Kennestone - Infection Preventionist (RN)

Facility: Kennestone Hospital

Job Summary:

The Infection Preventionist (IP)I is a professional who functions under the direction of the Infection
Prevention Manager at the hospital location or AVP/ED/Dir of Quality, with a matrix relationship to the
Executive Director of Infection Prevention at the system level. Responsibilities include but are not limited
to hospital surveillance, rounding, and associated activities by identifying risks that could influence
healthcare associated infections within the facility, perform written reporting when rounding through facility
and Hospital Outpatient Departments (HOD) with approved tracer tools. Participate in the development of
quality initiatives related to Infection Prevention. Learn and implement the fundamentals of HAI (Healthcare
Associated Infection) surveillance and reporting per regulatory standards. Learn and implement rounding
for completing a PCRA/ICRA during construction and renovation projects.
Apply regulatory HAI definitions (NHSN/CDC) when performing assigned computer-based surveillance.
Additional responsibilities include providing input on relevant policies and procedures, conducting risk
assessments, ensuring adequacy of cleaning, disinfection, and sterilization practices, educating, and
coaching staff, patients, and visitors, and assuring regulatory compliance in all aspects of infection
surveillance, prevention, and control.

Core Responsibilities and Essential Functions:

Surveillance
* Conducts surveillance for healthcare associated infections and epidemiologically significant organisms as specified in the Infection Prevention Plan.
* Utilizes current NHSN definitions and applies them consistently.
* Collects, aggregates and analyzes data.
* Accurate NHSN data input
* Consistently and proficiently runs validation reports through NHSN
* Participate in internal and external validation of data
* Confirms and investigates potential clusters and outbreaks
* Participates in environment of care (EOC) rounds and oversees IP-related corrective actions.
* Facilitates activities to ensure compliance with Hand Hygiene and Isolation Compliance

Reporting and Communicating
* Maintains confidentiality and HIPAA compliance.
* Maintains accurate surveillance records and enters data into repositories.
* Reports diseases to local and state public health authorities as required by law.
* Submits internal and external data according to established deadlines.
* Analyzes information to develop knowledge for appropriate dissemination.

Education
* Develops and delivers staff education programs.
* Provides patient and family education of infection prevention practices as requested by clinical caregivers.
* Provides Infection Prevention orientation for hospital team members.

* Leadership
* Collaborates with Manager to review and implement system policies and procedures.
* Utilizes resources to respond to the questions and needs of the organization.
* Maintains regulatory and accreditation compliance.
* Collaborates with Employee Health regarding healthcare worker exposure and illness prevention.
* Assists Manager in annual risk assessment, goal development and surveillance plan evaluation.
* Contributes to the evaluation of new products.

Performs other duties as assigned

Complies with all Wellstar Health System policies, standards of work, and code of conduct.

Required Minimum Education:

• Bachelors Public Health or Bachelors Microbiology or Bachelors Health Science or Masters Other-Preferred

Required Minimum License(s) and Certification(s):

All certifications are required upon hire unless otherwise stated.

Additional License(s) and Certification(s):

Cert in Infection Control within 2 years Preferred and

Required Minimum Experience:

Minimum 2 years experienced in healthcare setting Required and
Minimum 1 year experience in infection prevention practice Preferred

Required Minimum Skills:

Strong verbal and written communication.
Excellent teamwork and relationship building.
Demonstrated knowledge of basic principles of epidemiology, surveillance, data collection and analysis.
Personal time management skills are required.