Auditor - Hand Hygiene Compliance Specialist

Job Summary: This role involves monitoring and evaluating hand hygiene practices among healthcare workers to ensure adherence to infection prevention standards. The auditor collects data through direct observation, offers constructive feedback to staff for improvement, and uploads audit information for reporting purposes. This part-time position is designed to create a pool of auditors available primarily for weekend and evening shifts.

Essential Responsibilities:

• Observation and Data Collection: Perform direct observations of hand hygiene practices by staff, patients, and visitors across various clinical environments. Observe a range of healthcare professionals including nurses, therapists, physicians, surgeons, and support personnel. Accurately record observations using electronic devices or paper audit sheets, noting technique and compliance rates.
• Compliance Monitoring: Evaluate hand hygiene compliance at individual, departmental, unit, and shift levels. Identify areas for improvement in the use of soap and water or alcohol-based hand sanitizers. Ensure adherence to guidelines from organizations such as the CDC, WHO, and Leapfrog.
• Feedback and Education: Provide immediate, constructive feedback to healthcare workers to encourage behavior change and enhance compliance as part of quality improvement efforts.
• Reporting: Document collected data in required applications to support reporting and further analysis.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Skills and Attributes:

• Technical Proficiency: Comfortable using electronic devices, paper audit tools, and data entry software such as Excel.
• Observational Skills: Ability to conduct thorough and objective observations to ensure accurate and unbiased data collection.
• Interpersonal Skills: Skilled at providing constructive feedback and engaging staff in a positive manner to promote improvement.
• Training: Completion of approved auditor training and validation at hire, with annual revalidation to maintain current knowledge of audit practices.

Education and Experience:

• Minimum education requirement is a high school diploma or equivalent.
• Clinical background is preferred but not required.

This position operates within a regional healthcare setting in the Midwest United States and offers a supportive environment for those passionate about infection prevention and quality improvement.