Infection Prevention Specialist

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Duke Health Integrated Practice

Duke Health Integrated Practice comprises more than 110 primary and specialty outpatient clinics, extending the reach of Duke Health's mission across the state of North Carolina.

JOB LOCATION

DHIP Administrative Offices RTP - 4825 Creekstone Dr

JOB SUMMARY

We are seeking an Infection Prevention Specialist within the Department of Quality and Safety is trained in ambulatory epidemiology principles and is responsible for surveillance, analysis, interpretation and educating employees about infection prevention along with developing policies and procedures consistent with program objectives to ensure rigorous infection control standards meeting Joint Commission, OSHA, Centers for Medicaid / Medicare Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and other nationally recognized recommendations and requirements.

JOB DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Serves as content expert in low level cleaning, high level disinfection, and sterilizations to support clinical staff, performance improvement teams and committees in ambulatory care setting.
• Review clinical processes and SRS to review and identify any potential healthcare acquired infections and other adverse outcomes to ensure safe patient care in ambulatory care setting.
• Uses the electronic medical record and surveillance system, to review clinical and laboratory findings to identify infections conditions that may require reporting or further action such as the implementation of precautions to prevent organism transmission.
• Review current regulatory and professional society guidelines. Performs literature reviews to support performance improvement and practice changes.
• Regularly conducts rounds in outpatient ambulatory clinics to identify infection risks, assess compliance with established prevention protocols, and review clinical workflows and laboratory findings for signs of infection or outbreaks. When issues are found, the specialist provides immediate feedback and recommends corrective actions, such as enhanced cleaning procedures or isolation precautions, ensuring alignment with regulatory standards from agencies like Joint Commission, OSHA, CMS, and CDC. Findings are documented, followed up for sustained improvement, and shared with relevant committees, while targeted education and training are provided to staff to address gaps and reinforce best practices.
• Recognizes need, develops and provides educational programs on infection prevention for all levels of personnel to improve their infection prevention knowledge base and practice.
• Conducts new employee education providing basic information prevention principles and practices.
• Uses information technology to analyze and disseminate data and ensure data integrity. Assists in assembling agenda, graphs and materials presented and distributed to the Infection Control Committee, performance improvement teams and others as requested.

JOB ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

JOB HOURS

The schedule for this position is day shifts, Monday-Friday, with no weekends or holidays.

Duke is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to providing employment opportunity without regard to an individual's age, color, disability, gender, genderexpression, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex (including pregnancy and pregnancy related conditions), sexual orientation or military status.

Duke aspires to create a community built on collaboration, innovation, creativity, and belonging. Our collective success depends on the robust exchange of ideas-an exchange that is best when the rich diversity of our perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences flourishes. To achieve this exchange, it is essential that all members of the community feel secure and welcome, that the contributions of all individuals are respected, and that all voices are heard. All members of our community have a responsibility to uphold these values.

Essential Physical Job Functions :

Certain jobs at Duke University and Duke University Health System may include essential job functions that require specific physical and / or mental abilities. Additional information and provision for requests for reasonable accommodation will be provided by each hiring department.