Job Description

Purpose and Summary

Infection Preventionist/Wound Nurse shall assume the responsibility for assessing, developing, implementing, monitoring, and managing the Infection Prevention and Control Program and the Antibiotic Stewardship Program (ASP) as well as the Wound Care and Prevention Program.

This role implements and evaluates infection prevention and control programs designed to provide a safe, sanitary, and comfortable environment for residents, visitors and staff at Rocky Knoll that complies with State and Federal guidelines. This role helps prevent the development and transmission of communicable diseases and infections. This role also aids in prevention, monitoring, managing, and documentation of wound impairments.

Essential Duties

Implement and maintain a system for preventing, identifying, reporting, investigating, and controlling infections and communicable diseases for all residents, staff, volunteers, visitors, and other individuals who provide services under a contractual arrangement based upon the facility assessment and following accepted national standards.

Provide written standards, policies and procedures for these programs.

Implement a system of surveillance designed to identify possible communicable diseases or infections before they can spread to other persons in the Center; when and to whom possible incidents of communicable disease or infections should be reported; standard and transmission-based precautions to be followed to prevent spread of infections; when and how isolation should be used for a resident; the circumstances under which the Center must prohibit employees with a communicable disease or infection.

Collaborate with the facility leadership and the medical director to develop, implement, and evaluate the annual infection prevention goals and action plan.

Conduct outbreak investigations and provide guidance to staff and departments on protocols.

Maintain a system for reporting possible incidents of communicable diseases to local, state, or national agencies as required.

Oversee the antibiotic stewardship program and monitor residents; antibiotic use.

Assess the need for, develop, and present Infection Prevention and in-service education for individual departments, general orientation, and annual review as needed.

Provide education for hand hygiene, cleaning, disinfection and sterilization.

Assess the need for, develop, and present Wound prevention and care educations.

Provides teaching, training, delegating, and delivery of skin assessments, implementation of preventative interventions, wound care as prescribed by the physician, and documentation, consistent with accepted standards of care.

Assists in evaluating and modifying the treatment regimen to meet the physical and psychosocial needs of the resident, in accordance with established medical and clinical practices, State and Federal regulations and the policies and procedures of the facility through collaboration with the attending physician and appropriate interdisciplinary team members.

Reviews and implements interventions according to resident\'s specific needs and risk for developing pressure ulcers and communicates those changes to the staff, resident and family as needed.

Confers with the Interdisciplinary Team regarding assessment evaluations and assists in planning and developing an individualized Care Plan for residents receiving wound care treatments.

Assist the Director of Clinical Services and provide backup coverage in the following areas included but not limited to: Investigations, wound care, infection control, MDS documentation, and staff development.

Participate in and coordinate QAPI functions in conjunction with Administrator, Medical Director, and the IDT.

Develop, implement, and assess Quality improvement plans for the nursing department.

Maintains established and develops new Policies and Procedures in area of expertise and interprets them for the physician, staff, resident, family members and public as appropriate.

Completes detailed documentation to include measurements per Facility Policies & Procedures of those residents assessed.

Assists in collaboration of attaining treatment supplies through a Durable Medical Equipment Supplier and/or Medicare Part B provider.

Participate in the development and implementation of resident care plans, resident assessments and discharge planning.

Directs, supervises, and manages Licensed, Certified, and Non-certified Nursing Staff.

Assumes on-call supervisory responsibilities for the facility as assigned.

May perform other varied duties as needed.

Qualifications

Graduate of an accredited nursing program.

Current Wisconsin license as a Licensed Practical Nurse and CPR Certification. Registered Nurse with a valid, current license in the State of Wisconsin preferred.

3 - 5 years of related experience in Infection control and wound care preferred.

Education and/or experience in long-term care, acute care, or geriatric nursing preferred.

Wound care certification and Specialized Infection Prevention and Control Training preferred.

Strong clinical assessment skills and working knowledge of skilled nursing requirements and limitations.

Ability to conduct ongoing clinical monitoring and skillfully interact with other healthcare professionals.

Good knowledge of the principles and practices of nursing home operation and willingness and ability to learn specific procedures.

Knowledge of healthcare operations, patient safety, liability, standards and regulations.

Strong analytical and critical thinking skills.

Strong research skills and ability to navigate regulatory sites to find data to support Evidence Based Practices.

Excellent leadership and interpersonal skills and ability to gain the trust and respect of patients, families, other customers, physicians, senior leadership, management and employees.

Effective time management and organizational skills

Demonstrate: clinical competence; computer proficiency; effective communication (written and spoken); attention to detail; excellent customer service skills.

Work Environment & Physical Requirements

WORKING RELATIONSHIPS

Reports to the Director of Clinical Services.

Supervises, directs and manages the nursing staff assigned to the area of responsibility, and other areas as needed.

Establishes a compassionate environment by providing emotional, psychological and spiritual support to patients, families, and co-workers.

Performs duties with consideration for clients, peers, other employees, guests, visitors and other providers.

WORK ENVIRONMENT AND PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk and hear.

This position is very active and requires standing, walking, bending, kneeling, stooping, crouching, crawling and climbing all day. The employee must frequently lift or move objects and patients weighing over 50 pounds.

Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision depth perception and ability to adjust focus.

Specific hearing abilities required by this job include, hearing conversation in noisy and quiet environments, locating a sound source and differentiating among non speech sounds, communicating through speech.

Ability to adapt to changes in daily work hours and schedule.

Initiate timely emergency resuscitation measures according to adult resuscitation and advanced life support protocols.

Risk of blood borne pathogen exposure is considered high.

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