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Reporting to the Manager, Patient Flow and IPAC, the Infection Prevention & Control (IPAC) Practitioner is responsible for setting goals, developing policies and procedures, and ensuring safe, quality patient care across units and services. The IPAC Practitioner works closely with the patient care programs and supervises the development, implementation and evaluation of the IPAC strategies for the patient care programs. This includes surveillance activities; organizing outbreak management; acting as a consultant internally and externally; providing education to all levels of health care providers; reviewing, selecting and distributing appropriate literature; linking with external agencies and academic institutions across the continuum of care; participating in research activities, and applying continuous quality improvement principles. This role also includes providing IPAC recommendations for design and construction projects, quality improvement, product evaluation and performing risk assessments involving infection risk.

Duties Include:

• Reviews and analyzes existing standards, legislation, directives and guidelines of applicable governments, regulatory agencies and professional organizations and recommend/implement as necessary changes to hospital policies and procedures.
• Collaborates with clinical programs in ensuring compliance with infection control practices.
• Exercises authority when unsafe practices are noted.
• Designs and implements a program of infection surveillance (daily, outbreaks, surgical site infections) and to evaluate and improve infection prevention practices and patient outcomes according to the established criteria and evidence-based research.
• Integrates the findings of surveillance into the hospital’s quality improvement and risk management activities.
• Coordinates and provides leadership in the investigation and management of outbreaks.
• Identifies opportunities for improvement in practice and /or cost avoidance based on surveillance data and observation.
• Provides expert knowledge, guidance and education to staff, physicians, departments, committees and administration on issues regarding epidemiology and infection prevention.
• Administers the Infection Prevention and Control Program and provide ongoing expertise in consultation, surveillance, education and evaluation processes to departments and programs.
• Chairs the Infection Prevention and Control Committee
• Acts as a consultant internally and externally
• Liaises with public authorities on communicable disease issues within the hospital and in the community
• Develops, directs and analyzes research studies as required for the infection control program within the hospital and provide statistical reports as required.
• Evaluates risks for infection transmission in the hospital’s design and evaluate infection prevention and control strategies.
• Participates in the review of hospital construction and renovations, to ensure that infection control issues are addressed.
• Participates in quality improvement, patient safety and change management initiatives and takes action to ensure a healthy and safe environment.
• Works collaboratively to support Occupational Health and Safety in communicable disease management provides expert advice regarding vaccination programs
• Promotes an environment that encourages and supports change using change management theory
• All employees of Headwaters Health Care Centre (Headwaters) are responsible to contribute to a transparent culture of patient and staff safety by adhering to and abiding by patient and staff safety policies and procedures set by Headwaters.
• Promotes an environment that encourages and supports change using change management theory
• All employees of Headwaters Health Care Centre (HHCC) are responsible to contribute to a transparent culture of patient and staff safety by adhering to and abiding by patient and staff safety policies and procedures set by HHCC.
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

• Bachelor’s degree in relevant health science discipline required; Master’s in epidemiology, quality and patient safety or related area preferred
• Current Infection Control Certification (CIC) through the Certification Board of Infection Control.
• Current registration as a regulated health professional in nursing, medical laboratory technology, respiratory therapy or a related field preferred
• A minimum two to five years clinical experience in infection prevention and control in an acute care setting
• Active member of the Community and Hospital Infection Control Association of Canada (CHICA) and/or other local and national infection prevention and control associations.
• Knowledge in microbiology, infectious diseases, epidemiology and statistical analysis and demonstrated abilities to integrate this knowledge into clinical practice.
• Experience and knowledge in clinical research and infection control issues as they relate to patients and health care workers and teaching experience are desirable qualifications.
• Proven interpersonal and communication skills, combined with your knowledge of patient care practices and critical care procedures.
• Demonstrated ability in settings of outbreaks or new risks to identify and access most appropriate expert resources and mobilize interdisciplinary response
• Demonstrates effective leadership and management skills including team facilitation.
• Self-motivated, self-directed while possessing the ability to work in a collaborative manner.
• Demonstrated knowledge and application of the principles of adult education is essential.
• Demonstrated ability to work with individual and teams to integrate knowledge into clinical practice
• Ability to liaise with external agencies, partners and other agencies.
• Ability to work with highly confidential information.
• Strong computer skills, including Microsoft office suite required. Meditech client server an asset.
• Demonstrated excellence in organization and time management strategies.

Extra Information

• All job offers will require compliance with our COVID-19 Vaccination Policy for proof of full vaccination unless provided with a medical exemption or an accommodation under the Ontario Human Rights Code.