Infection Preventionist - Lompoc Valley Medical Center (California)
Job Description
RN Infection Preventionist
Position Summary:
• Reports to the Chief of Quality Assurance, Risk Management and Infection Control.
• Support monitoring, facilitation and evaluation of the Infection Control program
• Support activities relating to the integrated Quality Assurance Program
District Responsibility:
• Demonstrate performance consistent with the mission, vision, and values of the organization.
• Demonstrate Respect, Professionalism and Courtesy to all patients, visitors, other providers and coworkers, as delineated in the LVMC “Commitment to Care”.
• Constantly use C-I-CARE principles when communicating with others.
• Possess an understanding of healthcare education and infection control.
• Strive for professional development.
Position Duties/Responsibilities:
• Serves as a member of the Infection Control Subcommittee
• Serves as a member and resource for the Safety Committee.
• Facilitates hospital Infection Control Program activities with data support, analysis and internal consulting
• Maintains current knowledge of key hospital accrediting and regulatory agency indicators/standards including CDC, CDPH, CIHQ guidelines and recommendations.
• Assists in providing Infection Prevention orientation and other in-service programs related to infection prevention and control hospital-wide.
• Collaborates with HR and provides direction regarding employee health issues such as exposures, vaccines or vaccine preventable diseases, communicable diseases and other infection prevention/control related issues involving hospital employees.
• Assists in development of policies and procedures that support key infection prevention and control functions
• Support and participate in interdisciplinary performance and quality improvement process
• Identifies, investigates, reports, health care associated infections among patients and personnel through ongoing surveillance.
• Maintains logs with infection surveillance data
• Makes recommendations proactively using evidence based best practice to mitigate potential problems/improvement opportunities.
• Collaborates and reports to appropriate agencies, regulatory organizations
• Access Internet for CDC, APIC and CDPH Infection Control guidelines
• Use various computer systems and software including: Microsoft Office, NHSN/CDC & Quantros
• Other duties as assigned.
Essential Functions:
The infection control practitioner:
• Conducts rounds, promoting best practice and monitoring infection control practices throughout the organization.
• Collects infection control data from departments, performs analysis and provides reports and recommendations for improvement to key stakeholders.
• Provides education to staff on implementation of infection control practices
• Investigates and reports incidents related to infection control as required by hospital policy and federal and state regulation.
• Assists in recommending appropriate supplies required for infection control related safety practices.
• Physically able to round in multiple departments regularly and may require prolonged standing during procedure observations related to infection control surveillance.
• Facilitates hospital Infection Control Program activities with data support, analysis and internal consulting.
• Collaborates with HR and provides direction regarding employee health issues such as exposures, vaccines or vaccine preventable diseases, communicable diseases and other infection prevention/control related issues involving hospital employees.
• Access Internet for CDC, APIC and CDPH Infection Control guidelines
• Ability to use various computer systems and software including: Microsoft Office, NHSN/CDC & RLDatix/Quantros with proficiency.
Position Minimum Qualifications:
• Education: Registered Nurse/Bachelor's Degree preferred.
• Current California Registered Nurse License
• Certification in Infection Control or ability to obtain certification in Infection Control within 2 years of hire.
• Experience: Two years current clinical experience in an acute healthcare organization required
• Previous experience in Infection Control or related field preferred.
• Quality Improvement background preferred
Skills/Ability:
• Excellent written and verbal communication
• Possess excellent analytical skills
• Excellent interpersonal skills
• Time management demonstrating ability to plan multiple assignments, organize and follow through with accuracy
• Ability to problem solve
• Self motivated with minimal supervision
• Proficiency with WORD, EXCEL and Power Point programs
• LVMC reserves the right to modify the minimum requirements depending on the needs of the organization.
* This article was originally published here
