Summary
Sheikh Shakhbout Medical City (SSMC) is hiring a Senior Infection Prevention Nurse in Abu Dhabi. The role leads infection prevention and control strategies, advises clinical and support teams, monitors healthcare-associated infections, and coordinates reporting of notifiable diseases with the Department of Health. Duties also include audits, risk assessments, staff education, disaster preparedness, and quality improvement. Applicants need at least 12 years of post-qualification clinical experience, including at least 4 years in infection prevention or control, a nursing degree, current national license, and BLS; an MSc and previous senior experience are desired.
The posting
As published on ssmc.ae. Pulled from the employer's site and shown as they wrote it.
Job Purpose
This position requires working closely with clinical staff, departments, and administration to reduce the risk of healthcare-associated infections among patients.
Responsibilities
- Provides consultation and expert advice in infection control practice for professional staff, administrative, medical, clinical, patient care, and support services. Collaborating with all departments on departmental policies related to infection control
- Advice to occupational health, laboratory staff, and the risk manager in the event of a blood- borne pathogen and body fluid exposure incident or any other Infection Prevention and Control issue
- Leads evidence-based infection prevention and control strategies in conjunction with a multidisciplinary team that is effective and outcomes patient outcomes.
- Ensures self-accessible for infection prevention and control consultation in all phases of the change process
- Demonstrates knowledge of microbiological and epidemiological principles and isolation precautions when addressing the purchase of resources (e.g., personal protective equipment).
- Communicates with DOH on reportable infectious diseases, endemic and epidemic situations in the community
- Monitor the use of antimicrobial prophylaxis for surgical site infection.
- Demonstrates advanced knowledge re: Agents used in a biological attack
- Provides infectious disease disaster plan education and training to the staff
- Identifies staff roles and in the implementation of disaster preparedness and biological response and the threat of a bio-hazard attack
- Develops and recommend strategies for handling potentially contagious individuals and implementing environmental controls to prevent or limit the emergence or spread of communicable diseases
- Guides and should have a thorough understanding of standard practice that cannot be achieved during a disaster (when resources may be limited)
- Prepares policies and procedures which promote consistent adherence to evidence-based infection control practices which minimize transmission of pandemic infection diseases
- Liaises effectively with other health care providers both internal and external to the organization
- Provides infection prevention and control reports and surveillance monitoring in a timely manner (i.e., monthly)
- Liaises closely with medical and nursing staff in ensuring that all notifiable diseases are reported to DOH
- Develops an effective mechanism for communication of infection prevention and control information from patient care areas with feedback of analyzed information.
- Collaborates with the multidisciplinary team by providing effective communication and timely feedback in improving quality and patient safety.
- Initiates and/or participates in quality improvement projects.
- Undertakes patient and environmental risk assessments and documents corrective action to improve patient outcomes as required
- Participates in ongoing educational and research programs within the organization.
- Monitors and continuous surveillance of identified healthcare-associated infection clinical indicators, pertinent to the facility’s needs, using this data to prioritize the infection prevention and control program. Reviewing such indicators periodically for continuation, potentially adding or subtracting according to needs.
- Performs infection prevention and control audits and review as required to minimize risk and improve safety of patients, visitors or health care workers.
- Demonstrates knowledge of current infection prevention and control strategies and organizational policies
- Investigates and studies trends in infection prevention and control practices, recommending changes or adjustments in existing practice for performance improvement.
- Participates in product evaluation and cost containment projects as indicated
- Manages activities for early detection of an infectious disease disaster through active or passive surveillance
- Initiates and executes environmental decontamination after a bioterrorism attack
Qualifications
Experience :-
Required:
• NLT 12 years clinical experience post-qualification with NLT 4 years as infection control preventionist / nurse
Desired:
• Previous experience as senior infection preventionist
Educational Qualification: Required:
• Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing
• Degree in Nursing (minimum two (2) years course duration) and Registration as a Registered Nurse from Canada, USA, UK, Ireland, South Africa, New Zealand, and Australia • Valid/current national license
• BLS
Desired:
• MSc in Nursing/Healthcare or management or administration field