Infection Preventionist

Where patient safety meets your passion-Infection Preventionist
Cheyenne County Hospital is looking for a part-time Infection Preventionist

Job Summary:

The Infection Preventionist (IP) oversees the facility’s Infection Prevention and Control Program (IPCP), which is designed to provide a safe, sanitary, and comfortable environment and to help prevent the development and transmission of communicable diseases and infections. The IP collaborates with teams and individuals to create infection prevention strategies, provide feedback, and sustain infection prevention strategies.

Core Responsibilities

• Program Management: Develops, implements, and annually revises the facility's Infection Control Program Plan in accordance with CDC guidelines and CMS Critical Access Hospital Conditions of Participation.
• Surveillance & Data Analysis: Conducts daily surveillance, analyzes microbiology reports, and identifies unusual infection clusters or healthcare-associated infections (HAIs).
• Environment of Care & Safety: Routinely conducts environmental and safety rounds, oversees hazardous waste management, and evaluates the built environment (such as during construction or remodeling) to prevent the spread of pathogens.
• Employee Health &
  
  Education:
  
  Collaborates with County Health to manage immunizations, communicable disease screening, and exposure follow-ups. Provides training on hand hygiene, PPE use, and isolation protocols.
• Antibiotic Stewardship: Leads the hospital's antibiotic stewardship program to monitor antibiotic usage and prevent antimicrobial resistance.

Education and Certification

• Nursing degree or degree in epidemiology, public health, clinical laboratory science, or other related health fields. Bachelor's degree preferred.
• Certification in Infection Prevention and Control (CIC) preferred or, attainment within 3 years of accepting the position
• Knowledge of proper Personal Protective Equipment to protect self and staff required
• Maintain current CPR card

Experience

• Five or greater years of experience in general nursing
• Knowledge of infection prevention and communicable disease or experience as an Infection Preventionist preferred
• Analytical
• Problem solving
• Strong oral and written communication skills
• Ability to implement evidence-based guidelines
• Program and project management
• Expertise in data collection and analysis, report writing, and data presentation
• Leadership
• Familiar with software technologies

Job Functions:

• Develop, interpret and assist with implementation of infection prevention and control policies and protocols.
• Collaborates with Infection Control Committee to review and approve Infection Control Manual policies and procedures at least annually.
• Evaluates and updates Infection Prevention Plan with the IPC committee at least annually.
• Actively participates or facilitates the Antibiotic Stewardship Committee.
• Develop Antibiotic Stewardship policies and procedures in conjunction with the AS committee.
• Orientation of all employees, including Medical Staff on infection prevention procedures, isolation techniques, and house-wide prevention of hospital acquired infections.
• Comprehensive knowledge of infection prevention and control process in the healthcare settings.
• Assist in the development, implementation, and improvement of infection prevention and control practices.
• Demonstrates understanding of standard and isolation precautions as set forth by the CDC.
• Demonstrates knowledge of microbiology and modes of transmission of disease entities.
• Reviews cultures and sensitivities reported by microbiology laboratory of patients and healthcare personnel to determine if infection is healthcare acquired in origin.
• Develops and implements a system for identifying, investigating, reporting, and preventing the spread of healthcare associated infections among patients/residents of all ages and healthcare personnel.
• Confers with staff nurses in Hospital on a regular basis to determine occurrence of healthcare acquired infections.
• Confers with medical and nursing staff to determine appropriate implementation of isolation precautions.
• Guides and assist culture and sensitivity and/or appropriate isolation precautions when indicated
• Assists with…