Infection Preventionist (Full- Time - 40hrs​/week) Day Shift

Lowell General Hospital is seeking an Infection Prevention Specialist III to join our Regulatory Compliance team! This position will work out of our Lowell General Hospital location(s).Job Overview This position is responsible for developing, implementing, and monitoring a system-wide infection prevention program which includes the surveillance of health care associated and community acquired infections in patients and employees and the prevention and control of healthcare associated infections.

Functions as a consultant and advisor to clinical personnel to solve infection control problems.

Minimum Qualifications:

1. Bachelor’s degree in Healthcare, Public Health, Nursing, or Behavioral Science.
2. Appropriate professional license or certification based on educational background.
3. Certified in Infection Control (CIC) OR Obtain within one (1) year of hire.
4. Three (3) years of clinical experience, including performing surveillance for health care associated infections.

Preferred Qualifications:

1. Master’s degree in Healthcare, Public Health, Nursing, or Behavioral Science.
2. Five (5) years of clinical experience.
3. Formal training in epidemiology/infection prevention.

Hours:

40hrs/week / Day Shift 7:30am-4pm

Location:

Lowell General Hospital (Main, Saints and offsite locations)
Must be able to travel between locations as needed

Duties and Responsibilities:

The duties and responsibilities listed below are intended to describe the general nature of work and are not intended to be an all-inclusive list. Other duties and responsibilities may be assigned.
1. Develops comprehensive infection control policies and procedures for the medical center and/or all departments from published guidelines, standards, and research.
2. Performs necessary epidemiological investigation.
3. Identifies and implements infection control strategies according to specific topics:
Hand Hygiene;
Cleaning, Disinfection, Sterilization;
Environmental Hazards;
Use of patient care products, equipment and devices;
Construction and renovation;
Influx of patients with communicable diseases;
Use of barrier precautions when indicated;
Patient immunization programs; and Reduction of hospital acquired infections.
4. Recognizes outbreaks of healthcare associated infections through reviewing cultures, medical records, attending laboratory rounds, consulting with nursing and medical staff.
5. Makes recommendations for improvement and works with relevant departments and staff to implement and monitor improvements.
6. Investigates patient, visitor, and employee exposure to infectious diseases and follows-up with appropriate infection control procedures.
7. Leads Performance Improvement (PI) teams.
8. Provides and develops orientation and training for medical center staff, licensed independent practitioners, students/trainees, and volunteers and as appropriate to visitors, patients and families.
9. Acts as a consultant to employees, medical and nursing staff, Employee Health and various other Hospital departments regarding infection control problems and policies.
10. Evaluates infection control aspects of patient care products, equipment, and supplies.
11. Collaborates and consults with Emergency Management, Safety Officer, Design and Construction and Supply Chain.
12. Actively leads and participates on the Infection Control Committee.
13. Actively participates in JCAHO preparedness and survey readiness efforts.
14. Collaborates with the Department of Public Health (DPH) to coordinate reporting of communicable diseases to appropriate local and state health departments and agencies.
15. Actively keeps current with evolving field of infection prevention through networking opportunities, publications, collaboratives and certifications.
16. Assists in monitoring compliance of staff to infection control procedures.
17. Demonstrates use of PI tools and methods to achieve reliability in systems and processes.

Physical Requirements:

1. Frequent sitting, occasional standing & walking, and lifting of 5-10 lbs.
2. Requires manual dexterity using fine hand manipulation to operate computer keyboard.
3. Requires ability to see computer screen and reports.

Skills & Abilities:
1. Knowledgeable of Joint Commission accreditation standards and CMS Conditions of Participation.
2. Ability to serve as content expert for development and implementation of infection control standards.
3. Ability to develop and deliver training sessions according to principles of adult learning.
4. Ability to apply critical reading skills to evaluate published research findings.
5. Proficient in Windows-based operating software and systems that include MS Word, MS Excel, MS Access and MS PowerPoint and ability to learn and use infection control software or other databases.
6. Analytical abilities needed to apply and use surveillance data.
7. Effective interpersonal, verbal, and written communication skills.
8. Ability to develop and maintain cooperative working relationships with physicians, nurses, and a variety of medical center…