Responsible for the surveillance analysis interpretation and reporting of hospital acquired infections (HAI); educating employees about infection prevention; and the development of health system policies and procedures to ensure rigorous infection control standards which meet DNV OSHA Centers for Medicaid/Medicare Services Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and other recommendations and requirements of nationally organized agencies

Major Responsibilities:

1. Interacts with physicians; nurses; department managers; supervisors; Staff Health; and other professional/non-professional staff members to provide resource information; resolve infection control problems; and identify new opportunities to improve service and reduce costs
2. Ensures compliance with DNV; OSHA; CDC; CMS and other state; and federal regulatory agencies
3. Applies epidemiologic principles and statistical methods; including risk stratification; to identify target populations; analyze trends and risk factors; and design and evaluate prevention and control strategies.
4. Conducts ongoing surveillance using Center of Disease Control (CDC) infection definition and criteria; documentation; and investigation of HAIs through review of admission diagnoses; microbiology culture results; isolation orders; patient records; consultation requests; post-discharge surveillance; and autopsy findings
5. Compiles and interprets surveillance reports to Infection Control Committee and other stakeholder areas on a scheduled basis and as needed. Assists in preparing reports and statistical data for stakeholders.
6. Report epidemiologically significant findings to appropriate customers; including communicable disease to the state health departments as required by New Hampshire law
7. Mitigates the risk of infectious transmission by implementing preventive measures to provide a safe environment for hospital employees and patients
8. Participates in investigations of unusual hospital infection clusters or outbreaks utilizing the microbiology laboratory; consultation with the medical director of the department; county/state public health departments; and when necessary; in consultation with the Center for Disease Control
9. Collects data in support of epidemiological and evidence-based studies and best practices of specific problems or problem areas and implement appropriate epidemiological intervention.In partnership with the Education Department; the Preventionist will plan; organize; develop and implement infection prevention educational programs for all hospital employees; including administrative and ancillary services
10. Participate in quality/performance improvement activities by assessing; monitoring; and measuring HAI infections and evaluating outcomes on a continuous basis