Job Description
**Job Title: CNM3 Infection Prevention and Control** A senior nursing professional is sought to lead the Infection Prevention and Control Team, implementing evidence-based practices and best practices to minimize infection transmission in a hospital and community setting. **Job Description** The Infection Prevention and Control Team is responsible for implementing evidence-based practices and best practices to minimize infection transmission in the hospital and community setting. The team is accountable to and reports to the Director of Nursing. **Key Responsibilities:** * Manage the Infection Prevention and Control service, ensuring the highest professional standards using an evidence-based, care planning approach. * Provide a high level of professional and clinical leadership, liaising closely with the Consultant Microbiologist in all issues related to IPC. * Manage the implementation of HIQA National Standards for the prevention and control of healthcare-associated infections. * Manage IPC preparation for Joint Commission Internal accreditation (JCI) and provide safe, comprehensive nursing care to service users within the guidelines laid out by NMBI. * Participate in teams/meetings/committees as appropriate, communicating and working effectively with others. * Manage own caseload in accordance with the needs of the post. * Manage nursing records in accordance with local service and professional standards. * Adhere to and contribute to the development and maintenance of nursing standards, protocols, and guidelines consistent with the highest standards of service user care. * Evaluate and manage the implementation of best practice policy and procedures. * Participate in clinical audit, surveillance, and research studies as required. * Oversee the surgical site infection surveillance programme. * Maintain own professional knowledge and development in relation to all new and emerging aspects of IPC. **Management:** * Be responsible for the management of the Infection Prevention and Control Department in St. Michael's Hospital (SMH). * Provide reports for the Director of Nursing, CEO, Senior Management Team, and Hospital board. * Provide an annual IPC Report and Plan. * Have responsibility for the monitoring, surveillance, investigation, prevention, and control of healthcare-associated infections (HCAI). * Maintain St. Michael's Hospital Risk Register in conjunction with the Director of Nursing, Quality and Risk manager, in relation to aspects of IPC. **Health and Safety:** * Ensure the effective safety procedures are developed and managed to comply with statutory obligations. * Comply with H.S.E. Risk Management Framework, Policies, Procedures, Protocols, and Guidelines, to ensure the safety and wellbeing of service users, staff, and visitors. * Observe, report, and take appropriate action on any matter which may be detrimental to staff and/or service user care or wellbeing. * Liaise with the relevant personnel to ensure that all equipment is maintained in safe working order. **Education and Training:** * Engage in continuing professional development by keeping up to date with nursing literature, recent nursing research, and new developments in nursing management education and practice. * Develop and review regularly a hospital-wide IPC education programme. * Participate in the identification, development, and delivery of education and training programmes on infection prevention and control for all grades of staff, nursing, student nurses, Medical, and non-nursing, patients, and relatives. **Audit and Research:** * Conduct ongoing surveillance using appropriate IC criteria, documentation, and investigation of Hospital-associated infections (HCAIs) through review of admission diagnoses, microbiology culture results, isolation orders, patient records, consultation requests, and post-discharge surveillance. * Regularly collate and record relevant data and information and compile and interpret surveillance reports to the IPC committee, CEO, DON, Dublin South East Region as required. **Conditions of Employment:** * Annual Leave Entitlement: 25-28 days per annum pro-rata (according to criteria in Circular 111/99). * Sick Leave Regulations: Please refer to contract of employment and hospital sick leave policy. * A minimum of one month's notice of termination of employment is required. * Notice of termination of employment must be received in writing. **Skills:** * Registered with NMBI * 7 years post-registration experience in acute hospitals * Postgraduate Higher Diploma in IFC * Professional management ability, leadership, and communication skills * Competent and confident IT skills