Infection Preventionist - Infection Prevention/ Control - Kaiser Permanente
Description:
Collaborates with an integrated team in the design, implementation and promotion of a comprehensive program for the surveillance, prevention and control of infectious or preventable disease across the continuum of care. Develops and directs performance improvement initiatives that support infection prevention and control strategies. Coordinates with the Employee Health, Safety and Infectious Disease Programs to ensure ongoing, infection prevention activities that meet all regulatory, licensing, accrediting requirements, and national infection prevention standards. Collaborates with state and national legislative bodies to establish requirements for the infection prevention activities in Health Care for the protection of patients. Collaborates with contracted organizations’ Infection Control programs and local and national public health agencies for care improvement, surveillance and standardization of infection prevention practices.
Essential Responsibilities:
- Provide clinical consultation on infection control risk assessment, prevention and control strategies across the continuum of care. Evaluate compliance for practices that are associated with the prevention and control of health care associated infections. Assist Employee Health with monitoring and providing follow up for occupational exposures to health care staff and consumers.
- Develops, integrates, and controls the functional components of the infection control program; surveillance, policy and procedure development, employee health as related exposures and outbreaks, education and training, implement performance improvement strategies and clinical consultation. Develop and maintain infection control standards that reflect current advisory recommendations and meet local, state and federal regulations. Coordinate region-wide infection control and employee health standards with Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of Washington clinical service areas.
- Develop, implement and evaluate a system of surveillance of health-care/community-associated infections to provide epidemiological analysis both for routine surveillance and investigations. Ensure reports are integrated with the quality assurance and improvement reporting program
- Develop and implement region-wide infection control policies, protocols, procedures and guidelines across the continuum of care. Assist managers to develop department specific standards for each service and department.
- Develop education programs for staff about infection risk, prevention and control. Provide KFHPW and WPMG employee orientation and educational programs on infection prevention and employee health to staff across the continuum of care.
Basic Qualifications:
Experience
- Minimum three (3) years of experience in acute care nursing.
Education
Bachelor of Science degree in nursing.
- Completion of specialized infection prevention/control training OR available to complete specialized infection prevention/control training within six (6) months of hire/transfer.
License, Certification, Registration
- Washington State RN License by date of hire/transfer.
- Certified by the National Certification Board of Infection Control or eligible for certification within three (3) years of hire/transfer.
Additional Requirements:
- Knowledge and ability to demonstrate a comprehension of patient care practices.
- Knowledge of pertinent regulatory, accrediting and advisory body requirements, including but not limited to state and county regulations, JCAHO regulations and recommendations of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
- Ability to interact effectively with all levels of health care personnel within the organization and public health services at the local counties, state and national levels.
- Must be able to take a leadership role in cost effective prevention of transmissible disease.
- Effective written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to educate and respond to internal and external inquiries.
- Working knowledge of an epidemiology software system.
- Must demonstrate a basic understanding of quality assurance and improvement monitoring.
Preferred Qualifications:
- Two (2) years of experience in infection prevention/control.
- Master’s degree in related field.