Tomah Memorial Hospital

EOE

POSITION DETAILS

Full-time, benefited; 72 hours/2 week pay period, Monday-Friday shifts from 8am-4pm; Infection Prevention Practitioner will also cross-train to Employee Health; Experienced-based pay plus competitive benefits. Apply now!

JOB SUMMARY

The Infection Prevention Practitioner is a professional who is responsible for the daily management of infection prevention and control activities.  The Infection Prevention Practitioner utilizes a clinical background and skills to: participate in risk assessment and risk potential of the facility; perform surveillance activities; provide patient and staff education regarding disease transmission; work with the Medical Staff in monitoring HAI infections; and serve as a resource person to the hospital.  The IP Practitioner helps ensure a safe working environment that complies with Joint Commission and State guidelines and promotes health and wellness at the facility.  The IP Practitioner is responsible for assisting in the collection and analysis of data for the hospital’s Quality, Compliance and Risk programs as well as providing data collection for various departments. 

 

MAJOR JOB FUNCTION

1. Drafts, revises and maintains policies and procedures and plans relating to Infection Prevention.
2. Serves a principal working member of the Infection Prevention Committee, responsible for influencing, coordinating, implementing, supervising and evaluating the standards of care developed by the committee.
3. Conducts ongoing surveillance of infections in hospital patients and hospital personnel; compiles and interprets the surveillance data.
4. Reviews, communicates and ensures compliance with accreditation standards.
5. Investigates clusters of infections or changes in patterns of infection.
6. Conducts regular risk assessments with input from key departments and implements strategies to reduce those risks
7. Communicates data regarding hospital related infections with appropriate department heads and works collaboratively with other departments to seek solutions to infection problems.
8. Collaborates with all disciplines and departments in the facility to incorporate infection control principles in policies and procedures in order to provide a safe environment for hospital patients and personnel.
9. Continues self-education by reviewing current literature and attending workshops and formal courses.
10. Reports infections and/or communicable diseases to the appropriate public health authority and/or registries, such as NHSN
11. Participates in the development of policy related to the cleaning of space, equipment, and supplies.  Develops and updates isolation techniques according to current standards of practice to provide optimum care to patients with infections and provide protection for employees.
12. Develops and presents educational programs on prevention and control of infection for health care personnel.  Acts as a resource to hospital personnel in conjunction with the infectious diseases physician.
13. Develops and evaluates criteria for healthcare acquired infections.
14. Monitors patient care activities to identify methods, techniques, equipment, supplies, products, procedures and policies that could constitute a risk of originating or transmitting infection.
15. Orients new hospital employees to the Infection Control Program used in the hospital.
16. Performs crisis intervention/follow-up for incidents relating to potential exposure to infectious diseases by patients and employees.
17. Develops and implements a Quality Improvement program related to infection prevention.
18. Reviews and abstracts data from medical records for the purpose of monitoring the quality of patient care.
19. Collects and analyzes data related to patient satisfaction surveys, incident reports, core measure, national patient safety goals, checkpoint, leapfrog, general hospital safety measures and trauma.
20. Assists in quality, accreditation and risk management activities.
21. Facilitates the achievement of regulatory accreditation and organizational compliance.
22. Organizes, complies and reports QI data for both the hospital and medical staff to identify trends and establish priorities and recommend improvement activities.
23. Collects data and organizes information related to quality and risk reduction for the hospital.
24. Supports and assists in the collection of data for required reporting.
25. Appropriately reports issues found during record reviews to utilization review and other departments as necessary.
26. Educates self and hospital staff on current JC standards and other accreditation standards.
27. Handles confidential information in a discreet manner and files said confidential information appropriately.
28. Coordinates special projects as directed and prepares reports and records as directed.
29. Promotes and contributes to a positive, problem-solving environment and is able to complete projects in a timely and dependable manner.
30. Maintains established hospital and departmental policies and guidelines, objectives, quality improvement program, safety, environmental and infection control standards.
31. Enhances professional growth and development of self and others through participation in educational programs, current literature, in-service meetings and workshops.
32. Maintains a professional attitude and observes proper ethics.  Position involves frequent contact with the customer, who should be regarded with respect and compassion at all times.
33. Responds to the changing priorities of the workload in a flexible manner.
34. Performs other related duties as assigned or requested.

