The Infection Prevention and Control Nurse is a professional registered nurse who is accountable for the multiple facets of the VAPSHCS Infection Prevention Program. The nurse utilizes effective prevention and control activities that are specific to the practice setting, the population served, and the continuum of care. Applicants pending the completion of educational or certification/licensure requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met. Basic Requirements: United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy. English Language Proficiency. In accordance with 38 U.S.C. 7402(d), no person shall serve in direct patient care positions unless they are proficient in basic written and spoken English. Graduate of a school of professional nursing approved by the appropriate State-accrediting agency and accredited by one of the following accrediting bodies at the time the program was completed by the applicant: The Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) or The Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). In cases of graduates of foreign schools of professional nursing, possession of current, full, active and unrestricted registration will meet the requirement of graduation from an approved school of professional nursing. OR The completion of coursework equivalent to a nursing degree in a MSN Bridge Program that qualifies for professional nursing registration constitutes the completion of an approved course of study of professional nursing. Students should submit the certificate of professional nursing to sit for the NCLEX to the VA along with a copy of the MSN transcript. (Reference VA Handbook 5005, Appendix G6) OR In cases of graduates of foreign schools of professional nursing, possession of a current, full, active and unrestricted registration will meet the requirement for graduation from an approved school of professional nursing. Current, full, active, and unrestricted registration as a graduate professional nurse in a State, Territory or Commonwealth (i.e., Puerto Rico) of the United States, or the District of Columbia. Preferred Experience: Preferred experience as an Infection Prevention and Control Nurse. Prefer Bachelor of Science in Nursing or Master's degree highly preferred 3 years of RN experience in an inpatient hospital setting Certification in Infection Control (CIC) Grade Determinations: The following criteria must be met in determining the grade assignment of candidates, and if appropriate, the level within a grade: Nurse I Level I - An Associate Degree (ADN) or Diploma in Nursing, with no additional nursing practice/experience required. Nurse I Level II - An ADN or Diploma in Nursing and approximately 1 year of nursing practice/experience; OR an ADN or Diploma in Nursing and a bachelor's degree in a related field with no additional nursing practice/experience; OR a Bachelor's of Science in Nursing (BSN) with no additional nursing practice/experience. Nurse I Level III - An ADN or Diploma in Nursing and approximately 2-3 years of nursing practice/experience; OR an ADN or Diploma in Nursing and a Bachelor's degree in a related field and approximately 1-2 years of nursing practice/experience; OR a BSN with approximately 1-2 years of nursing practice/experience; OR a Master's degree in nursing (MSN) or related field with a BSN and no additional nursing practice/experience. Nurse II - A BSN with approximately 2-3 years of nursing practice/experience; OR ADN or Diploma in Nursing and a Bachelor's degree in a related field and approximately 2-3 years of nursing practice/experience; OR a Master's degree in nursing or related field with a BSN and approximately 1-2 years of nursing practice/experience; OR a Doctoral degree in nursing or meets basic requirements for appointment and has doctoral degree in a related field with no additional nursing practice/experience required. Nurse III - Master's degree in nursing or related field with BSN and approximately 2-3 years of nursing practice/experience; OR a Doctoral degree and approximately 2-3 years of nursing practice/experience. Note regarding MSN degrees: If your MSN was obtained via a Bridge Program that qualifies for professional nursing registration, a BSN is not required. Reference: VA Regulations, specifically VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Appendix G-6 Nurse Qualification Standard. This can be found in the local Human Resources Office. Physical Requirements: Heavy lifting (45 pounds and over), Straight pulling (6 hours), Pushing (2 hours), Reaching above shoulder, Use of fingers, Walking (6 hours), Standing (2 hours), Repeated bending (6 hours), Ability to distinguish colors, Hearing (aid permitted) ["Duties include but are not limited to: Reviews and analyzes existing regulations, standards, and/or guidelines of applicable professional organizations and government agencies and ensures medical center programs comply with regulatory agency requirements as related to Infection Prevention and Control. Applies epidemiological principles and statistical methods, including risk stratification, to identify target populations, analyze trends and risk factors, and design and evaluate prevention and control strategies. Uses a systematic approach to surveillance to monitor the effectiveness of prevention and control strategies that are consistent with the organization's goals and objectives. Identify and implement infection prevention and control strategies according to specific topics such as hand hygiene, cleaning, disinfection & sterilization, direct and indirect patient care settings, therapeutic and diagnostic procedures and devices, use of isolation precautions, patient placement, environmental hazards, use of patient care products and medical equipment, construction & renovation, and influxes of patients with communicable diseases. Uses standardized definitions for the identification and classification of events, indicators, or outcomes. Performs medical record reviews, data abstraction, and data collection to identify HAI and determine if HAI prevention measures were adhered to. Performs routine audits of professional practices related to infection control. Identify barriers to compliance with procedures and involve HCWs within the organization. Uses appropriate statistical techniques to describe data, calculate rates and critically evaluate the significance of findings as compared to internal and external benchmarks. Utilizes findings to implement and evaluate infection prevention strategies. Reviews and analyzes current scientific literature and publications and recommends new or revised practices or procedures based on currently accepted, evidence-based infection prevention and control strategies. Use data from surveillance findings to identify the need for change and propose intervention/improvement projects. Provides consultation to administration, committees, staff, and managers on issues regarding infection prevention and control. Serves as an educational resource for all employees and clinical staff on all infection prevention & control related topics. Participates in the organization's multidisciplinary performance improvement strategies. Understands adult education principles, can design educational programs, and has effective presentation skills. Routinely assesses the educational needs of the organization and develops educational objectives and strategies to meet those needs and continuously evaluates the effectiveness of educational programs and learner outcomes. Monitors labs and can identify positive multi-drug resistant organisms (MDROs) for immediate review/investigation and implement appropriate isolation precautions as needed. Conducts surveillance and investigations by using epidemiological principles. Identify clusters of hospital-associated infections (or other unusual events) through contacts with clinical units and laboratories, through alerts, or through systematic analysis of microbiological laboratory testing. Collaborates with local and state health departments as needed. Reports epidemiologically significant findings to appropriate committees, governmental agencies, etc. as applicable and integrates relevant public health issues into practice. Review and update policies to improve infection prevention processes and procedures. Serves on medical center committees to communicate, educate, and consult about infection prevention and infectious disease. Acquires and maintains current knowledge and skills in infection prevention and control and epidemiology. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 7:30am - 4:00pm Telework: This position is eligible to telework on an as needed basis, determined by the needs of the service. This position is not approved to be a 100% Virtual/Remote position. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not Required Pay: Competitive salary, regular salary increases, potential for performance awards Paid Time Off: 50 days of paid time off per year (26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays per year) Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement) Licensure: 1 full and unrestricted license from any US State or territory VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package: VA Nurse Total Rewards"]

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