Blue Heron Senior Living is Looking for an 

Infection Prevention Nurse / Clinical Education Coordinator

**Full Time

If you are looking for a career that can make a difference, then Blue Heron Senior Living is the place for you. Our work family is made up of a variety of talented and committed team members who are dedicated to making a difference in the lives they serve. Each employee contributes their unique skills and abilities with the key goal of enabling our residents to reach and maintain their highest functional abilities. Every job matters at Blue Heron Senior Living.  We believe in what we do and know our hands make a difference.

As a nurse in our facility, look at what benefits you can enjoy:

• Competitive starting wage with additional pay for experience
• $1,000 new employee referral program
• Paid life insurance
• 401k opportunities after your first year
• DailyPay! Work today, get paid today!
• Monthly Celebrations and recognitions
• Medical, Vision and Dental Insurance 
• $5,000 Tuition Reimbursement Per Year 

The Infection Preventionist (IP)/CEC Nurse reports to the Director of Clinical Services and partners with the Medical Director, Medical Staff responsible for Antimicrobial Stewardship, and other stakeholders to develop a system of care that promotes sound and scientific infection prevention principles and practices.The Infection Preventionist is responsible for the facility infection prevention and control program (IPCP),
which is designed to provide a safe, sanitary, and comfortable environment and to help prevent the development and transmission of communicable diseases and infections.

Oversight of the IPCP, which includes, at a minimum, the following elements:

• A system for preventing, identifying, reporting, investigating, and controlling infections and
  communicable diseases for all residents, staff, volunteers, visitors, and other individuals providing
  services under a contractual arrangement based upon the facility assessment, and following accepted
  national standards;
• Maintaining up to date with written standards, policies, and procedures for the program, which must include, but are not limited to:
  • A system of surveillance designed to identify possible communicable diseases or infections before they can spread to other persons in the facility;
  • When and to whom possible incidents of communicable disease or infections should be reported;
  • Standard and transmission-based precautions to be followed to prevent spread of infections;
  • When and how isolation should be used for a resident; including but not limited to the type and duration of the isolation, depending upon the infectious agent or organism involved, and a requirement that the isolation should be the least restrictive possible for the resident under the circumstances;
  • The circumstances under which the facility must prohibit employees with a communicable disease or infected skin lesions from direct contact with residents or their food, if direct contact will transmit the disease; 
  • The hand hygiene procedures to be followed by staff involved in direct resident contact;
  • Resident immunization program;
  • Assess the need for, develop, and implement written policies and procedures for infection control, including those for standard precautions and for transmission-based precautions, including when these should be used, the duration of use, and the type of precautions needed for a particular infection or organism;
  • Collaborate with the facility leadership and the medical director to develop, implement, and evaluate the annual infection prevention goals and action plan
  • Conduct outbreak investigations, while maintaining a system for reporting possible incidents of communicable diseases to local, state, or national agencies as required
  •  Oversee the antibiotic stewardship program and monitor residents’ antibiotic use

Oversight of Clinical Education Training Program for all internal and external emlpoyees.     

Clinical Education Coordinator Qualifications

• Must possess specific educational and experience requirements such as:
  • Three years of nursing experience.
  • A graduate of an accredited school of nursing and possess a valid RN or LPN license
• Have a thorough understanding of the principles of safe effective nursing practices.
• Must possess managerial and interpersonal skills such as:
  • The ability to follow written and verbal instructions, function independently and make independent decisions when circumstances warrant such action;
  • Personal integrity and the ability to deal tactfully with residents, family members, visitors, government agencies and personnel;
  • The ability to work harmoniously with professional and non-professional personnel;
  • Must possess the ability to provide andragogic instruction and information individually and/or in a group setting
  • Requires judgment in prioritizing the performance of tasks, duties and responsibilities in accordance with established standards, policies and procedures;
  • The ability to be discrete and protect the integrity of confidential information and stay within Corporate Compliance and HIPAA;
  • Patience, a cheerful disposition, enthusiasm and a willingness to handle residents based on whatever maturity and physical level in which they are currently functioning; and
  • The ability to adhere to professional code of ethics