Infection Preventionist VI (KFH/HP)

Leads and oversees infection prevention and control programs. Leads investigations and interviews for surveillance programs to monitor infection control problems, disease outbreaks, exposure, epidemics, and pandemics. Conducts program planning to incorporate strategies for infection prevention and control program improvement. Coaches others on ongoing infection prevention and control educational programs and implements best practices across facilities. Consults with occupational health department on policies and procedures related to occupational health.

• Promotes learning in others by communicating information and providing advice to drive projects forward; builds collaborative, cross-functional relationships. Solicits and acts on performance feedback; provides actionable feedback to others, including upward feedback to leadership; influences, mentors, and coaches team members. Practices self-leadership; creates, evaluates, and responds to the strengths and weaknesses of self and unit or team members. Leads the adaptation to competing demands and new responsibilities; adapts to and learns from change, challenges, and feedback. Fosters open dialogue amongst team members.
• Drives the execution of multiple work streams by identifying member and operational needs; translates business strategy into actionable business requirements; develops and updates new procedures and policies. Gains cross-functional support for objectives and priorities; determines and carries out processes and methodologies; solves highly complex issues; escalates and resolves issues as appropriate; sets standards and measures progress. Develops work plans to meet business priorities and deadlines; coordinates, obtains and distributes resources. Removes obstacles that impact performance; guides performance and develops contingency plans accordingly; influences the completion of project tasks by others.
• Educates others on infection prevention and control by: educating hospital and clinical staff and patients on infection prevention and control and new patient care equipment; aligning learning needs of customers with KP and national (e.g., Center for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], National Healthcare Safety Network [NHSN]) standards; and coaching others on ongoing infection prevention and control educational programs and materials, implementing best practices in infection prevention and control across facilities, and evaluating educational programs.
• Provides expertise in epidemiology by: assessing risk of occupational exposure to infectious disease(s) and providing recommendations to mitigate risk; and consulting with occupational health department on infection prevention and control policies and/or workflows related to occupational health and providing recommendations as needed.
• Utilizes epidemiological principles to conduct surveillance by: leading investigations and interviews to gather information following infection control problems, disease outbreaks, exposure, epidemics and pandemics; developing, managing, and overseeing surveillance programs to monitor infection control problems, disease outbreaks, exposure, epidemics, and pandemics; and providing and implementing recommendations to address findings from investigations following infection control problems, disease outbreaks, exposure, epidemics, and pandemics and reporting findings to key agencies (Center for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], Department of Health, Occupational Safety and Health Administration [OSHA]).
• Participating in performance improvement initiatives by: conducting program planning to incorporate strategies for infection prevention and control program improvement and deploying recommended course(s) of action; defining the scope of continuous improvement initiatives and ensuring effectiveness and sustainability; aligning initiatives to customer needs and expectations and developing processes, products, and/or services; providing guidance and recommendations to alleviate complex issues or blockers to performance improvement initiatives and escalating issues to program owners; and serving as an expert and leading internal performance improvement committees and teams.
• Engages in ongoing surveillance by: leading the development and implementation of an annual infection prevention and control program plan and providing modifications as needed; overseeing organizational infection prevention and control program(s); guiding the development of and communicating infection prevention and control policies and protocols that are in line with KP and national (e.g., Center for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], National Healthcare Safety Network [NHSN]) standards; performing specialized on-site visits to identify and investigate problems in clinical space and practices related to infection prevention/control (e.g., patient waiting areas, respiratory etiquette station, cleaning procedures, sterilization); and proactively monitoring adherence to compliance with local, state, and federal regulatory and accreditation standards and driving adherence to mandatory reporting requirements.

Qualifications:

• Minimum three (3) years of experience in infection prevention, clinical quality management, or a directly related field.
• Masters degree in Nursing, Public Health, Epidemiology, Microbiology, or related field AND minimum seven (7) years of health care/professional experience INCLUDING minimum four (4) years of experience in patient management, occupational health, clinical rounds, laboratory, public health, or a directly related field OR Bachelors degree in Nursing, Public Health, Microbiology, or related field AND minimum nine (9) years of health care/professional experience INCLUDING minimum six (6) years of experience in patient management, occupational health, clinical rounds, laboratory, public health, or a directly related field OR Registered Nurse (RN) License (without a Bachelors degree) AND minimum eleven (11) years of health care/professional experience INCLUDING minimum eight (8) years of experience in patient management, occupational health, clinical rounds, laboratory, public health, or a directly related field OR Minimum twelve (12) years of experience in patient management, occupational health, clinical rounds, laboratory, or a directly related field.

• Infection Control Certificate within 24 months of hire
  

• Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs): Information Gathering; Change Management; Business Documentation; Business Process Improvement; Critical Facility Operations Knowledge; Facilities Management/Operations; Operational Excellence; Preventative Maintenance; Risk Management; Issues and Crisis Management; Written Communication; Compliance Management; Confidentiality; Safety and Environmental Health Management; Health Care Compliance; Maintain Files and Records; Health Care Data Analytics; Health Care Outcome Data; Trend Analysis; Consulting; Quality Assurance Process; Hazard Mitigation; Emergency Preparedness; Patient Safety; Laboratory Procedures; Bloodborne Pathogen Knowledge