Job Description

Position Title:Infection Preventionist Position Code:QMInfPre-8030

Department:Quality Management Oracle Title:Infection Preventionist-8030

Reports to:Sr. Director of Quality Management Safety Sensitive:☒ Yes ☐ No

Exempt Status:☒ Yes ☐ No

Position Purpose:

All KHI employees are expected to perform their respective tasks and duties in such a way that supports KHI’s vision to be among the kindest, highest quality health systems in the country.

Key Responsibilities

Surveillance:

• Apply epidemiologic principles and statistical methods, including risk stratification, to identify target population, analyze trends and risk factors, and design and evaluate prevention and control strategies.

• Conduct on-going surveillance using National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) infection criteria, definitions, documentation, and investigation of hospital and community associated infections through review of admission diagnoses, microbiology culture results, isolation needs, patient records, consultation requests, post-discharge surveillance, and autopsy findings.

• Assess environmental control through surveillance of water supply systems as needed, air pressure relationships for high risk environmental monitoring.

• Conduct environmental healthcare safety rounds in all inpatient and outpatient care areas.

• Participate in investigations of unusual hospital infection outbreaks utilizing microbiology laboratory, consultation with Infectious Disease Division, county/state public health departments, and when necessary in consultation with the Center for Disease Control. Report epidemiologically significant findings to appropriate shareholders and customers.

• Evaluate the effectiveness of the surveillance plan and modify as necessary.

• Report all in-house patients with communicable disease to the county and/or State health department and maintain appropriate records. Compile, interpret and present surveillance reports to Infection Prevention committee, specialty areas, nursing care units, and Quality Council on a regular basis.

• Share infections identified as present on admission and present post discharge to appropriate discharge and admitting facility and keep log.

Data:

• Collect data in support of epidemiological studies of specific problems or problem areas to determine the source of the problem and make appropriate recommendations.

• Timely and accurate reporting to NHSN and all regulatory agencies

• Accurate reporting of metrics to Medical Staff committees and Administration

• Utilize and maintain appropriate electronic databases

Performance Improvement:

• Participate in quality/performance improvement activities by assessing, monitoring, and measuring hospital and community associated infections and evaluating outcomes on a continuous basis.

• Select indicators based on the projected use of the data, and facility history of infections.

• Assist in the organization of regularly scheduled Hospital Infection Control meetings and dissemination of recommendations hospital-wide.

• Plan, organize, develop and implement educational programs for all KHI employees including administrative and ancillary services which convey specialized knowledge and skills to increase employee awareness of existence of nosocomial infections; techniques for avoidance and preventive measures to provide a safe environment for hospital employees and patients.

Exposure:

• Develop appropriate informational materials at appropriate level of understanding and need.

• Serve as a knowledgeable and available resource on infection prevention practices and policies to patients, families, staff, employees and community.

• Participate in continuing educational activities at the department, State, and national levels to promote personal growth and maintain a current knowledge base commensurate with latest research and scholarly knowledge.

Regulatory:

• Maintain compliance with national standards and regulating bodies such as CDC, OSHA, FDA and HCFA.

• Develop and update isolation techniques and procedures in accordance with current standards of practice, rules and regulations.

• Participate in maintaining policies and procedures which provide for a program of preventive medicine for KHI personnel to include establishment of policies and procedures relating to exposure to infectious diseases and prevention of cross-contamination.

• Recommend and evaluate procedures or policy statements relating to infection control within KHI.

• Maintain a knowledge base of current infection prevention and control information through peer networking, internet access, published literature and professional meetings.

Qualifications

Education:Associate Degree in Nursing or graduate of a Nursing Diploma program.

Experience:3 years nursing experience

Certification:

• Certificate of Patient Advocacy (Beryl Institute) within 2 years

• Basic Life Support through the American Red Cross or American Heart Association

License:Current, valid Arizona RN license or compact state RN license

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Know ledgeof in fection con trols trategies;know led ge of CD C, NIO SH,A rizonaD ep artmentof H ealth, FDA, andO SHA requ iremen t/s tand ards isa mus t;
• Know led ge ofp erfo rman ce imp rov emen t, theuseof s tatis tical too ls for an alysisof agg regated ata and wo rdp ro cess ing sp readsh eet app lications requ ired;
• Goodo rg an ization al andw ritten and verbal co mmun ication sk ills are ess en tial

Preferences

Education:Bachelor of Science in Nursing

Experience:Two (2)yearsofexperiencein in fectionp reven tionp referredw ithA PCI co urs ewo rk–E PI101, 102, Project Management Workshop.

Certification:Certification in Infection Control

License:N/A

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: N/A

Special Position Requirements

Exposure Category II: Expected duties have possible, but not routine, potential for exposure to blood, body fluids or tissues

Work Requirements

• Mustbe ab le tos afely liftup to30pounds.