STANDARDS OF BEHAVIOR

1. WORK ETHICS STANDARD: Affirm a commitment to making the Tomah Health work environment better through: patient advocacy, continuing education, and valuation of each individual person.
2. COMMUNICATION STANDARD: Affirm a commitment to use open and honest communication with all Tomah Health customers (in-house & community-wide) through: basic customer courtesy (phone, written, face to face) and active listening.
3. TEAMWORK STANDARD: Affirm a commitment to be a proud, dependable Tomah Health TEAM member through: basic customer courtesy, patient advocacy, flexibility, and valuation of each individual person.
4. QUALITY STANDARD: Affirm a commitment to provide respectful, compassionate, quality care with integrity to all Tomah Health customers (in-house & community-wide) through: job excellence, patient advocacy, and self-dignity.
5. PROFESSIONALISM STANDARD: Affirm a commitment to professional conduct towards all Tomah Health customers (in-house & community-wide) through: collaboration, teamwork, appearance, environment, and valuation of each individual person.
6. ATTITUDE STANDARD: Affirm a commitment to maintain a positive, professional perspective towards all Tomah Health customers (in-house & community-wide) through: honest feedback, confidentiality, basic customer courtesy, and valuation of each individual person.

EDUCATIONAL REQUIREMENTS

1. RN, or Medical Technologist (Bachelor’s degree)
2. Current licensure to permit to practice in the state of Wisconsin (for RN).
3. Current BLS certification
4. Extensive background in medical terminology, basic anatomy and physiology, surgical terminology and pharmacology required.
5. 3-5 years clinical experience preferred.
6. Infection control experience desired.
7. Advanced Infection Prevention Training or Associate Infection Prevention Practitioner training desired.
8. Prior experience with data abstraction, statistical reporting, Microsoft Word and Excel preferred.
9. Skilled in Microsoft Office Suite as well as other Infection prevention software

 

QUALIFICATIONS/SKILLS

1. Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
2. Excellent human relation skills as demonstrated by the ability to interface positively with all customers and employees.
3. Must acquire the knowledge and maintain established competency levels to perform essential professional nursing practice.
4. Must have the ability to work with frequent interruptions, under stress, with minimal supervision, and to exercise initiative and judgment in analyzing, organizing, planning, prioritizing, scheduling and coordinating work with others.
5. Needs to possess as high level of intelligence, integrity, sense of responsibility and ability to comprehend and analyze details.
6. Knowledge of theory, principles, techniques and practice of professional nursing; of scientific principles and nursing research; of preparation, administration, and actions of medications; of treatments and medical procedures; of counseling and teaching techniques; of medical equipment as it relates to patient care.
7. Ability to operate and handle many kinds of complex equipment.
8. Ability to demonstrate clinical competence and maintain current knowledge in caring for infant through geriatric patients.

JOB REQUIREMENTS

1. Regularly required to use hands to finger, handle or feel objects, and talk and hear.
2. The Infection Prevention Practitioner is frequently required to stand, walk and reach with hands and arms.  The Infection Prevention Practitioner is occasionally required to sit, climb or balance, stoop, kneel or crouch, and smell.
3. The Infection Prevention Practitioner must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds.
4. Good hearing is necessary to receive detailed information through oral communication.
5. Visual acuity is needed to assess color changes, to verify accuracy of written materials and to administer and accurately prepare medications.

WORKING CONDITIONS

Must understand and accept the possibility of exposure to inside environmental conditions, such as infectious/communicable diseases, noise, blood and bloodborne diseases, chemicals and/or chemical fumes, odors, gases, dusts, and physical injury/verbal abuse from an out-of-control patient.  Frequent exposure to distressed patients, families or visitors.  Must be able to function effectively under stressful situations.

Equal employment opportunity, including veterans and individuals with disabilities.

PI281779581