FSH- Infection Preventionist FT

Fresno Surgical Hospital is an extraordinary hospital created entirely to deliver excellence and quality in surgical care to each patient. Our unique facility and staff provide a hospitality- inspired, healing environment unlike anything experienced in a traditional hospital. Our commitment to innovation, shared values, and excellence can be reflected in exceptional satisfaction scores from patients, physicians, and staff.

Job Summary

Responsible for planning, developing, directing, implementing, and evaluating the hospital-wide infection prevention program and ensures compliance with all regulatory requirements. Collects, reports, and presents statistical information regarding infection control and other hospital quality measures as assigned. Maintains an active surveillance program utilizing epidemiological principles, infection prevention and control, and quality improvement in an effort to ensure high quality cost-effective health care and prevention of healthcare associated infections. Distributes findings from surveillance and other activities, policies/procedures, and regulatory guidelines and makes recommendations to appropriate individuals and committees.

Reasonable Accommodation Statement:

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the position without compromising patient care.

Required Skills:

• Familiar with all related healthcare concepts, practices, policies and procedures.
• Knowledgeable of Joint Commission, HIPAA, AAHC and other healthcare governing bodies, both state and federal.
• Ability to maintain collaborative working relationships to ensure a positive and productive work environment.
• Ability to plan and prioritize work with frequent interruptions.
• Ability to provide exceptional customer service.
• Effective verbal and written communication skills to communicate effectively with diverse populations, including physicians, employees, patients and their families.
• Teaching abilities to conduct educational programs for staff.
• Knowledge and experience using software applications such as Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint.
• Knowledge and proficiency of hospital information technology applications.

Essential Functions:

• Conducts ongoing review of hospital policies, procedures, hospital plans and guidelines to identify infection control discrepancies and implements revisions as necessary. Ensures that departmental goals are compatible with, and enhance the hospital and organization's mission, values, and strategic plan. Communicates changes to appropriate departments
• Interacts with physicians, nurses, department managers, supervisors, and occupational health and other professional/non-professional staff members to provide resource information, resolve infection control problems, and identify new opportunities to improve service and reduce costs.
• Monitors and conducts epidemiological investigations of any clusters of infections above expected levels, single cases of unusual infections and emerging infectious diseases.
• Assists in studies and investigations related to improving nursing care, patient safety and infection prevention and control.
• Ensures mandated reporting requirements are met to include, HAI, Surgical Site Infections and employee vaccinations are reported accurately and timely to NHSN, the state and local Public Health Department, CMS and all other required reporting entities.
• Maintains current knowledge of federal and state regulatory requirements. Offer recommendations for practice changes to meet regulatory requirements and FSH priorities and goals for patient safety.
• Monitors patient care and other essential areas/service lines for environmental deficits and risks as they relate to infection prevention.
• Conducts the performance of infection surveillance, infection control rounds and monthly hand hygiene audits. Performs infection prevention surveillance activities, infection prevention rounds, and monthly hand hygiene audits. Maintains records in an organized manner. Prepares written reports as required.
• Assures a high level of environmental cleanliness and sanitation is maintained throughout the facility in accordance with current infection control and safety practices.
• Assists in coordinating infection related employee health issues and employee exposure follow-up with Employee Health. Oversees employee health fit testing and seasonal influenza vaccinations for staff, contracted staff, vendors and the medical staff. Maintains records.
• Completes occurrence report follow up and actions related to actual or suspected infections, communicable diseases and blood borne pathogen injuries.
• Responsible for assuring compliance with appropriate infection control practices for all new and ongoing construction activities in the facility. Performs infection control risk analysis and monitors construction activities daily and is an active member of the construction project team.
• Responsible for ongoing improvement of knowledge and skills in quality management and infection prevention practices.
• Assists in planning and organizing orientation and in-service training for department staff members, and participates in guidance and educational programs for infection prevention practices.
• Reports to, and is responsible for preparing all pertinent reports for review, discussion, action and follow-up by the Medical Staff Infection Prevention Committee. These include, but are not limited to Surgical Site and Healthcare Associated Infections, TB conversion reports, hand hygiene monitoring, and follow-up action items.
• Chairs the Infection Prevention Task Force Committee.
• Provides information to hospital committees and department managers to formulate changes in the policies, procedures and/or processes which could reduce the spread of infection.
• Participates in hospital-wide committees including, Quality Assurance Performance Improvement Committee, Nursing Counsel, Employee Safety Committee, Medical Staff Committees and others as indicated.
• Participates in activities related to the Environment of Care and Emergency Management Committees.

Education and Work Experience

• BSN or BS in related health care or management field preferred.
• Completion of an accredited registered nursing program.
• Experience in Infection Prevention, Healthcare Education, Epidemiology, Infection Diseases, Employee or Public Health required.
• CBIC certification preferred.

Benefits: 

• Comprehensive Benefit Package-Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, Voluntary Life, Flexible Spending Accounts and 401 K. 

Salary Range:

• $42.00 - $60.00 (Depending on Experience- Exempt Role)