Infection Prevention Coordinator - 992010

We are excited that you are considering joining Nova Southeastern University!

Nova Southeastern University (NSU) was founded in 1964, and is a not-for-profit, independent university with a reputation for academic excellence and innovation. Nova Southeastern University offers competitive salaries, a comprehensive benefits package including tuition waiver, retirement plan, excellent medical and dental plans and much more. NSU cares about the health and welfare of its students, faculty, staff, and campus visitors and is a tobacco-free university.

We appreciate your support in making NSU the preeminent place to live, work, study and grow. Thank you for your interest in a career with Nova Southeastern University.

Primary Purpose:

Contributes to the implementation, evaluation, and modification of the NSU Health Infection Control Programs, exposure control program as well as respirator fit testing. Coordinates activities to identify and reduce the risks of acquiring and transmitting infections in assigned focus area(s) as well as the prevention of needlesticks.

The EHS department provides safety oversight and compliance assistance to the NSU multi-campus community in various areas including clinical operations and safety; laboratory/research safety; chemical safety; radiation safety; biological safety; fire/life safety; industrial hygiene; occupational health; and environmental compliance, among others.

Job Category: Exempt

Hiring Range:  Commensurate with experience

Pay Basis:  Annually

Subject to Grant Funding? No  

Essential Job Functions: 

1. Develops, implements, and evaluates the organizational infection prevention and control program, including policies and procedures related to surveillance, pandemic preparedness, hand hygiene, standard precautions, transmission-based precautions, outbreak management, employee health, and infection control education for employees, staff, and students.
2. Conducts ongoing infection surveillance, tracking, and trending of clinical infections and risks.
3. Performs infection control rounds, audits, and clinical safety inspections to identify compliance gaps, assess infection risks, and recommend or implement corrective actions in collaboration with administrative and management staff.
4. Oversees the Exposure Control and OSHA Bloodborne Pathogens programs, including management of exposure incidents, compliance monitoring, policy development and review, and implementation of prevention strategies to reduce occupational exposure risks (e.g. bloodborne pathogen exposure, prevention and control plan, TB prevention and control plan).
5. Ensures all clinical staff and students receive required training related to infection prevention, OSHA Bloodborne Pathogens standards, exposure control procedures, and other relevant regulatory requirements.
6. Provides guidance to the NSU Health and research community regarding responsibilities related to infection prevention and exposure control.
7. Manages compliance with OSHA Bloodborne Pathogens requirements related to Hepatitis B vaccination, including quarterly audits of vaccination and declination records, coordination of follow-up for incomplete documentation, and maintenance of accurate and confidential medical records.
8. Develops, reviews, and updates infection prevention and exposure control policies and procedures, including the annual review of the Exposure Control Plan, ensuring alignment with OSHA, CDC, EPA, and applicable state regulatory standards.
9. Manages the respirator fit testing program, including performing fit testing in accordance with OSHA standards; verifying employee medical clearance; ensuring proper respirator fit and mask sizing for employees, staff, and students; training respirator users on seal checks and proper use; maintaining accurate records; and ensuring proper cleaning, storage, and maintenance of fit testing equipment.
10. Serves as the point of contact for Health Care Clinic Establishment (HCCE) permits and exemptions.
11. Reviews permits prior to expiration, coordinates renewals or cancellations, submits permits for new or relocated clinical sites, maintains designated physician license documentation, and coordinates required payments. Works with campus stakeholders, the Office of Procurement Services, and vendors to ensure regulatory documentation remains current.
12. Oversees environmental compliance initiatives including biomedical waste permitting, regulatory inspections, documentation maintenance, and corrective actions as required by state regulations in coordination with the Department of Health.
13. Leads initiatives to reduce biomedical waste generation and educates clinical staff on proper waste segregation practices.
14. Leads the Amalgam Separator Compliance Program to ensure compliance with the EPA Dental Amalgam Rule and applicable local wastewater regulations, including maintaining service and inspection records.
15. Performs other duties as assigned or required

Job Requirements: 

Required Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities: Knowledge:
1. Administration and Management - Working knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, budgeting, human resources modeling, leadership technique, and/or coordination of people and resources.
2. English Language - Working knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
3. Law and Government – Working knowledge of relevant laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and/or the democratic political process.
4. Education and Training - Working knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
5. Public Safety and Security - Working knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.
6. Customer and Personal Service - Working knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of user satisfaction.
7. Engineering and Technology - Working knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.
8. Basic knowledge of MS Office Suite (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint; database and data entry skills).

Skills:
1. Active Listening - Basic skills in giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
2. Complex Problem Solving - Basic skills in identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
3. Critical Thinking - Basic skills in using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
4. Judgment and Decision Making - Basic skills in considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the appropriate one.
5. Social Perceptiveness - Advanced skills in being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
6. Advanced organizational skills.

Abilities:
1. Problem Sensitivity - The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
2. Deductive Reasoning - The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
3. Inductive Reasoning - The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (including finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
4. Oral Comprehension & Expression - The ability to listen to, understand, and communicate information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences so others will understand.
5. Written Comprehension & Expression - The ability to read, understand, and communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
6. Ability to establish relationships with high level internal and external customers.

Physical Requirements - Physical demands may vary depending on assigned work area and work tasks:
1. Near Vision - Must be able to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
2. Speech Recognition - Must be able to identify and understand the speech of another person.
3. Speech Clarity - Must be able to speak clearly so others can understand you.
4. Travel - Must be able to travel on a daily and/or overnight basis.
5. May be required to work nights or weekends.
6. May be exposed to short, intermittent, and/or prolonged periods of sitting and/or standing in performance of job duties.
7. May be required to accomplish job duties using various types of equipment/supplies, to include but not limited to pens, pencils, and computer keyboards.
8. Carrying of objects up to 25 lbs.
9. Occasional to frequent standing & walking
10. Occasional sitting
11. Close eye work (computers, typing, reading, writing).

Required Certifications/Licensures: Certification in Infection Control (CIC) required within three (3) years of employment.

Required Education: Bachelor’s Degree

Major (if required: 

Required Experience: Two (2) to four (4) years of experience in an educational or medical clinical setting.

Preferred Qualifications: 

1. Bachelor's degree in Nursing preferred.
2. Graduation from an accredited school of nursing or have a degree in a health care related field (Public health, Clinical microbiology technicians etc.).
3. Experience in clinical or hospital setting.
4. Applicants with experience performing respirator fit testing preferred, but not required.

Is this a safety sensitive position? No  

Background Screening Required?  Yes  

Pre-Employment Conditions: 

Sensitivity Disclaimer: Nova Southeastern University is in full compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and does not discriminate with regard to applicants or employees with disabilities and will make reasonable accommodation when necessary.

NSU is an Equal Opportunity Employer and considers applicants for all positions without regard to race, color, religion, creed, gender, national origin, age, disability, marital or veteran status or any other legally protected status.