Job Summary:

The Infection Control Coordinator is a Registered Nurse who is qualified through education, training, experience or certification in infection prevention & control. This position monitors lab cultures to identify, isolate & prevent hospital-acquired infections. The Infection Control Coordinator collaborates with the Infection Control & Employee Health Manager (IC & EH Manager), as well as the medical & clinical staff to improve patient outcomes & protect healthcare staff from work-related exposures. This nurse is approved by South Central’s Board of Trustees as the infection control nurse responsible for infection prevention & control activities at SCRMC. This position reports to the IC & EH Manager & subsequently to the Director of Quality Director.

Job Duties & Responsibilities:

· Adheres to regulatory standards & hospital policy.

· Maintains professional & technical knowledge & pursues professional growth opportunities.

· Serves as a positive role model for staff.

· Keeps access to protected health information secure & confidential.

· Contributes to a safe, supportive work environment that promotes teamwork

· Reflects the mission, vision & performance standards of South Central Regional Medical Center.

· Coordinates infection prevention & control activities to reduce hospital acquired infections & prevent staff exposure to infectious disease.

· Responsible for infection surveillance, prevention & control policies, isolation protocol, the Infection Prevention Control Program plan with risk assessment & Exposure Control Plan.

· Perform the annual risk assessment based on surveillance data & findings from monitoring as outlined in the IPCP plan.

· Coordinates review of laboratory reports on C-diff, MRSA, CAUTI, CLABSI & SSI for data collection & monitoring with timely communication to clinical leaders & reports to Quality Council.

· In collaboration with the IC & EH Manager & the Infection Control, LPN conducts surveillance on inpatient units for monitoring isolation, device counts & observation of compliance with infection prevention practices & standards.

· Communicates & collaborates with the infection control data collection nurse on chart abstraction as needed for reporting data to CDC’s National Health Safety Network portal.

· Stays current on CDC’s, APIC, NHSN & DNV standards & regulations, & evidence-based practices related to control & treatment of infectious disease.

· Analyzes data collected on HAI & uses in various prevention strategies for performance improvement.

· Investigates possible outbreaks & develops strategies for prevention, reports to MS Dept of Health.

· Serves as an infectious disease resource for medical & hospital staff & administration.

· Works closely with department leaders to maintain a hospital-wide sanitary physical environment.

· Communicates & collaborates with the antibiotic stewardship program.

· Communicates & collaborates with the Infection Control & Employee Health Manager to conduct the Infection Control Committee. Creates reporting plan, meeting schedules & agendas. Support committee members who are responsible for all components of infection control at SCRMC.