Infection Preventionist 4 - Anna Jaques Hospital in Newburyport, MA.
Newburyport, Massachusetts
Organization Facility: Beth Israel Lahey Health - Non Executive Category: Infection Prevention Job ID: JR61827 Date posted: 09/30/2024Job Type: Regular
Time Type: Full time
Work Shift: Day (United States of America)
FLSA Status: Exempt
When you join the growing BILH team, you're not just taking a job, you’re making a difference in people’s lives.
Join a growing team of Infection Preventionists at BILH! This position will cover Anna Jaques Hospital in Newburyport. Come enjoy the benefits of belonging to a team of more than 20 IPs across our system, while being a part of your local hospital community.Under the general supervision of Infection Prevention & Control (IPC) leadership, the IP4 position is the fourth step in the four-level career ladder from Novice to Expert and is for individuals with a comprehensive understanding of the healthcare ecosystem and possess expertise in multiple areas of infection prevention across diverse healthcare environments. The IP4 key job functions include helping to lead, coordinate, and carry out the facility and system-wide program for the prevention and control of infections including leading multidisciplinary infection prevention initiatives, participating in facility and system wide committees, and serving as an institution-wide content expert in infection prevention. Those in the IP4 position will complete ongoing professional development in the field through self-study, mentorship and sponsored training activities, while also providing mentorship to IP1-3s, as requested by IPC leadership.
Job Description:
Job Responsibilities:
1) Independently and routinely performs healthcare-associated infection (HAI) surveillance (CLABSI, CAUTI, SSI) with accuracy. Discusses difficult cases with departmental leadership and/or Medical Director(s). Assists in development of control measures or interventions related to prevention of HAIs. Function as a content expert for more junior IPs with questions related to HAI surveillance. (essential)
2) Investigate potential patient and staff exposures to relevant infectious diseases, complete any necessary documentation, and communicate with Employee Health and potentially exposed departments promptly. (essential)
3) Independently perform case evaluation, management, and public health reporting for infectious diseases of public health concern (e.g. tuberculosis, Mpox). Serve as a resource for IP1-3s for questions related to these infectious diseases. (essential)
4) Demonstrates breadth and depth of knowledge of regulatory requirements. Able to function as an infection prevention contact for surveyors from local and state public health, TJC, and other regulatory bodies. Demonstrates an understanding of a broader infection prevention picture across the system, locally, and nationally. (essential).
5) Provides expert consultation for both clinical and environmental infection prevention issues and recurring problems. Performs Infection Control Risk Assessments (ICRAs) for construction and maintenance projects, including within high-risk environments. Serves as a resource for other IPs on complex infection prevention matters. (essential).
6) Serve as the primary infection prevention contact/content expert for inpatient and outpatient units and/or service lines. Regularly review surveillance data to determine trends or any indication of clusters within the units/service lines and intervene as necessary. Provide education/in-services as needed. Discuss any urgent or high visibility infection prevention issues with the local Medical Director(s) and IPC leadership. (essential)
7) Detect potential outbreaks, conduct appropriate epidemiological data analysis, and communicate with IPC leadership and the Medical Director(s) and local and state public health departments, as needed. (essential)
8) Demonstrates good judgment and maintain strict adherence to BILH confidentiality guidelines and always maintains compliance with HIPAA. (essential)
9) Additional duties may be assigned based on individual skills and competencies within specific areas of infection prevention (e.g., data analysis, high level disinfection/sterilization, dialysis). (essential)
10) Support coverage of infection prevention activities at other BILH facilities as necessary and determined by BILH infection prevention executive leadership. (essential)
Required Qualifications:
1. Bachelor’s degree required. Master’s degree in Infection Control, Nursing, Public Health, Epidemiology, or Statistics preferred
2. Licensed Registered Nurse Preferred
3. Board Certification in Infection Control (CIC) required and must be maintained
4. At least 5 years of work experience in infection prevention and control required
5. Professional licensure in related field (RN, MT, etc.) must be maintained as active, if applicable
6. Advanced skills with the Microsoft Office suite applications and other web-based applications.
7. Experience in use of electronic health record, particularly Epic including infection prevention module, preferred
8. Detail oriented, critical thinker, effective communicator with analytical abilities and strong interpersonal skills.