Senior Infection Prevention and Control Nurse (Corniche Hospital)

Role Overview

Senior Infection Prevention and Control Nurse at SEHA, Corniche Hospital. This role acts as the Infection Prevention and Control Expert, implementing and maintaining an active infection control program through surveillance, investigation, consultation, education, policy development, risk assessment, product evaluation and research.

Role Purpose

To work collaboratively with clinical staff, departments and administration to reduce the risk of healthcare associated infections among patients and ensure that facilities and services are in compliance with infection control practice as well as local, state and regulatory infection control standards.

Key Responsibilities

Consultation and Expert Advice

• Provide consultation and expert advice in infection control practice for professional staff, administrative, medical, clinical, patient care and support services.
• Provide bedside clinical consultations to nurses, physicians and allied health professionals related to infection prevention and control.
• Provide advice to occupational health, laboratory staff and the risk manager in the event of a blood borne pathogen and body fluid exposure incident or any other Infection Prevention and Control issue.
• Demonstrate knowledge of microbiological and epidemiological principles and isolation precautions when addressing the purchase of resources such as personal protective equipment.
• Make yourself accessible for infection prevention and control consultation in all phases of the change process.

Policy Development and Compliance

• Collaborate with all departments on departmental policies related to infection control.
• Assist line manager in related policy development and/or review or revision.
• Promote and implement infection prevention and control guidelines and standards that improve patient outcome and reduce healthcare-associated infections.
• Investigate and study trends in infection prevention and control practices, recommending changes or adjustments in existing practice for performance improvement.

Surveillance and Epidemiological Investigation

• Design and implement surveillance systems according to latest NHSN definitions.
• Collect and review surveillance data related to health care associated infection.
• Analyze and interpret the surveillance data.
• Recommend appropriate actions to clinicians and administrators targeted to reduce or eliminate infectious risks in patients and staff.
• Perform active surveillance on targeted device and procedure associated infections in the hospital and follow up on epidemiological importance organisms and diseases.
• Conduct outbreak investigations.
• Conduct contact tracing related to exposure of patients and/or health care workers to communicable diseases.
• Prepare and maintain confidentiality of all aspects of infection prevention and control surveillance data collection, storage and distribution.
• Monitor antibiotic therapy.

Governance and Committee Leadership

• Play a key role in infection prevention and control committee.
• Represent the infection prevention and control team in external meetings.
• Liaise closely with medical and nursing staff in ensuring that all notifiable diseases are reported to HAAD.
• Communicate with HAAD on reportable infectious diseases, endemic and epidemic situation in the community.

Stakeholder Engagement and Relationships

• Establish needs assessment for all departments around infection prevention and control issues.
• Build relationships with staff, peers and colleagues to support interdisciplinary and interdepartmental planning, aimed at improving patient outcomes.
• Collaborate with relevant departments on establishing and maintaining an active employee and occupational health program.
• Liaise effectively with other health care providers both internal and external to the organization.
• Collaborate with public health agencies in planning community responses to biologic agents.
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary team by providing effective communication and timely feedback in improving quality and patient safety.

Product Evaluation and Financial Management

• Conduct product evaluation activities related to the field of Infection Prevention and Control.
• Lead financial and value analysis of programs and related projects.

Implementation and Integration

• Lead implementation of evidence based infection prevention and control strategies in conjunction with a multidisciplinary team that is effective and improves patient outcome.
• Lead integration of prevention activities within and across departments.

Reporting and Communications

• Provide infection prevention and control reports and surveillance monitoring in a timely manner, such as monthly.
• Develop an effective mechanism for communication of infection prevention and control information from patient care areas with feedback of analyzed information.

Information Management and Confidentiality

• Maintain confidentiality and security of patient, family, and organization information in accordance with the confidentiality policy.
• Use information technology to access, transmit and produce information as necessary.

Qualifications & Experience

Education and Licensing

• Bachelor's degree in nursing or midwifery or equivalent.
• HAAD licence in Nursing or Midwifery.
• Master's Degree is preferred.
• Certified in Infection Control (CIC) (Board of Infection Control and Epidemiology or equivalent) is desired; maintain certification status.

Experience

• Not less than 5 years postgraduate experience in an acute care hospital.
• Not less than 2 years experience in the infection prevention and control field.