Infection Preventionist Registered Nurse

Summary

The Infection Preventionist RN leads infection prevention efforts, including surveillance, reporting, investigation, and control of infections. Ensures compliance with standards, educates staff and patients, and collaborates with teams to reduce risks and improve patient safety. Supports policies and provides guidance to maintain a safe, clean healthcare environment.

Duties

Major components of this function include surveillance, prevention and control activities; reporting communicable illnesses; infection control policy development; administrative functions; infection control education and training; consultative services, and analysis of infection control data. The Infection Preventionist (IP) has the authority to function in all services of the organization to coordinate, establish and monitor acceptable infection control practices and standards. S/he serves as a principal member of the Infection Control Committee and recommends new or revised practices, based on currently accepted evidence-based infection prevention and control strategies. The IP evaluates clinical parameters to determine the presence of infection, assess the severity of disease, identify specific risk factors, and determine source(s) for infection that can be improved. The IP analyzes surveillance data monthly, quarterly, and annually to identify unusual occurrences, clusters of infection, infection due to unusual pathogens, and occurrence of healthcare-acquired infections that exceed the targets established for the organization, determining the need for intervention. The IP uses standard definitions for the identification and classification of events, indicators, or outcomes and appropriate statistical techniques to describe the data, calculate rates and critically evaluate the significance of findings. The IP analyzes data using comparative data when available and reports epidemiologically significant findings appropriately. The IP evaluates infectiousness of patients and employees with communicable diseases, makes recommendations for isolation or work restrictions, and investigates exposures to these diseases. The IP recognizes deviations from infection control standards and makes recommendations as necessary to maintain the same level of infection control prevention and control standards throughout all areas of the organization. The IP evaluates the effectiveness of infection prevention and control measures in assigned areas of responsibility and identifies potential infection hazards and deviations from expected hospital target for infection and/or colonization of patients. The IP facilitates implementation of infection control policies and procedures and makes recommendations for integration of infection control principles throughout the medical center. The IP monitors implementation of infection control policies and procedures. The IP identifies opportunities to integrate surveillance findings into the organization's plan for improvement and initiates and facilitates procedural changes to improve infection control practices through active participation and/or collaboration with appropriate committees or workgroups. The IP takes remedial action and implements immediate infection control measures when a known breach is identified or there is reason to believe that there is danger of exposure to or spread of infection in patients or personnel. The IP communicates and follows up with all services involved to ensure corrective action is implemented. The IP formulates individual goals for specific areas of individual responsibility to accomplish the broader goals of the Infection Control Program. The IP participates in Quality Improvement activities and contributes epidemiological skills and expert knowledge of infection prevention and control methods. The IP uses knowledge of current scientific literature and existing regulations and guidelines to incorporate appropriate recommendations into written infection control policies and procedures and to ensure consistency with current standards of care. The IP establishes and maintains effective oral and written communications with all services and community agencies as needed concerning prevention and control of infections in patients. The IP ensures that findings, recommendations, and policies of the infection control program are disseminated to appropriate individuals. VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package: VA Nurse Total Rewards Pay: Competitive salary, regular salary increases, potential for performance awards Paid Time Off: 50 days of paid time off per year (26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays per year) Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement) Licensure: 1 full and unrestricted license from any US State or territory Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00 am - 4:30 pm Telework: Ad-Hoc Only Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

Qualifications

Basic Requirements: English Language Proficiency. In accordance with 38 U.S.C. 7403(f), no person shall serve in direct patient care positions unless they are proficient in basic written and spoken English. Graduate of a school of professional nursing approved by the appropriate accrediting agency and accredited by one of the following accrediting bodies at the time the program was completed by the applicant: The Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) or The Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE); OR Individuals attending a master's level bridge program in nursing who have completed coursework equivalent to a bachelor's level degree in Nursing may have opportunity to become registered as a nurse with a state licensing board prior to completion of the bridge program. Upon achievement of a State license, the individual may be appointed on temporary basis and later converted to a permanent appointment upon successful completion and graduation from the bridge program. (Reference VA Handbook 5005, Appendix G6); OR In cases of graduates of foreign schools of professional nursing, possession of a current, full, active, and unrestricted registration will meet the requirement for graduation from an approved school of professional nursing to warrant an appointment as a Nurse who has completed an associated degree/entry level Nursing education program. Credit for foreign nursing education higher that associate degree/entry level requires a formal degree equivalency validation from a recognized equivalency evaluation accepted by VA such as International Consultants of Delaware (ICD). Current, full, active, and unrestricted registration as a graduate professional nurse in a State, Territory or Commonwealth (i.e., Puerto Rico) of the United States, or the District of Columbia. Graduate Nurse Technician (GNT) Exception: Candidates who otherwise meet the basic education requirements, but do not possess the required licensure, may be appointed at the entry step of the grade and level applicable to the completed nursing education as a GNT on a 120-day temporary appointment while actively pursuing licensure (may be extended up to two years on a case-by-case-basis.) NOTE: Grandfathering Provision - All persons currently employed in VHA in 0610 series and performing the duties as described in the qualification standard on the effective date of the standard (1/29/2024) are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the grade held including positive education and licensure/certification. Grade Determinations: The following Scope, Education and Dimension criteria must be met in determining the grade assignment of candidates, and if appropriate, the level within a grade. The Dimension requirements (Practice, Veteran