Infection Control Assistant (RN) - Epidemiology - DC

Minimum Education
BSN Graduated from an approved school of nursing. (Required)
Master's Degree (Preferred)

Minimum Work Experience
2 years Clinical nursing experience. At least 1 year of pediatrics, critical care or emergency nursing experience preferred. (Required)

Required Skills/Knowledge
Current nursing knowledge; ability to develop and implement effective infection control and emergency response programs.
Familiar with software such as Window's environment (Microsoft Office, Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Access).
Excellent oral and written communication skills.
Basic knowledge of statistics and epidemiologic methods is beneficial.

Required Licenses and Certifications
Registered Nurse in District of Columbia (Required)

Functional Accountabilities
Professional Practice

• Establish and maintain positive collaboration with all levels of staff across the organization.

• Participate actively in assigned committees and internal and external meetings.

• Ensure own professional development through ongoing education

• Maintain required licensure and certification.

Surveillance - Case Identification, Reporting, and Response

• Conduct targeted surveillance defined by the Infection Control Committee to identify, investigate and manage suspected and confirmed infections.

• Notify internal stakeholders and external authorities as appropriate of reportable diseases and assists with follow-up.

• Report and promptly respond to unusual disease patterns identified.

• Conduct clinical rounds on routine basis to assess adherence with infection control practices.

• Identify and promptly triage cases of epidemiologically significant infections.

• Partner to develop and implement strategies to contain significant pathogens.

Prevention and Control

• Apply evidence-based practice guidelines and implement effective infection prevention strategies.

• Identify prevention opportunities and collaborate with appropriate staff to plan, implement and evaluate prevention and control efforts.

• Monitor compliance with established policies and regulatory requirements in assigned areas of responsibility and ensure staff are fully informed on expectations to ensure adherence.

Outbreak Detection and Management & Biological Emergency Preparedness and Response

• Responsible for early identification of unusual disease pattern, cluster and outbreak; promptly respond to outbreak once identified.

• Responsible to institute prevention measures for rapid remediation of outbreak in assigned areas.

• Develop protocol and plan and respond to agent-specific biological emergency situations.

• Plan and lead readiness drills.

• Assess and evaluate emergency needs to ensure adequate supplies are on hand for response.

• Serve as liaison between Nursing and Infection Control to ensure delivery of safe patient care when special isolation unit is in operation.

Education

• Develop system-wide training and education modules related to infection prevention and best practices.

• Train hospital staff on infection prevention and control policies and practices.

• Ensure infection control databases are maintained in a timely fashion.

Organizational Accountabilities
Organizational Accountabilities (Staff)
Organizational Commitment/Identification

• Anticipate and responds to customer needs; follows up until needs are met

Teamwork/Communication

• Demonstrate collaborative and respectful behavior

• Partner with all team members to achieve goals

• Receptive to others' ideas and opinions

Performance Improvement/Problem-solving

• Contribute to a positive work environment

• Demonstrate flexibility and willingness to change

• Identify opportunities to improve clinical and administrative processes

• Make appropriate decisions, using sound judgment

Cost Management/Financial Responsibility

• Use resources efficiently

• Search for less costly ways of doing things

Safety

• Speak up when team members appear to exhibit unsafe behavior or performance

• Continuously validate and verify information needed for decision making or documentation

• Stop in the face of uncertainty and takes time to resolve the situation

• Demonstrate accurate, clear and timely verbal and written communication

• Actively promote safety for patients, families, visitors and co-workers

• Attend carefully to important details - practicing Stop, Think, Act and Review in order to self-check behavior and performance