We are seeking a Part-Time Registered Practical Nurse who will work as the Infection Prevention and Control Lead. The ideal candidate is a warm and loving person who makes meaningful connections with those they are caring for. The Infection Prevention and Control Lead reports to the Director of Nursing and Personal Care and is responsible for ensuring that there is an organized infection prevention and control program that meets regulatory requirements and is in line with Provincial Infectious Disease Advisory Committee (PIDAC) standards.
The Infection Prevention and Control Lead provides direct leadership and supervision of RNs, RPNs, PSWs, and all other staff and implements and oversees infection prevention and control practices that promote the safety of residents, staff, and physicians, including:
Surveillance
● Monitors and audits for new infectious symptoms or trends
● Ensures required surveillance and screening programs are in place for residents, staff, and physicians
● Coordinates and conducts the weekly/biweekly staff swabbing clinics and tracks results
● Monitors and analyzes IPAC data
● Performs and analyzes Hand Hygiene audits
● Reviews surveillance data and monitors for infection trends
● Consults with the physicians/Nurse Practitioner on laboratory results and trending of data to promote antibiotic stewardship
● Follows guidelines for reporting communicable diseases to the appropriate government agencies
Outbreak Prevention & Management
● Collaborates with relevant stakeholders (i.e., Local Public Health and Hospital partners, etc.) to manage outbreaks
● Attends all Public Health and Hospital Partner IPAC committee meetings and calls
● Coordinates and Chairs Outbreak Management Team meetings with Local Public Health and other required stakeholders during an outbreak, including minutes, tracking of follow-up actions and implementation and oversight of Outbreak Control Measures
● Develops and updates an accurate daily Outbreak Line List
● Ensures timely communication with Public Health re infectious diseases as per regulatory requirements
● Works with the Director of Nursing and Personal Care, Director of Clinical Care and Quality, and the Administrator to ensure timely communication to residents, staff, physicians, and families related to potential and confirmed outbreaks
● Initiates the outbreak CIS and keeps it up to date with amendments
● Conducts a post-outbreak analysis and report for the IPAC Team.
Mentoring
● Provides education and coaching to staff, caregivers, volunteers, and physicians on IPAC practices
● Creates content to assist with educating residents and visitors
● Conducts the orientation/mentoring of IPAC Champions within the Home
● Assists with the coordination, orientation, and placement of students on IPAC practices
● Inform and/or educate residents, families and visitors on infection prevention and control measures to prevent and control transmission of infection in health care settings, including hand hygiene, respiratory hygiene, appropriate use of personal protective equipment (PPE) and visitor restrictions when appropriate.
● Educates staff on routine practices, including point-of-care risk assessment, hand hygiene, appropriate selection, use and care of personal protective equipment (PPE), and safe use of disposal of sharps.
● Completes just-in-time training during rounds to staff and physicians on safe IPAC practices
Quality Improvement
● Promotes staff awareness of the purposes and objectives of the IPAC program components
● Coordinates and provides ongoing education to staff on new emerging infectious diseases and organisms
● Monitors documentation in PointClickCare for accuracy and completeness
● Conducts audits of IPAC process/policy compliance, screening and surveillance, PPE compliance and donning/doffing, hand hygiene, and cleaning and disinfection procedures for shared medical equipment and shares data weekly for home area performance boards and monthly for leadership and Health & Safety Committee
● Creates and distributes IPAC reports to the broader leadership team
● Present data analysis and trending to the Leadership Team, Professional Advisory Committee and Quality Committee
● Reports on regional data trends and actions taken at regional meetings.
● Chairs Quarterly IPAC Team meetings and ensures minutes are posted and action plans are developed related to identified improvement opportunities
● Creates quarterly IPAC quality reports and presents at quarterly Quality Committee meetings
● Coordinates and leads annual flu clinics and immunization programs
● Coordinates bi-annual Respiratory Fit Testing training and ensures compliance with training requirements.
● Ensures the evaluation of the Infection Prevention and Control Program is done annually
● Collaborates with environmental, nursing, resident experience, nutritional, dietary and environmental service partners on implementing IPAC best practices.
● Supports the development of audit compliance to cleaning and disinfecting procedures in nursing, dietary, programs, housekeeping, and laundry
● Regularly reviews Infection Prevention and Control policies and procedures and revises as needed to reflect current best practices
● Policy development in the area of IPAC
● Completes the annual Public Health flu survey
Safety
● Develops and oversees the infection prevention and control policies and procedures for contracted service providers, such as hairdresser, dental services, ophthalmology, etc.
● Participates in the Joint Health and Safety Committee as a standing member and reviews monthly health and safety inspections for IPAC and safety practices, i.e., needle stick injuries, PPE concerns, cleaning, and disinfecting equipment concerns
● Identifies and reports health and safety hazards for residents and team members
● Works in accordance with the organization’s Health and Safety policies and procedures and in compliance with the Occupational Health and Safety Act
● Responsible for providing infection control and prevention input in the procurement of supplies/equipment.
● Other duties as assigned and or indicated in the Job Task Inventory
Qualifications:
The qualifications needed to join our family are as follows:
● Registered Practical Nurse with a current Certificate of Registration from the College of Nurses of Ontario, in good Current Certificate of Competence with the College of Nurses of Ontario as a Registered Practical Nurse.
● Certification from the Certification Board of Infection Control and Epidemiology (LTC- CIC) Preferred (Must obtain within 3 months of hiring).
● Minimum of 2 years experience in infection control in the Long-Term Care or Acute Care sector preferred
● Member of National Infection Control Association (IPAC Canada) preferred
● Minimum of 1 years of managerial experience preferred
● Training and experience in Quality Improvement is preferred
● Knowledge of epidemiological principles, statistics and microbiology and the ability to integrate this knowledge into clinical practice would be a significant asset.
● Experience in infectious diseases, cleaning and disinfection, data collection and trend analysis, reporting protocols, outbreak management, asepsis and program management
● Experience in leading committee meetings
● Demonstrates skill in computer databases (use of spreadsheets, Word, PowerPoint, internet and literature searches, e-mail).
● Demonstrates effective leadership, communication and problem-solving abilities
● Ability to work in COVID-19 environment
● Need to be flexible with hours as required
● Current CPR and First Aid is required
● Solid understanding of adult learning principles and teaching methods to facilitate learning
● Ability to organize, plan, and work independently
● Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment
● To show evidence of being focused on people’s feelings when interacting and knowing how to turn a task into positive social interaction.
● To undertake and meet all legal requirements within a context of promoting individuals’ rights and measuring/reducing elements of risk.
● Must provide a complete and current (within six months) Vulnerable Sector Check (including a Criminal Background Check) or be willing to obtain one
● As a condition of employment, candidates are required to submit documented results of TB testing (within the last six months or within 14 days upon hire) or a chest X-ray (within the last year), as per Public Health requirements
● Two supervisory references required
● COVID-19 vaccination is a condition of employment
Job Type: Part-time
Pay: $27.37 per hour
Expected hours: 24.0 per week
Education:
- AEC / DEP or Skilled Trade Certificate (preferred)
Licence/Certification:
- First Aid Certification (preferred)
- LPN/RPN (preferred)
- Nursing (preferred)
- CPR Certification (preferred)
Work Location: In person
