The Infection Preventionist develops and monitors the surveillance and infection prevention program for the organization: auditing, reviewing information trends, providing feedback to appropriate leaders and committees and assisting in development of improvement plans. The candidate must possess a high degree of and maintain knowledge of CDC guidelines and any other regulatory requirements.
KNOWLEDGE/EXPERIENCE: Experienced health care professional with a health science background; medical technician, nurse, physician/APN/PA, or pharmacist preferred
EDUCATION: BSN required OR equivalent degree in epidemiology or microbiology education required.
LICENSE/CERTIFICATION/REGISTRY/additional qualifications: Certification in Infection Control preferred or required within 2 years of start date. Knowledge of infectious disease process and interest in microbiology required.
Attributes: Demonstrated ability to work with difficult issues, such as risk management and patient safety, where harm may have occurred on a regular basis and maintain a healthy perspective: focusing on the need to change processes and embracing the concept of a fair and just culture. Demonstrated ability to manage for results in key areas such as clinical quality, service excellence, people management, and financial management. Demonstrated ability to create an environment of mutual trust and respect and two-way communication with all disciplines. Demonstrated ability to build team spirit and excitement. Demonstrated ability to actively pursue positive change, both personally and organizationally. Demonstrated ability to adapt to change. Demonstrated willingness to serve key constituents, including patients, coworkers, physicians, the community, and the organization and to exceed customer expectations as a consultant. Demonstrated ability to work in interdisciplinary team for the benefit of the organization as a whole. Demonstrated ability to control limited healthcare resources by effectively managing the organization's human, financial, technological, and other key resources. Demonstrated ability to organize the parts of a problem or situation by breaking it apart into small pieces, making systematic comparisons of different features or aspects and taking a step-by-step approach. Demonstrated ability to probe and ask questions, seeking first to understand before being understood. Conversely, the ability to see the “bigger picture” and understand system-wide implications of actions. Demonstrates integrity by actions that are consistent with what they say, communicating ideas openly and directly, and welcoming openness and honesty from others. Demonstrated ability and commitment to foster the growth and development of others. This includes the ability to be direct and clear; providing tools and assistance, while ensuring organizational leaders develop performance improvement skills to ensure organizational spread. Demonstrated ability to create a shared mission and vision and to effectively direct the activities of individuals and groups towards the accomplishment of established goals. Demonstrated ability to effectively communicate verbally and in writing. Demonstrated ability to manage multiple and conflicting priorities, stressors, deadlines, difficult situations and/or customers effectively.
Infection prevention and control:
Infection prevention and control practices specific to the population served by all services provided at St. Peter’s Health.Develops and implements systematic surveillance to monitor the effectiveness of strategies.Conducts and applies epidemiologic principles and research throughout all stages of practice.Provides education to staff, patients, families and the public.Partners with the Infection Prevention team and Infection Prevention Champions to conduct regular rounding on Acute Care Units and at St. Peter’s Health Clinic locations. Works hands on with frontline staff to maintain Infection Prevention competencies. Provides consultation and guidance in infection prevention, control and epidemiology, to all departments within the organization, including St. Peter’s Medical Group clinic locations.Acts as liaison with Local and Federal agencies regarding infectious disease surveillance and reporting.Collaborates with occupational health in the development of strategies to address transmission of disease to providers and staff.Evaluates the effectiveness of Infection Prevention programs. Utilizes performance improvement to promote optimal outcomes. Ensure compliance with accreditation standards and other rules/regulations, develop and update plan as needed.As a member of the Quality Department Team, the Infection Preventionist also assists team members with:
Contributing to performance improvement efforts.Assisting with statistical analysis.DNV-GL Infection Control Preparedness. Use of RCA, FMEA and TPS tools.Event Reports: assignment of responsibility for follow-up and completion of organizational trending analysis.