Detailed job description and main responsibilities

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The post holder will work closely with the Trust’s multi-disciplinary teams supporting infection prevention and control practices across departments. This will include providing IPC advice and supporting the IPCT leadership in reviewing and implementing changes in practice.

The post holder will support the IPCT in:

· the development and implementation of local and national infection prevention and control policies and initiatives

· decontamination

· surveillance

· outbreak investigation

· clinical audit.

CLINICAL

Provide clinical expertise to clinical areas when patients are identified with healthcare acquired or communicable infections.

· Support clinical areas to maintain biosecurity measures

· Support an effective and high quality patient-focused service that is sensitive to the needs of users and providers and act as an expert resource to staff assessing and treating patients with healthcare acquired or communicable infections.

· Maintains a clinical visibility at ward and departmental level by being accessible to ensure that attitudes and working practices reflects the Infection Prevention and Control teams commitment to a continual improvement in the quality of the service

· Ward based focus to ensure the safe, effective and evidence based clinical practices through rapid audit/feedback systems, and educational tools.

· Improves quality and safety by participating in the development and implementation of robust, high-quality policies and guidelines that prevent and control infection

· Supports the collection, and communication of data relating to preventing and controlling infection for surveillance purposes

· Contributes to the compilation of reports, maintaining accurate and legible records in line with professional and statutory regulation

Applies acquired clinical knowledge and expertise, providing advice, in matters relating to infection control for health care workers within the Trust.

· Provides specialist advice to support the management and   investigation of incidents and outbreaks of infection

· Improves quality and safety through the application of improvement methodologies which maximise the quality of the patient’s experience

· Contributes to the evaluation, monitoring and review of the effectiveness of decontamination processes for equipment and the environment

· Contributes to the evaluation, monitoring and review of the effectiveness of product purchasing in relation to Infection Control

· Supports the Matron and Specialist Nurse on the development, implementation and evaluation of annual infection prevention and control audit programmes. Provides support in the provision of organisational environmental audits e.g. PLACE inspections

· Works in conjunction with the ward staff providing specialist advice to assist in the management of a caseload of inpatients, with alert organisms or alert conditions, to ensure appropriate nursing management in order to reduce the risk of transmission.

· Works as part of the multidisciplinary team fostering good interdepartmental relationships and helping to achieve high morale for patients and staff and continuous quality improvement.

· Represents the IPCT Specialist Nurse at meetings within the organisation as delegated

· In the unlikely event of a significant outbreak the post holder will be expected to be flexible across their hours of work to ensure the safe and effective management of outbreaks.

LEADERSHIP

· Provide specialist advice and clinical support to clinical teams using excellent communication skills and education to enable them to optimise the prevention and control of healthcare acquired infections.

· Works as part of the MDT fostering effective professional relationships and provide clinical expertise and advice to ensure effective implementation of the infection prevention & control programme.

· Contribute to the improvement of quality and safety through influence, proactivity and challenge

· Contribute to the improvement of quality and safety through the design, planning, monitoring and development of services

· Support the Infection Control Nursing Team re: organising/prioritising workload, representation at internal groups in order to meet service needs.

EDUCATION

· Develops own knowledge, skills and practice in line with the Trusts policies and current recommendations from Professional Bodies; ensuring compliance at all times to the Trusts mandatory training requirements

· Participates in the maintenance of a learning environment conducive to the educational needs of newly qualified staff and students, (post/undergraduate), in association with the universities

· Represents the IPCT at meetings and conferences as delegated

· Involvement in the development of the knowledge, skills and practice of the infection and prevention team, recognises and uses opportunities to facilitate learning, providing situational support as necessary

· Assists in the development and evaluation of an Infection Prevention and Control Link Worker

RESEARCH and AUDIT

·  Access and apply evidence of all types from a range of research and other sources, to the domains of the role

· Participate in data capture for surveillance as required by national and local surveillance requirements

· Supports the Lead Nurse in the delivery of high quality infection prevention and control services

· Shares best practice through the dissemination of evidence and knowledge. Assists in the development and evaluation of infection control policies/procedures

COMMUNICATION & WORKING RELATIONSHIPS

· Works across organisational and professional boundaries as an expert practitioner as part of the multi-disciplinary team