Infection Preventionist

The primary purpose of the Infection Control Nurse is to plan, organize, develop, coordinate, and direct our infection control program and its activities in accordance with current federal, state, and local standards, guidelines, and regulations that govern such programs, and as may be directed by the Administrator and the Infection Control Committee to ensure that an effective infection control program is maintained at all times.

• Plan, develop, organize, implement, evaluate, coordinate, and direct our infection control program in accordance with current rules, regulations, and guidelines that govern such requirements in nursing care facilities
• Ensure that the facility is in compliance with current CDC, OSHA, and local regulations concerning infection control or standard/universal precautions
• Develop, maintain, and periodically update infection control precautions and aseptic technique that successfully correct problem areas
• Interpret infection control policies and procedures as necessary
• Make written and oral reports/recommendations to the Administrator, as necessary/required, concerning the infection control program of this facility
• Assist all departments in evaluating and classifying routine and job-related functions to ensure that tasks involving exposure to blood/body fluids are properly identified
• Monitor infection control practices and procedures to ensure that all personnel are implementing our standard operating procedures for tasks involving exposure to blood/body fluids
• Make rounds to nursing units for the purpose of case findings, review of environmental sanitation procedures, and supervision of isolation precautions/practices
• Visit isolated residents as necessary to ensure that established isolation precautions and aseptic technique are followed
• Assist in developing and implementing guidelines for the decontamination and sterilization activities performed in the facility
• Monitor the designated shelf life of medical items wrapped and sterilized at the facility and reprocess as necessary
• Ensure that all personnel follow established procedures for the disposal and removal of infective and contaminated materials from the facility
• Prepare monthly summaries of all resident/personnel infections, corrective action taken, including the results of the corrective action, and submit copies to the Administrator and DON
• Prepare summaries of special investigations on the occurrence of nosocomial and community-acquired infections
• Provide the DON with a report of pertinent findings and recommendations pertaining to nosocomial infection
• Maintain a written record of all residents and employees who have nosocomial infections
• Participate in discovery of possible carriers among residents and personnel, and in tracing possible sources of infection within the facility
• Assist the supervisor of laundry services in developing infection control procedures for the handling of clean and soiled laundry/linen, equipment cleaning, etc.
• Assist the Director of Maintenance in developing infection control procedures for the routine and terminal cleaning of isolation rooms and areas, equipment cleaning, etc.
• Participate in facility surveys and/or inspections made by authorized government agencies as necessary or directed
• Assist in the discharge planning in developing and implementing discharge plans for a resident in isolation or on infection control precautions
• Assist in the development and implementation of a facility-wide TB management control program
• Advise in reporting all reportable diseases to the county and state health departments
• Serve on, participate in, and attend Infection Control Committee meetings
• Assist the Infection Control Committee in evaluating and revising our infection control practices and aseptic technique to ensure continued sanitation practices are maintained throughout the facility
• Provide the Infection Control Committee with written and oral reports concerning all nosocomial infections within the facility
• Ensure that major changes in our cleaning products or techniques are approved by the Infection Control Committee
• Assist in evaluating and implementing recommendations from the Infection…