Education & Infection Prevention Coordinator

Full-Time (M-F, 8a-5p)

A career at Mercy Rehabilitation Hospital, a 50-bed inpatient acute rehabilitation hospital operated jointly with LifePoint Health and Mercy, is more than a job. It’s a chance to be a vital member of an interdisciplinary team caring for people who need continued care to recover completely.

This state-of-the-art, 50-bed inpatient rehabilitation hospital provides care for adults recovering from conditions such as stroke, neurological disease, injury to the brain or spinal cord and other debilitating illnesses or injuries. LifePoint and Mercy are also partners for rehabilitation hospitals in Oklahoma City, St. Louis and Springfield, Missouri.

JOB SUMMARY:

Assumes responsibility and accountability for assessment, planning, implementation and evaluation of education programs including clinical orientation of new employees. Develops the annual hospital wide Infection Control Plan; evaluates the effectiveness of the program and reports findings to leadership and appropriate committees.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

Education RN Job Specific:

• Meets all competencies required for registered nurse.
• Assesses, plans, implements and evaluates education programs and orientation of staff, students, volunteers and contracted nursing staff.
• Uses independent judgement to plan, create, implement and excecute training content and programs.
• Consistently provides input into individual staff development during the orientation process and on an ongoing basis.
• Designs individualized orientations based upon specific position and assessment of competency.
• Participates in establishing goals, objectives, policies and procedures for staff development.
• Ensures competency of all preceptors and participates in matching preceptors with new employees.
• Evaluates educational needs of staff through various methods including QI programs, safety occurrence monitoring, changes in patient population served, and annual needs assessment.
• Assesses, plans, develops, implements and evaluates ongoing competencies of staff based on need.
• Supports and aligns educational activities with best practice initiatives and hospital’s quality improvement process.
• Serves as clinical education resource on current practices and procedures within the hospital.
• In collaboration with hospital leadership and personnel from applicable departments or services, reviews and revises the program to improve outcomes.
• Responsible for coordination of CPR training and ensuring staff is compliant with current certifications
• Works at maintaining a good rapport and a cooperative working relationship with physicians, departments and staff.
• Demonstrates ability to work collaboratively and lead work groups, committees and individual staff in organized and efficient manor to accomplish expected goals and outcomes.
• Demonstrates flexibility of schedule and utilizes creative strategies to meet the learning needs of staff on all shifts.
• Partners with CNO and Nurse Manager to promote individual and team accountability for learning.
• Functions as a resource for new staff as necessary during orientation period and ongoing as demonstrated through feedback tools from employee and preceptor.
• Develops reviews and recommends reference material based upon assessed needs of staff.
• Communicates and collaborates with colleagues on developing education standards, plans and initiatives.
• Individualizes and coordinates learning opportunities by using multiple strategies based on content, audience and complexity. Applies adult learning principles.
• Communicates the mission, ethics and goals of the hospital, as well as the focus statement of the department.
• Along with HR, ensures staff education records are up to date.
• Other duties as assigned.

Infection Control Job specific:

• Drives and assumes ownership of Infection Control Plan and activities in the hospital.
• Excercises independent judgement in analyzing and trending infection data and creates a plan to reduce and prevent invetions.
• Funtions as the content expert on Infection Prevention and Control for the hospital incuding determining course of action, planning, implementing and ensuring compliance to the plan.
• Develops the annual hospital wide Infection Control Plan; evaluates the effectiveness of the program and reports findings to leadership and appropriate committees.
• Assures systems are in place to report infection surveillance, prevention and control information to:
  • appropriate staff in the hospital
  • federal, state and local public health authorities in accordance with law and regulation
  • accrediting bodies
  • other referring or receiving hospitals or organizations needing information regarding the presence of infection in a patient received or transferred

• Identifies potential sources of nosocomial infection and implements actions to eliminate the source; and evaluates infection data to distinguish between nosocomial and community-acquired infection.
• Assists in identifying, monitoring and controlling outbreaks of nosocomial infection among patient and hospital personnel.
• Maintains surveillance in order to collect, analyze and trend data; provides accurate and timely reports to the Director of Continuous Quality and Performance Improvement, leadership and appropriate committees.
• Assures the hospital implements infection prevention and control activities to reduce the risk of infections associated with medical equipment, devices and supplies.
• Acts as a resource to hospital personnel in implementing isolation techniques or other infection control measures.
• In collaboration with hospital leadership and personnel from applicable departments or services, reviews and revises the program to improve outcomes.

• Provides education for employees regarding infection control during orientation and ongoing in-services as required.
• Works at maintaining a good rapport and a cooperative working relationship with physicians, departments and staff.
• Other duties as assigned.

• Graduation from an accredited Bachelors of Science in Nursing, Associate Degree in Nursing or Nursing Diploma program. Bachelors or Masters strongly preferred.
• Current state licensure as Registered Nurse.
• Demonstrated experience planning, coordinating, evaluating and/or directing educational activities of clinical personnel
• Minimum of 2 years’ experience as a bedside RN
• CPR/BCLS certification. ACLS preferred.
• Excellent oral and written communication and interpersonal skills.