Infection Control & Health Specialist

Infection Control & Health Specialist

Harrisonville, MO 64701

Overview

Position Type: Full Time Job Shift: Day Education Level: 4 Year Degree

Description

Primary Purpose:

Ensure that patients and employees are not at risk of infections and health related concerns.

Formal Policy-Setting Responsibilities:

Formally responsible for making recommendations regarding policies associated with the job's purpose and essential responsibilities.

Routine Decision Making:

Partners with Laboratory to report patient cultures.

Formal Supervisory Responsibility:

No formal supervisory responsibility.

Required Knowledge:

Knowledge of federal and state laws regarding infection, safety (OSHA), and health regulations; basic knowledge of medical terms and diagnosis.

Required Skills and Ability :

Ability to interpret federal and state laws regarding infection, safety and health; must be able to communicate at all levels and must maintain working relationship with professional peers and organizations; ability to maintain high level of confidentiality.

Unusual Working Conditions :

Risk of blood, body fluid contamination. Have the potential to work with or near hazardous drugs and chemicals in the healthcare setting.

Education and Certification/ Registration required for the Position: Four-year college education, which may include a licensed registered nurse, a bachelor's degree in laboratory science or public health, or has similar qualifications and additional training or education preparation in infection control, infectious diseases, epidemiology and principles of quality improvement. BSN required. Infection Control Certification (CIC) required or willingness to acquire within 2 years of employment.

Age Specific Competencies: Provides care for adolescent patients between 12 to 18 years of age; adult patients between 18 to 64 years; and geriatric patients 65 years and older.

Qualifications

Essential Responsibilities and Tasks

A. Monitor compliance of infection control program, review and analyze infection control data, risk factors and as needed, perform special studies that relate to infection prevention and control. (50% of the time)

1. Works in conjunction with Pharmacy Department to review C&S reports of patients daily-to identify any unusual or multiple resistant organisms, then generate correct protection from transmission, through use of Standard Precautions with disease specific precautions.

1. Report to the local Cass County Health Department any Category I or II diseases or findings daily during days of operation.

1. Based on culture reports, notify and educate nursing home personnel when their client has a multiple drug resistant organism infection, resulting in reduced transmission to other clients and staff members in that specific facility.

1. Provide data for Missouri Healthcare Associated Infection Reporting System (MHIRS) on a quarterly basis.

1. Provide data to NHSN on a monthly basis in a timely manner.

1. Provide data to the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) as required for all vaccinations that are provided to employees and/or staff.

1. Is visible within the organization-actively monitoring and visualizing infection prevention practices and acting when practices are not meeting expectations.
2. B. Provides education to hospital personnel in the areas of Infection Prevention/Control and Employee Health. (20% of the time)

1. Present information in new employee orientation 90% of scheduled dates. Review employee health program, infection prevention control program, and environment of care requirements, result in updated information.

1. Instruct 100% of all new personnel during New Employee Orientation on hand washing procedure and efficacy. Ensures and monitors compliance and takes actions as necessary to meet organizations expectations.

1. Instruct 100% of new personnel on Standard Precautions with disease related transmission-based precautions. Measures and monitors ongoing compliance and takes actions as necessary to meet organizational expectations.

1. Organize and present information on annual basis related to Safety and Infection Control/Prevention. This will be done using Care Learning modules and competency fair stations. Additional education provided to staff on as-needed basis related to current concerns.

1. On an annual basis, provides the Board of Trustees and leadership a summary of Infection Prevention/Control activities. Plans for the following year using summary and current Infection prevention/Control trends
2. C. Provide Employee Health services to employees as needed. May be included but not limited to administering immunizations, annual TB screenings, and following up with staff member exposed to communicable diseases. (15% of the time)

1. Review health history, require documentation of immunity to rubella, rubeola, varicella, and mumps, update tetanus/diphtheria vaccination on 100% of new employees providing protection for the employee in health care arena. TB skin testing or require a chest film if a past positive reactor.

1. Offer Hepatitis B Vaccine to all new employees. If a previous Hepatitis B vaccine was reported, will do an HbsAb level or acquire one from previous employer.

1. Provide TB signs and symptoms questionnaire to all employees annually and require chest x-ray for employees who have newly acquired signs and symptoms of TB. Goal is to achieve 90%.

1. Offer all employees of Cass Regional and physicians, contracted service providers, Board of Trustees and Volunteers the influenza vaccine each fall. Expected compliance rate of taking vaccine or signing a declination is 95%.

1. Works in conjunction with Director of Quality and Patient Safety and Human Resources related to worker compensation related to trends and employee action planning.

1. Provide prophylaxis treatment to staff members exposed to communicable disease, per policy, resulting in their reduced susceptibility in acquiring same disease.

1. Counsels employees exposed to blood and/or body fluids, follow-up lab work on source patient, check lab results, and delivers written opinion to employee 100% of the time, per current policy.
2. D.Coordinate the infection prevention and control program of the facility. (15% of the time).

1. Consult Infection Control chairman or Infectious Disease Specialist, as needed, for specific problems relating to Infection Control.

1. Lead Infection Control Committee meeting at least quarterly to disseminate relevant information and obtain team members expertise in solving problems and concerns for issues at Cass Regional and off-site facilities.

1. Completes root cause analysis for nosocomial infections, as appropriate within 30 days of occurrence notification.

1. Reviews and modified Infection Control policies as needed to stay current on evidence-based practices.