The Infection Preventionist (IP) is responsible for identifying, investigating, monitoring, and reporting healthcare-associated infections. The IP collaborates with teams and individuals to create and sustain infection prevention strategies, provide education and feedback to all healthcare staff, and ensure compliance with regulatory and accreditation standards as it relates to infection prevention and control throughout the hospital environment.

Essential Functions

• Interacts with co-workers, visitors, and other staff consistent with the values of Jefferson.
• Collaboratively develops and implements an effective infection prevention and control program with the healthcare team. Performs ongoing surveillance utilizing the electronic medical record in order to identify hospital-associated infections following NHSN criteria, management of clusters and/or outbreaks within the facility or in the community, monitoring and oversight of sterilization and disinfection activities including all ambulatory care sites, communicable diseases (if applicable), and conduct ongoing data trend analysis
• Consults with hospital staff to provide infection control recommendations for specific patients based on their disease process and mode of transmission in order to ensure the use of appropriate precautions. Communicates changes in infection control or related practices to appropriate staff to facilitate consistent practice.

• Interprets hospital infection control policy, official recommendations and related regulations to facilitate conformance with current infection control regulatory standards.

• Provides relevant infection control resources to new and current employees in order to protect hospital staff, patients, and visitors from transmission of infection.

• Serve on selected hospital committees to act as a resource for infection control-related information to facilitate communication and make recommendations and provide updates to the Infection Control Committee.

• Identifies and reports hospital-associated infections to ensure compliance with national and state requirements (such as PA Act 52). Monitors and implements measures to maintain compliance with all regulatory agencies (CMS, TJC, PA DOH).

• Collaborates with local and state Department of Health (DOH) on public health initiatives and issues affecting our surrounding communities.

• Provides additional knowledge, support and input to identify environmental issues to reduce the risk of infections related to the environment

• Other duties as assigned

Minimum Education and Experience Requirements:

Education:

Baccalaureate degree in nursing (Active nursing license required), public health, epidemiology, clinical laboratory science, medical technology, or related field required, Masters preferred. 

AND

Experience:

Previous Infection Control experience preferred.

Minimum Certifications, Registration or License Requirements:

Completion of the APIC training course on fundamental aspects of surveillance, prevention and control of infections within one year from date of hire or transfer (if not already a CIC). . Certification by the Certification Board of Infection Control and Epidemiology (CBIC) required within 24 months from date of hire or transfer.