Job description

SELAHEC

Regional Project Firstline Coordinator

Contract Length 7/1/2022-7/31/2024

A. Registered Nurse or Master of Public Health with Infection Prevention & Control experience

The Infectious Disease Epidemiology (IDEpi) Section is responsible for reducing the occurrence of infectious diseases of public health importance. The Section conducts surveillance activities to detect cases, identify trends and institute appropriate intervention and follow-up control measures. Project Firstline (PFL) is CDC's effort to provide innovative and effective infection control training to frontline healthcare workers. Regional PFL Coordinators' duties include coordinating, conducting epidemiologic functions and investigations and providing training to health care workers. An IDEpi Section Public Health Epidemiologist manager supervises this position.

PFL Coordinator duties will broadly speak to the following goals and deliverables.

GOALS:

a) Keep health care facilities up-to-date with facility-specific guidance for COVID-19 disease containment.

b) Conduct on-site direct observations to ensure that infection prevention methods are implemented by healthcare professionals systemically and regardless of clinical duties.

c) Train regional containment strike teams on best practices for conducting infection control assessments.

d) Educate healthcare providers and public health professionals on the principles of infection prevention and control.

e) Evaluate (critically) research and evidence-based practices and incorporate appropriate findings into routine practice.

f) Integrate evidence-based practices into policies, guidelines, protocols, and educational strategies.

g) Identify barriers for implementation and develop strategies to minimize or remove barriers.

h) Administer in-person and remote infection prevention education.

i) Assist healthcare facilities in developing and updating infection control policies and procedures manuals.

j) Write infection control implementation, recommendations, and response plans for inpatient and outpatient settings as well as adult residential facilities.

k) Be responsible for ensuring appropriate infection control processes are followed for their region.

Deliverables:

a) The PFL Coordinator is responsible for identifying, investigating, monitoring, and containing healthcare-associated infections across the provider spectrum. The PFL Coordinator collaborates with teams and individuals to create infection control strategies for COVID-19 and other emerging pathogens.

b) Conduct high-level learning needs assessments of and provide a summary report on the region’s healthcare workforce to identify training gaps.

c) Promote awareness and facilitate uptake (e.g., leveraging licensing and certification) of infection prevention and control (IPC) training and education content provided or approved by CDC as part of PFL.

d) Conduct and convene trainings for frontline care providers in Louisiana Office of Public Health Region via remote or in-person site visits.

e) Generate facility-specific reports on infection control status and recommendations. Conduct follow-up coaching for novel disease containment to:

i. Ensure that standards of care are met and monitor the implementation and quality of patient care.

ii. Assist in the supervision of infection control in healthcare facilities to ensure that infectious diseases are not transmitted.

iii. Facilitate reportable disease and syndromic surveillance in healthcare facilities. Assist in the development, implementation, and maintenance of a surveillance system that tracks hospital and ICU admissions and hospital beds occupied.

iv. Provide direct IPC assistance to nursing homes, other long-term care settings, acute care hospitals, dialysis facilities, and other healthcare settings.

v. Provide IPC assistance to public health program clinics, communities, shelters and/or any additional site.

vi. Serve as regional IPC staff; confer with regional medical directors to provide support prevention and disease control recommendations to protect patients' health.

LPHI

Regional Project Firstline Coordinator, Office of Public Health

Summary

The Infectious Disease Epidemiology (IDEpi Section is responsible for reducing the occurrence of infectious diseases of public health importance. The Section conducts surveillance activities to detect cases, identify trends and institute appropriate intervention and follow-up control measures. Project Firstline (PFL) is CDC's effort to provide innovative and effective infection control training to frontline healthcare workers. Regional PFL Coordinators' duties include coordinating, conducting epidemiologic functions and investigations and providing training to health care workers. An IDEpi Section Public Health Epidemiologist manager supervises this position.

The COVID-19 pandemic has revealed substantial gaps in infection prevention and control (IPC) knowledge and practice at the healthcare facility level. To stop the spread of COVID-19 and other infectious diseases, all healthcare personnel need at least a foundational understanding of IPC. The PFL Coordinators role is to help build a foundation of IPC knowledge and a culture of IPC expertise in the healthcare and public health settings.

Three full-time positions will be filled and domiciled at the following Office of Public Health regional offices:

· Region 6: 5604-B Coliseum Blvd., Alexandria, LA, 71303

· Region 8: 1650 DeSiard St., Monroe, LA, 71201

· Region 9: 15481 W Club Deluxe Rd, Hammond LA 70403

Positions may be funded through July 31, 2024.

Minimum Qualifications

· Either Master of Public Health with infection prevention and control experience or

· Valid Louisiana license or temporary permit to practice professional nursing or a multi-state license issued by a Nursing Licensure Compact (NLC/eNLC) state

· Certified in Infection Control (CIC) a plus

· Experience training healthcare personnel and experience in a public health agency preferred

· Proven success in project management

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Conduct remote and on-site infection control assessments both independently as well as with regional public health staff in response to new and increased cases of novel infectious diseases. Train healthcare professionals on infection control competencies. (75%)

· Assessment

· Initiates evaluation and revision of standards of patient care practices according to established IPC standards with healthcare facilities.

· Polices & Procedures

· Assists healthcare facilities in developing and updating IPC and procedures manuals.

· Writes infection control implementation, recommendation, and response plans for a variety of health care settings (i.e. inpatient, outpatient, and adult residential facilities.)

· Training

· Educate healthcare providers and public health professionals on the principles of infection prevention and control.

• Determines needs for in-service training and continuing education courses for professional and non-professional employees. Develops and conducts in-service training and patient education programs, including producing or adapting educational media.
• Plans and implements effective IPC education programs for healthcare facilities where transmission of infectious diseases occurs.
• Serves as consultant for IPC including specific educational needs or problems. Presents specific certification programs with standardized curriculum (e.g., hand hygiene, environmental cleaning, and transmission-based precautions, etc.)

Generate facility-specific reports on IPC status and recommendations. Conduct follow-up coaching for novel disease containment. (15%)

· Ensure that standards of care are met and monitor the implementation and quality of patient care.

· Assist in the supervision of activities in healthcare facilities to ensure that infectious diseases are not transmitted in healthcare facilities.

· Facilitate the reportable disease and syndromic surveillance in healthcare facilities. Assists in the development, implementation, and maintenance of a surveillance system that tracks hospital and ICU admissions and hospital beds occupied.

· Provide direct infection control and prevention assistance to nursing homes, other long-term care settings, acute care hospitals, dialysis facilities, and other healthcare settings.

· Provide infection prevention consultation to public health program clinics, communities, shelters and/or any additional site needed for public health services.

Other Responsibilities (10%)

· Participate in meetings of the Healthcare-associated Infections (HAI) Program, HAI Program Multidisciplinary Advisory Committee, as well as Infectious Disease Epidemiology Section.

· Serve as regional infection control staff.

· Confer with regional medical directors to provide support prevention and disease containment recommendations that protect the health of patients at all levels of care.

· Perform other duties as assigned.

Salary/Benefits

Salary is dependent on education and experience.
A competitive benefits package is offered to all LPHI full-time staff.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $39,166.00 - $81,370.00 per year

Benefits:

• Dental insurance
• Health insurance
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Retirement plan
• Vision insurance

Schedule:

• 8 hour shift
• Monday to Friday

Education:

• Master's (Preferred)

Experience:

• Project management: 1 year (Preferred)
• training healthcare personnel: 1 year (Preferred)

License/Certification:

• Certified in Infection Control (Preferred)

Work Location: One location

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