Infection Preventionist I- Healthcare Epidemiology- test

***This is an open-pooled position. Applicants' education/experience will be considered and the position may be filled at a lower or higher level, as appropriate.***

Associate Infection Preventionist

JOB DESCRIPTION

Associate Infection Preventionist will be trained in infection control duties and will identify and control infections within the hospital and clinics under close supervision of an Infection Preventionist.

REQUIRED EDUCATION / EXPERIENCE:

• Bachelor's degree nursing, medical technology or related field.
• No experience required.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:

• Assists IPs in evaluating the risks to patients and employees after exposure to infectious diseases and initiates work-up if necessary.
• Communicates with hospital staff about infection control problems and can facilitate application of policies and procedures to unique situations.
• Participates in environmental rounds and monitors compliance with established policies and procedures.
• Completes NSHN surveillance, enters data into the database, produces reports and can interpret results.
• Reviews microbiology reports and identifies unusual species of bacteria and antimicrobial resistance patterns that would require isolation or follow-up per policy.
• Completes daily isolation rounds and documents findings.
• Adheres to internal policies established for the department.

Infection Preventionist I

JOB SUMMARY:

Infection Preventionist identifies and controls infections within the hospital and clinics.

EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in nursing, medical technology, or related field
• Two (2) years of related infection control or nursing experience

 LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS OR CERTIFICATIONS

Required:

• Certification in Infection Control (CIC)
• • Nursing applicants will be required to achieve certification within one year of hiring into the position.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:

• Evaluates risks to patients and employees after exposure to infectious diseases and initiates work-up if necessary.
• Conducts a class on a specific infectious disease or control method.
• Communicates with hospital staff about infection control problems and can facilitate application of policies and procedures to unique situations.
• Participates in environmental rounds and monitors compliance with established policies and procedures.
• Completes NSHN surveillance, enters data into the database, produces reports and can interpret results.
• Reviews microbiology reports and identifies unusual species of bacteria and antimicrobial resistance patterns.
• Reads journals and shares information with other IP’s and with other healthcare workers.
• Completes daily isolation rounds and documents findings.
• Adheres to internal policies established for the department.

Infection Preventionist II

JOB SUMMARY

Infection Preventionist II is proficient in identifying and controlling infections within the University of Texas Medical Branch hospital and clinics. Departmental resource and mentor to Associate and Infection Preventionist I staff.

EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE

• • Bachelor of Science/Health/Nursing, medical technology, or related field.
  • Four years of Infection Prevention or two years of nursing experience. 

Preferred Qualifications:

• • Master’s degree in a health-related field preferred.

LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS, OR CERTIFICATIONS

Required:

• • Certification in Infection Control (CIC)

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS

• • Evaluates risks to patients and employees after exposure to infectious diseases and initiate work-up if necessary.
  • Assess and address the learning needs of the UTMB community; conducts a class on a specific infectious disease or control method. Participates in skills-appropriate education for clinical staff. Completes NSHN annual surveillance training.
  • Consults with ICHE personnel to guide infection prevention methods within the UTMB healthcare system.
  • Communicates with hospital staff about infection control problems and can facilitate the application of policies and procedures to unique situations.
  • Participates in environmental rounds and monitors compliance with established policies and procedures.
  • Proficient at surgical site surveillance definitions, entering data into the NHSN database, producing reports, and interpreting results.
  • Reviews microbiology reports and identifies unusual species of bacteria and antimicrobial resistance patterns.
  • Reads journals and shares information with other IPs and with other healthcare workers. Completes daily isolation rounds and documents findings. Monitors hand hygiene practices and documents observations.
  • Assess the risk of occupational exposure to infectious disease and leads outbreak investigations.
  • Assists with projects to eliminate healthcare-associated infections, improve compliance with infection prevention policies/standards/regulations, prevent occupationally acquired infections, or support improvements in antimicrobial stewardship. Creates and leads presentations with supporting data with leadership throughout the institution.
  • Supports on-call pager rotation as requested.

Senior Infection Preventionist

JOB SUMMARY:

Performs collection and analysis of data for infection prevention and antimicrobial stewardship programs for the University of Texas Medical Branch and collaborates with Healthcare Epidemiologist and clinicians to implement preventive measures.

REQUIRED EDUCATION / EXPERIENCE:

• Bachelor's degree in nursing, medical technology or related field.
• Two (2) years of related experience in addition to four (4) years of infection control experience. 
• Certification in Infection Control (by Certification Board of Infection Control).

Job Duties

• Collects and analyzes data that may include, but is not limited to incidence and trends of healthcare-associated infections, incidence and trends for epidemiologically significant organisms and antimicrobial usage.
• Implements isolation precautions as indicated.
• Identifies and investigates exposures to patients or personnel and collaborates with Employee Health to assure post-exposure management of personnel.
• Identifies practices that do not conform to infection prevention policies, guidelines, regulations or standards and apprises appropriate manager(s) of corrections needed.
• Assesses environment in patient care and/or patient care support environments to identify and address infection prevention concerns.
• Utilizes electronic surveillance system and submits data to HNSN or public health agency as required.
• Provides actionable data to clinicians and other stakeholders.
• Collaborates with stakeholders to prevent healthcare-associated or occupationally acquired infections and to assure compliance with policies, standards, and guidelines. 
• Utilizes innovative teaching methods to educate all levels of personnel on infection prevention methods.
• Orients new personnel in Healthcare Epidemiology Department.
• Consults with personnel to provide guidance on infection prevention methods.
• Covers on-call pager as needed.
• Manages assigned project to eliminate healthcare-associated infections, improve compliance with infection prevention policies/standards/regulations, to prevent occupationally acquired infections, or to support improvements in antimicrobial stewardships. This may involve at least one patient care division and may include the healthcare system.