Infection Preventionist

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Infection Preventionist

Place of Performance: Misawa AB, Japan

General Description:

Infection Preventionist shall provide Infection Preventionist (IP) services in support of the Military Treatment Facility (MTF) to administer and guide all elements of the MTF’s Infection Prevention and Control Program (IPCP) to include all buildings and geographically separated units (GSU) associated with the MTF.

Specific Tasks:

• Implement the Infection Prevention and Control Program.

• Perform an annual self-inspection to determine if there is sufficient evidence of MTF’s compliance or noncompliance with regulatory standards below. Provides assessment of IPC program to the Infection Prevention and Control Function (IPCF) Chair and shares with IPCF at quarterly meetings. Shall use standards and guidelines to determine compliance.

• Guides the MTF on IPC-related accreditation preparation activities and regulatory readiness. Formulates corrective actions IAW current standards and guidelines.

• Develops the annual Infection Control Risk Assessment (ICRA); prioritizes according to the level of probability and potential for harm. Coordinates ICRA development with other team members, including the IPCF Chair, IPCF members, Public Health (PH) and others as needed.

• Develops and coordinates the annual Infection Prevention and Control Program Plan (IPCPP) based upon the approved ICRA prioritized list. Updates the IPCPP as needed throughout the year.

• Develops and coordinates the IPCP Annual Summary that describes all activities in the IPCPP.

• Plans and develops the IPCF agenda with the IPCF Chair based on activities outlined in the IPCPP; standard agenda items are included at least quarterly. Completes and files meeting minutes per MTF policy.

• Shall maintain active memberships in the following groups: Safety or Environment of Care Committee, Product Evaluation Committee, Patient Safety Committee, Space Utilization Committee, Medical Readiness Staff Function, Nursing Executive Function, and Executive Committee of the Medical Staff (ECOMS).

• Performs IPC-related surveillance as defined by the annual ICRA and IPCPP as approved by MTF senior leadership. Assists in reviewing and revising IPC relevant MTF Operating Instructions (OIs) as required. Shares surveillance activities and findings with the IPC Chair, IPC Function and other related stakeholders, as applicable.

• Verifies current standards are implemented throughout the MTF.

• Participates in quality/performance improvement (PI) and patient safety (PS) activities related to IPC.

• Advises and collaborates on IPC-related issues with many various staff/groups that include, but are not limited to, IPCF, ECOMS, TJC Environment of Care program (EOC) Committee, Nurse Executive Council (NEC), and Performance Improvement Council.

• Liaises with installation Air Reserve Component (ARC) Medical Units on IPCP management and serves as a conduit to elevate IPC-related issues to MTF leadership. Assists ARC IPC monitor in development of a Memorandum of Understanding or Memorandum of Agreement (MOU/MOA), or Host Tenant Agreement.

• Consults with other MTF IPs, SG IP Consultant and HQ IP on a regular basis regarding data, trends, and activities.

• Collaborates with Air Force Medical Service (AFMS) and local area peers to advance awareness of current IPC news and trends.

• Participates in AF and Defense Health Agency (DHA) IPC forums, teleconferences, and meetings.

• Applies epidemiologic principles and statistical methods to break the chain of infection and improve IPC efforts.

• Utilizes databases, graphs, and reports to track, trend, and monitor infectious processes and facilitate evidence-based practices.

• Uses Government-provided Information Technology (IT) systems, e.g., Electronic Healthcare Record (EHR), Composite Healthcare Systems (CHCS), to identify infection occurrences, reservoirs, incubation periods, periods of communicability, modes of transmission, signs and symptoms, and susceptibility associated with the disease process.

• Interprets diagnostic and laboratory reports and advises clinicians on limitations and advantages of types of tests used to diagnose infectious processes.

• Identifies epidemiologically significant organisms for immediate review and investigation and collaborates with multidisciplinary teams, county/state public health departments, and when necessary, in consultation with the AF/SG IP Consultant, AFMOA IP and the CDC.

• Identifies indications for environmental and microbiological monitoring.

• Collects and compiles surveillance data from patient care areas and applies current nationally recognized definitions and methodologies to interpret and explain Healthcare Acquired Infection (HAI) data.

• Collaborates with multidisciplinary teams on risk reduction and error prevention strategies to reduce HAIs.

• Interprets and translates data from antibiograms and antibiotic utilization.

• Educates staff on Multi-Drug Resistant Organisms (MDROs) and on optimal and prudent use of antimicrobials. Coordinates interprofessional effort to improve antimicrobial stewardship through education, surveillance, and evidence-based practices.

• Consults on facility renovations, construction and repair projects, facility modifications, and facility relocations impacting patient care areas.

• Coordinates and consults on service contracts and plans that have IPC implications, to include the Hospital Aseptic Management System (HAMS) or equivalent housekeeping contract, linen/laundry contract, and waste management contract.

• Consults with Aerospace Medicine on development of exposure control plans.

• Collaborates with PS and Risk Management (RM) on tracking and trending of IPC near misses, events and/or issues relating to PS and the TJC National Patient Safety Goals (NPSGs) pertaining to IPC.

• Develops and implements MTF-wide IPC education and training. Facilitates training for professional and ancillary support staff on IPC topics.

• Maintains knowledge of IPC issues occurring world-wide as provided through valid communication sources.

• Advocates, influences, motivates, and persuades leadership and staff to consistently incorporate IPC guidelines and standards throughout the MTF.

• Maintains IPC-related files IAW Air Force Manual (AFMAN) Management of Records.

• Utilizes the APIC Text of Infection Control and Epidemiology on-line and other IPC references located on the AFMS Virtual Library.

• Shall be required to travel in the local MTF area utilizing your privately owned vehicle to inspect the offsite laundry/linen facility on an annual basis.

Experience:

• Minimum of one (1) year of current experience in infection prevention and control or equivalent relevant clinical experience within the last five year.

The following background are considered as “equivalent relevant clinical experience.”:

a) Nursing

b) Medicine

c) Sterile processing

d) Public Health

e) Laboratory

f) Biology

Education:

• Minimum of a Bachelor’s degree in Nursing, Public Health, Epidemiology or Microbiology from a nationally recognized accredited college program.

Licensure:

• Must possess a current, valid and unrestricted registered nursing license as applicable, in one of the 50 states and/or the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, or territories of the United States.