds through a stethoscope, interpret low voice levels, and detect odors such as smoke, spoiled food, or soiled linen.
Ability to stand, walk, sit, use hands to handle or feel, reach, crouch, talk, hear, taste or smell, and lift or move up to 25 pounds.
Required vision abilities include close, color, distance, peripheral, and depth vision and the ability to adjust focus.

Responsibilities

Develop and maintain nursing service objectives, standards of nursing practice, procedure manuals, written job descriptions, and an organizational plan outlining nursing service structure and communication lines.
Fulfill DON duties during a position opening or long-term absence and make facility-operation decisions in the DON’s absence as outlined by the organizational chart.
Fill nursing floor shifts during critical staffing shortages, including day, evening, night, and weekend shifts, and participate in the nursing leadership on-call rotation.
Complete infection control program requirements; lead the Infection Control Committee; and establish meeting times and procedures and policies.
Educate staff on the MDS process and serve as backup for the MDS Coordinator.
Verify that staff competencies are completed and coordinate Medicare certifications.
Participate in planning, developing, and implementing written resident care policies, and bring resident care problems requiring policy changes to the QA committee.
Maintain effective working relationships with facility administration and coordinate nursing services with other resident care services, including physicians, physical therapy, occupational therapy, and dietary services.
Participate in selecting prospective residents based on their nursing needs and available nursing competencies.
Ensure each resident has a care plan, that the plan is reviewed quarterly, and that it is modified as necessary.
Be accountable to the DON and provide, direct, and supervise nursing care through appropriate written delegation of responsibility and authority.
Review each facility admission and assist the attending physician in planning continuing care for each resident.
Report accidents and dereliction of duties; record and handle narcotics and barbiturates; and ensure nursing notes describe care rendered informatively and accurately.
Define and assign nursing personnel duties consistent with each staff member’s education, preparation, and license.
Coordinate Quality Assurance activities and participate in QA as directed by the Administrator and QI.
Apply Federal and State regulations and guidelines, including required in-services and Resident Rights, and support residents’ quality of life through staff education.
Teach long-term care skills and concepts according to facility needs and provide ongoing staff supervision and instruction.
Prepare orientation materials for pool staff and ensure their orientation is completed before they work at the facility.
Develop and post an annual in-service calendar, maintain its records, arrange mandated in-services, and report to the DON staff who miss required in-services.
Maintain records of employee hepatitis vaccinations.
Assist with pre-admission screening; coordinate Medicare denial letters, MDS schedules with other disciplines, and Medicare charting schedules; and assist with implementing policies and procedures affecting Medicare coverage.
Monitor nursing department operations and the care environment to support residents’ safety, security, and dignity.
Manage RNs, LPNs, and NARs, including interviewing, hiring, training, assigning and directing work, appraising performance, rewarding and disciplining employees, and addressing complaints and problems, as applicable.
Perform other duties assigned by the DON within the scope of the Minnesota Nurse Practice Act and attend training or staff development activities as required.
Report suspected maltreatment, neglect, or abuse of vulnerable residents or tenants to a supervisor and appropriate state agencies.
Safely perform essential job functions, with or without reasonable accommodation, without posing a direct threat to employees, residents, or oneself.