Career Center

This position is located in the Community Living Center. The Infection Prevention and Control Nurse is primarily responsible for implementation of the Medical Center's Infection Control Program, insuring high quality nursing practices to prevent and control transmission of infection in patients in all phases of the adult life cycle. 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. 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 year's of nursing practice/experience; OR a Master's degree in nursing or related field with a BSN and approximately 1-2 year's 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 year's of nursing practice/experience; OR a Doctoral degree and approximately 2-3 year's of nursing practice/experience. 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: see VA Handbook 5005, Part III, Chapter 2, paragraph 7 and VA Handbook 5019, Occupational Health Services at http://vaww1.va.gov/ohrm/Directives-Handbooks/Documents/5019.doc. All applicants must be physically and mentally able to perform efficiently the duties of the position. The population of male and female veterans served ranges from the adult, age 18, to the elderly adult, age 65 and over. VANJHCS is an interdisciplinary teaching facility, serving medical, surgical, mental health, and long-term care inpatients and outpatients. This position requires visual acuity, keen hearing, clear distinctive speech, and manual dexterity. This position requires potentially long periods of continued walking, standing, stooping, sitting, bending, pulling, and pushing. Transferring patients and objects may be required. The incumbent may be exposed to infected patients and contaminated materials and may be required to don protective clothing in isolation situations or operative/invasive procedures. The incumbent may occasionally be exposed to patients who are combative secondary to delirium, dementia, or psychiatric disorders. The incumbent must be a mature, flexible, sensible individual capable of working effectively in stressful situations, able to shift priorities based on patient needs. ["This responsibly includes, but is not limited to:\nCoordinate the Medical Center's Infection Control Program utilizes effective prevention and control activities that are specific to the practice setting, the population served, and the continuum of care.\nParticipates in the recommendation of new or revised practices or procedures based on currently accepted, evidence-based infection prevention and control strategies.\nProvides training for hospital personnel to promote infection prevention and control.\nRoutinely communicates and collaborates with the Infectious Disease Physician on patient cases/issues\n.Assists with coordination of care for patients post hospitalization to ensure infectious disease issues are addressed.\nApplies 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.\nUses appropriate statistical techniques to describe the data, calculate rates, and critically evaluate significance of findings.\nUses a systematic approach to surveillance to monitor the effectiveness of prevention and control strategies that are consistent with the organization's goals and objectives.\nParticipates in the development of the organization's surveillance plan based on the populations(s} served, services provided, and previous surveillance data, if available.\nAccurately uses standardized definitions for the identification and classification of events, indicators, or outcomes.\nAnalyzes surveillance data, including the calculation of risk adjusted rates appropriate to the indicators or outcomes utilizing internal and external (if appropriate} benchmarks.Reports epidemiological significant findings to appropriate customer.\nParticipates in periodical evaluation of the effectiveness of the surveillance plan.\nPosition may entail other duties as assigned and travel across all sites of the VANJHCS. Work Schedule: Full Time Monday - Friday 8:00 am to 4:30 pm\nTelework: Not Available\nVirtual: This is not a virtual position.\nRelocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized\nPermanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized\nFinancial Disclosure Report: Not required"]