Quality Nurse Educator

Infection Control Nurse / Nurse Educator
Rate: $78,000 - $93,600 annual salary (depending on experience)
Shift: Full-Time
Location: Roscoe Rehabilitation and Nursing Center

The Infection Control Nurse / CNA Nurse Educator plays a key role in ensuring a safe, healthy, and effective environment in a long-term care facility. This position combines two critical functions: overseeing infection prevention and control practices to minimize risks to residents, staff, and visitors, while also providing educational leadership and training for Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs) to ensure high standards of care and infection control compliance.

Key Responsibilities:

Infection Control Responsibilities:

• Develop, implement, and monitor infection control policies and procedures tailored to the needs of the long-term care population, in compliance with state, federal, and local regulations (e.g., CDC, OSHA).
• Conduct regular infection surveillance and reporting of hospital-acquired infections (HAIs), ensuring quick identification and mitigation of outbreaks.
• Work closely with facility leadership to monitor and assess infection control practices, recommending improvements where necessary.
• Oversee staff compliance with infection control protocols, including proper hand hygiene, use of personal protective equipment (PPE), environmental cleaning, and sterilization procedures.
• Provide staff training on infection control practices, including outbreak management, proper use of PPE, and protocols for residents with contagious conditions.
• Track infection control data, produce regular reports for leadership, and ensure the facility meets required infection control benchmarks.
• Investigate infection outbreaks and collaborate with other departments to implement containment strategies.
• Maintain accurate infection control records and ensure timely submission of required regulatory reports.

CNA Education Responsibilities:

• Design and implement educational programs for CNAs, focusing on essential skills such as patient care, infection prevention, safety, ethics, communication, and regulatory compliance.
• Develop, lead, and evaluate training sessions for CNAs, including orientation for new staff, ongoing in-service education, and competency evaluations.
• Mentor and provide hands-on training for CNAs in their day-to-day care duties, ensuring that they adhere to best practices in patient care and infection control.
• Ensure CNAs are well-versed in infection prevention protocols, including procedures for managing and preventing cross-contamination in a long-term care setting.
• Create and maintain competency assessment tools to evaluate CNA skills in infection control and patient care practices.
• Regularly assess the learning needs of CNAs and adapt training programs to meet these needs.
• Work closely with the nursing leadership team to address gaps in CNA performance and develop targeted education interventions.
• Document and track CNA training, certifications, and competencies for regulatory compliance and quality assurance.
• Stay updated on the latest trends in CNA education, infection control guidelines, and best practices in long-term care.

Qualifications:

• Registered Nurse (RN) with active licensure in NY.
• Clinical nursing experience, with experience working in infection control or long-term care settings.
• Experience working with or educating CNAs is preferred.
• Certification in Infection Control (CIC) is highly preferred
• Certification in Nursing Education (CNE) or equivalent training is a plus.
• Strong understanding of infection control principles, including protocols for long-term care facilities, outbreak management, and healthcare-associated infections (HAIs).
• Proficient in creating and delivering educational content, both in-person and through digital platforms.
• Excellent communication, organizational, and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to motivate, mentor, and evaluate CNA staff to improve clinical and infection control competencies.
• Familiarity with regulatory requirements for CNA education and infection control in long-term care (e.g., CMS, state-specific regulations).