Infection Preventionist

Overview

To be part of our organization, every employee should understand and share in the YNHHS Vision, support our Mission, and live our Values. These values – integrity, patient-centered, respect, accountability, and compassion – must guide what we do, as individuals and professionals, every day. The Infection Preventionist (IP) works under the direction of the Infection Prevention Manager to help improve health care quality and patient safety through the implementation of national guidelines (CDC, SHEA, APIC, AORN, etc.),

CMS Conditions of Participation, and federal and state regulations for infection prevention and control practices. The IP is responsible for the identification, investigating, reporting, prevention and control of health care associated infections using National Health and Safety Network (NHSN) criteria. Through mentoring and guidance he/she is actively acquiring fundamental infection prevention skills.

EEO/AA/Disability/Veteran

1. Learning to perform surveillance for identifying healthcare acquired infections and other adverse outcomes to ensure safe patient care.

1.1. Uses EMR to review clinical and laboratory findings to identify infectious conditions that may require further action.

1.2. Applies NHSN definitions.

1.3. Identifies clusters or outbreaks and assists with exposure and/or outbreak investigations.

1.4. Follows state and federal requirements for communicable disease reporting.

2. Provides support to clinical staff, teams and committees in basic matters of infection prevention and control.

2.1. Acquiring knowledge and application of current IP policies, regulatory requirements, and state and federal agencies and professional society guidelines.

2.2. Developing the ability to collaborate with local DN clinical and ancillary departments and PI teams to improve infection related practices and processes.

2.3. Provides data and basic data analysis to identify opportunities for improvement and provides feedback on hospital and patient care processes, practices and outcome.

2.4. Learns to create and submit ICRAs for basic construction projects and monitors construction sites.

3. Learning to assess a situation from an infection prevention perspective and recommends appropriate action within scope of responsibility to ensure safe and quality patient care.

3.1. Participates in rounds in assigned department regularly and as needed for the purpose of evaluating compliance with infection prevention practices, policies and regulatory agency requirements.

3.2. Learning to problem‑solve and suggests recommendations for eliminating transmission of organisms and correcting inadequate infection prevention and control practices.

3.3. Responds to issues in assigned areas during business hours with assistance; follows up on problems requiring immediate attention and monitors affected areas until issue/HAI is eliminated and/or corrected.

3.4. Serves as the resource during off‑hours, weekends, and holidays with the Hospital Epidemiologist or designee per departmental SOP once appropriate knowledge base has been developed.

4. Applies adult education principles to assist in the designing and presenting of educational programs.

4.1. Assesses educational needs of employees, providers, patients and families and employs appropriate learning opportunities.

4.2. Assists in the development and provision of educational programs using the most current accepted information as needed or requested; uses a variety of teaching methods geared to audience.

4.3. Conducts new‑employee education providing basic information on blood‑borne pathogens and basic infection prevention principles and practices.

5. Learning to create and assist in creating data displays, presentations and other materials to be presented and distributed to the Infection Control Committee, PI teams and others as requested.

5.1. Learning to use data to identify the need for change and proposes basic interventions/improvement projects.

5.2. Learning to interpret data and apply basic statistical techniques to describe the data, calculate risk‑adjusted rates, and benchmark against acceptable standards.

5.3. Develops the ability to assemble…