JOB TITLE: INFECTION PREVENTION ADMINISTRATOR

JOB CODE: 30424

DEFINITION: This is professional administrative and consultative nursing work in the prevention and control of infectious diseases.

An employee in this job is responsible for developing and administering an agency infection prevention and control program. Work involves providing consultation and oversight in the development, implementation, and maintenance of facility-based infection prevention and control plans, policies, and procedures; serving as the principal advisor to senior leadership on infection prevention, planning, and mitigation; consulting with multidisciplinary teams and facility infection prevention staff to create pandemic and pathogen prevention and mitigation strategies; providing consultation and advice to nursing staff regarding specialized treatments and nursing care plans; and developing and providing training to infection prevention and control staff on infection prevention and control regulatory requirements. Work also involves interpreting and overseeing the application of regulations, policies, procedures, and standards related to infection prevention and control; performing onsite quality assurance and performance improvement assessments to evaluate regulatory compliance and program effectiveness; developing and overseeing the implementation of corrective action plans; and providing administrative oversight and direction to facility infection prevention and control nurses. Work assignments are completed independently under the supervision of a medical or administrative professional and within the framework of federal, state, and local laws, regulations, and professional standards. Work is reviewed periodically through meetings and reports for attainment of objectives.

EXAMPLES OF WORK: (NOTE: The examples of work are representative of the work, but every position classified to this job may not perform all examples of work listed. Conversely, this is not an all-inclusive list of work examples.)

• Develops and maintains a centralized infection prevention and control program to improve resident care and safety, including the establishment of a system for preventing, identifying, reporting, investigating, and controlling infections and communicable diseases.

• Consults with facility-level and interdisciplinary staff to develop and maintain infection prevention and control plans that include policies, procedures, and guidelines for education and training, immunizations, exposure prevention and post exposure management, medical conditions, work-related illness and associated work restrictions, and related records maintenance.

• Oversees the performance of facility-wide assessments used to establish, update, and maintain facility infection prevention and control plans and policies.

• Consults with central office and facility staff to standardize infection prevention and control policies, procedures, and practices.

• Provides guidance and direction to central office and facility staff in the interpretation and application of federal, state, and local laws, regulations, and professional standards relating to infection prevention and control.

• Collaborates with central office and facility staff to develop process improvements to reduce the harm caused by the development or spread of infectious diseases.

• Performs competency-based educational assessments; plans, develops, coordinates, and conducts education and training programs for a wide variety of staff regarding infection prevention and control regulations, policies, procedures, and standards.

• Provides consultation, advice, and training to facility infection prevention and nursing staff on nursing care plans, practices, methods, treatments, and techniques.

• Evaluates facility compliance with federal, state, local, and program specific rules, regulations, policies, and procedures for infection prevention, control, surveillance, and reporting.

• Conducts onsite facility quality assurance reviews to assess program effectiveness in providing infection prevention and control services, and provides consultation and direction to improve service quality and delivery.

• Oversees the implementation of quality improvement plans and educational programs that promote awareness of infection control responsibilities for all facility staff.

• Researches and disseminates information on industry best practices, updated regulations, emerging diseases, vaccines, and safety devices and products.

• Oversees the design and implementation of processes to monitor for appropriate use of antibiotics, improve resident antibiotic success rates, and reduce antibiotic resistance.

• Coordinates infection monitoring, education, and control measures to ensure that transmission risks and complications of infectious diseases are minimized.

• Monitors and assesses outbreak investigations conducted by facility infection prevention staff through the analysis of reports, observations, and outcomes and develops prevention and mitigation strategies.

• Establishes policies to treat infected individuals.

• Provides consultation regarding circumstances under which facilities must prohibit employees with communicable diseases from having direct contact with residents.

• Provides input and advice regarding changes to existing laws and proposed legislation as related to infection prevention and control.

• Travels to veterans homes throughout the commonwealth.

• Performs the full range of supervisory duties.

• An employee in this job may participate in the performance of subordinates’ work consistent with operational or organizational requirements.

• Performs related work as required.

ENTRY LEVEL KNOWLEDGES, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES:

• Knowledge of the practices, methodologies, and techniques of professional nursing.

• Knowledge of the practices, methodologies, and techniques of infectious disease prevention and control.

• Knowledge of the laws and regulations related to infectious disease prevention and control.

• Knowledge of the techniques used to establish, monitor, and evaluate nursing care plans.

• Knowledge of disease processes and pathology and their signs and symptoms.

• Knowledge of therapeutic and adverse effects of pharmacological agents and medical treatments.

• Knowledge of infectious agent surveillance systems.

• Knowledge of the use and functionality of Microsoft Office Suite software.

• Ability to analyze and interpret laboratory and diagnostic tests.

• Ability to analyze and interpret written information.

• Ability to analyze and interpret numerical information.

• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships.

• Ability to communicate effectively orally.

• Ability to communicate effectively in writing.

MINIMUM EXPERIENCE AND TRAINING: (NOTE: Based on the Entry Level Knowledges, Skills, and Abilities)

• Four years of professional infection prevention and control experience in a healthcare facility.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:

• All positions require possession of an active Certified in Infection Control (CIC) certification as issued by the Certification Board of Infection Control and Epidemiology (CBIC).

• All positions require possession of an active license to practice as a Registered Nurse issued by the Pennsylvania State Board of Nursing; or possession of an active non-renewable temporary practice permit issued by the Pennsylvania State Board of Nursing.

• All employees possessing non-renewable temporary practice permits must obtain licensure as a Registered Nurse within the one (1) year period defined by the Pennsylvania State Board of Nursing.