Infection Preventionist Registered Nurse (Level II)

Description

Penn Medicine is dedicated to our tripartite mission of providing the highest level of care to patients, conducting innovative research, and educating future leaders in the field of medicine. Working for this leading academic medical center means collaboration with top clinical, technical and business professionals across all disciplines.

Today at Penn Medicine, someone will make a breakthrough. Someone will heal a heart, deliver hopeful news, and give comfort and reassurance. Our employees shape our future each day. Are you living your life's work?

Infection Preventionist RNs (Level II) are expected to: 

• Understand and/or effectively research the microbiology, pathology and progression of illnesses as they occur in hospitals and healthcare settings.
•  Conducts surveillance: standardized basic investigation methodology utilizing NHSN definitions to research potentials Hospital Acquired Infections (HAIs.) This will involve patient chart review, following microbiology reports, discussing with direct care clinicians as well as clinical leadership. 
• Work effectively as part of many expert teams. This includes the ability to cooperate, coordinate and communicate with all members of the Infection Control department, as well as many other departments and disciplines. Examples include Physical Plant and outside construction contractors, laboratory medicine, nursing, hospital quality and safety experts, physicians (internal and outside), other hospitals and healthcare entities. 
• Communicate and understand the ethics, often complex, surrounding infection control decisions, patient and employee safety and healthcare as outlined in the APIC professional and practice standards. 
• Utilize several electronic data and charting systems including Theradoc, NHSN, EPIC and Excel. •Perform all employee duties within the Penn Medicine and entity values, policies and procedures. 
• Perform other duties as assigned to support the department, the hospital, the health system and the community. The includes the expectations of the Philadelphia DOH and The Pennsylvania Department of Health, as well as the CDC. •Read and incorporate scientific evidence into the Infection Control practice. 
• Maintain all expectations of HIPAA. 
• Maintain expertise in cleaning, disinfection and sterilization. Leadership of teams accessing and implementing IFUs for equipment cleaning and disinfection.

Minimum Requirements: 

• BSN required and 1+ years' experience with Infection Prevention 
• RN -PA RN License required

Additional Information:  

Addition of Level II expectations, includes all of following: 

• Infection Control policy development. UPHS Infection Control policies are reviewed annually, and as needed. Level II Infection Preventionist is able to develop, interpret and assist with implementation of infection prevention and control policies and protocols, utilizing national resources, published evidence and in house and outside experts to support and to guide. 
• Leadership. Utilize principles of influence, leadership and change management. Contribute to the development of less-experienced healthcare providers through education and mentorship. Prepare and deliver infection prevention presentations to internal and external groups 
• Clinical Judgment and Decision Making Leadership: Maintains knowledge of infectious disease processes, hospital operations, and patient diagnosis. Knowledge of EHR and electronics surveillance of microbiology results. Able to make screening decisions re HAI. Not expected to validate/double check Infection Preventionists HAI reporting to NHSN. Presents HAI cases within the Infection Prevention HAI committee, and able to cogently discuss findings to collaborate and make decisions. Requires consultation with more experienced infection preventionists and benefit from feedback while demonstrating growth in the ability to monitor increasingly complex infections, clinical situations and HAI decisions. NHSN data entering.
• Excellent communication skills to unit level stakeholders re infections and infectious processes, HAI decisions. 

Level II additions: 

• Provides leadership to clinical teams. Assesses for and makes suggestions re process and other changes to meet infection control goals and standards. May start to be involved in project management, and learn project management skills and employ project management tools. 
• Provides second level validation to IPs when reviewing/submitting NHSN HAI results. 
• Provides coverage for other IPS. 
• Regulatory and Safety Leadership: Assignment to inpatient, ambulatory or procedural areas. Competency within those clinical arenas. Visibly present with these units to provide infection control leadership and support. Within inpatient units, this should include participation in UBCL, infection prevention environmental rounding and medical device rounding. Monitors HAI and microbiology data to assess for trends, as well as potential outbreaks. Able to respond to employee safety events, and works with Occupational Medicine to set up employee or patient/family exposure plans. Participates in EOC and other regulatory focused rounding to identify infection risks. Demonstrates understanding of the operations, expectations, services and goals of the department and the hospital and how his/her work is an integral part of those services.

We believe that the best care for our patients starts with the best care for our employees. Our employee benefits programs help our employees get healthy and stay healthy. We offer a comprehensive compensation and benefits program that includes one of the finest prepaid tuition assistance programs in the region. Penn Medicine employees are actively engaged and committed to our mission. Together we will continue to make medical advances that help people live longer, healthier lives.

Live Your Life's Work

We are an Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action employer. Candidates are considered for employment without regard to race, ethnicity, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, national origin, ancestry, age, disability, marital status, familial status, genetic information, domestic or sexual violence victim status, citizenship status, military status, status as a protected veteran or any other status protected by applicable law.