Wound Care/Infection Control Nurse/RN

Long Term Health Care Facility -

Wound Care / Infection Control Nurse / RN

Responsible for supporting and carrying out the administration and management of Nursing Services to residents in accordance with orders of the physicians and total needs of the residents. In partnership with the Director of Nursing, is responsible for the 24-hour supervision of Nursing Services and directs the Nursing Department to maintain quality standards of care in accordance with current Federal, State and The Company standards, guidelines and regulations. In absence of the Director of Nursing, assumes the responsibility for clinical operations. The position conducts the nursing process – assessment, planning, implementation and evaluation – under the scope of the State’s Nurse Practice Act of Registered Nurse licensure. This nurse overesees the facility wound care process and the facility infection control processes.

GENERAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Coordinates plans for the total care of each resident which comply with physician’s orders, governmental regulations and facility resident care policies.
• Communicates and interprets policies and procedures to nursing staff, and monitors staff practices and implementation.
• Participates in admissions decisions, and may visit prospective residents before admissions, as needed.
• Participates in daily and weekly management team meetings to discuss resident status, census changes, personnel, or resident complaints or concerns.
• Ensures delivery of compassionate quality care and nursing supervision as evidence by adequate services and staff coverage, absence of odors, general cleanliness, prevention of pressure wounds, and apparent maintenance of optimal resident functions.
• Demonstrates knowledge of and application of Key Clinical Quality Indicates, and proactively monitors and implements systems to achieve and / or surpass company thresholds.
• Collaborates with physicians, consultants, community agencies, and institutions to improve the quality of services and to resolve identified problems.
• Assist in the coordination of nursing services with all other departments including Therapy.
• Responsible for competency testing on registered, licensed, certified, non-certified nursing personnel.
• Implements and monitors the infection control program designed to provide a safe, sanitary, and comfortable environment designed to prevent the devilment and transmission of disease and infection.
• Prepares or reviews infection control surveillance reports to identify trends and to develop effective actions to control and prevent infections. Submits an infection control report to the QA Committee.
• Coordinates on-going QA activities for nursing services to monitor nursing compliance with standards and regulatory requirements through rounds, interviews, and record reviews. Compiles summary of findings for the Quality Assurance committee.
• Helps the Director of Nursing prepare staff for inspection surveys, instructing staff on matters of conduct and disclosure, being interviewed by inspectors, immediate corrections of problems noted by surveyors, etc. Reviews and reinforces important standards previously cited.
• Designs systems to plan, promote, develop, assess, interpret, validate and evaluate the implementation of clinical programs, policies, procedures and forms.
• Monitors facility incidents and complaints daily to identify those defined as unusual occurrences by state policy and promptly reports such occurrences to Administrator / Executive Director for appropriate action.
• Monitors complaint reports daily for allegations of potential abuse or neglect, or the loss or misappropriation of resident property, and participates in these investigations.
• Promotes compliance with accident prevention procedures, safety rules, and safe work practices to prevent employee injury and illness and control worker’s compensation costs.
• Ensure 24 hour services such as RN coverage compliance; abuse and neglect coordination compliance, and other services as required by federal, state, local and other governing agencies, if applicable.
• Other duties, responsibilities and activities may change or assigned at any time with or without notice.

QUALIFICATIONS