Infection Prevention Nurse

OVERVIEW:   The Infection Control Registered Nurse provides administrative, surveillance and consultative work in planning, developing, coordinating and administering an Infection Control Program at designated sites under a regional health authority. Work involves planning, organizing, implementing, evaluating the infection control program to ensure the program is carried out properly, effectively and efficiently throughout the region and educating stakeholders regarding infection control practices.

ESSENTIONAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Provides surveillance of healthcare or industry practices to identify problem areas and determines any necessary interventions; gathers related data (i.e. reviews lab reports and patient charts, communicates with facilities and units), inputs data into various report documents for analysis; provides education and training to program areas requiring changes; evaluates and reports on data.
• Reviews needs for education and training; develops, organizes, and delivers infection control education to staff, patients, and the community through either formal presentations or one on one counselling. Delivers formal presentations to staff during orientation or community group activities, and evaluates training requirements.
• Provides consultation and expertise to a variety of stakeholders on infection control practices based on an in-depth knowledge of infection control and best practice research.
• Investigates infection control outbreaks, conducts literature and internet research related to epidemiological studies and best practices; reviews and monitors statistical data, calculates infection rates, critically appraises significance of findings, and makes recommendations to address outcomes of outbreaks and/or changes in practice(s).
• Coordinates infection prevention and control (IP&C) activities; communicates with managers/administrators regarding suspicious outbreaks of infection; evaluates and provides advice and guidance.
• Participates and provides nursing services to immunization clinics including administering vaccinations and collecting data.
• Provides patients and their families with education literature and counselling on infection control topics.
• Attends and participates in department and committee meetings (i.e. regional waste management, regional infection control, etc.), and where applicable, provides input into policy and procedures.
• Evaluates the use of newly developed infection prevention technology or products for safety and cost-effectiveness; and meets with sales representatives or attends in-services on products (i.e. wound care, swab collection kits, etc.).
• Books rooms, equipment and vehicles, types and distributes letters/emails, and records minutes of regional and staff meetings.

KNOWLEDGE:

• Infection prevention and control regulations and guidelines.
• Sterilization/decontamination, microbiology and infectious processes
• Environmental health services best practices.
• Epidemiological principles, statistics, microbiology, and infectious diseases.
• Policies, procedures, standards of practice, and guidelines (i.e. regional, provincial, and national).
• Current knowledge of trends, and developments within nursing and specific program.
• Research and evidence based practice.

EDUCATION AND/OR EXPERIENCE:

• Completion of an Undergraduate Degree in Nursing from an approved college or university supplemented by an Infection Control Certification from the Canadian Hospital Infection Control Association (CHICA), and Registration with the Association of Registered Nurses of Newfoundland and Labrador (ARRNL)
• BLS certification
• Completion of infection control course from CHICA Years of Experience:
  • Minimum: 3 - 4 years of experience
• Proficiency in the use of various computer software packages to analyze statistics and write reports
• Ability to work in a multi-disciplinary team as well as independently