Director, Infection Control, VA Maryland Health Care System, Maryland Job in Baltimore 21201, Maryland Us

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JOB SUMMARY:

WHO WE ARE

We are people who take great pride and deep satisfaction in providing America's veterans with the best clinical care, the most innovative technology, and the most comprehensive array of benefits America has to offer.

MISSION VISION

"To care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow and his orphan."

–Abraham Lincoln

ANNOUNCEMENT NUMBER: 512-12-563441

POSITION TITLE: Director, Infection Control, VA Maryland Health Care System, MD (Nurse IV position)

WORK SCHEDULE: Full-Time

GENERAL OVERVIEW:

 

An opening exists for the Director, Infection Control, VA Maryland Health Care System, (VAMHCS), who exhibits leadership that is characterized by substantial and continuous responsibility and accountability for the VAMHCS, Infection Control (IC) Program.  This program exists within three campuses (Baltimore with the Annex, Loch Raven and Perry Point) and five (5) Community Based Outpatient Clinics, of a multi-culture, highly sophisticated health care delivery system.  The VAMHCS consists of 725 inpatient beds and serves 53,667 unique Veterans and over 8,000 inpatient stays.  The primary affiliate university is the University of Maryland, in addition to other colleges and universities for a variety of academic programs.  These programs significantly impact patient care delivery and ultimately the organization’s mission.  The Director of Infection Control directly reports to the Chief of Staff (COS) for Infection Control issues.  The incumbent supervises four (4) staff members including both Title 38 and Title 5 employees.  The complexity of this position requires advanced administrative and management skills.  The Director of Infection Control has ultimate accountability for multiple internal and external clinical and administrative standards for the Infection Control program including VAMHCS Performance Measures, Joint Commission and Accreditation, (TJC), Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Requirements over approximately 3000 employees, Food Drug Administration Regulations (FDA), Center for Disease Control and Prevention Guidelines (CDC), Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation Standards (AAMI) etc. 

 

As a leader for the VAMHCS, the incumbent participates in assessing the environment, forecasting trends, transmitting ideas and values, developing and implementing policies, guidelines, and initiating programs.  The Director of Infection Control is the vehicle for interpretation and articulation of national VHA policies and directives to the local and VAMHCS level for implementation.  The incumbent participates in the annual budget preparation for the Infection Control Program in collaboration with the Chief of Staff.  The Director of Infection Control provides the oversight and financial management of the MRSA Prevention Budget.  The Director of Infection Control oversees the allocation and control of these funds to assure adequate availability of supplies in the facilities effort to decrease MRSA and other multi drug resistant organisms. 

 

DUTIES:

 

The main duties and responsibilities of the Director of Infection Control are:

 

- Responsible for the Infection Control Program in the VAMHCS, this involves providing oversight, guidance and direction for all VAMHCS clinicians related to Infection Control

 

- Responsible for ongoing strategic planning, management, implementation and evaluation of the VAMHCS Infection Control and Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA) Program

 

- Works collaboratively with the University of Maryland Hospital Epidemiology/Infection Control Program as a liaison for standardizing infection control practice s (e.g. isolation).  The incumbent works in collaboration with the Infection Control Practitioners in Martinsburg and Washington D.C. VA Medical Centers to improve and standardize infection control practices across Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN) 5.

 

- Collaborates with the VAMHCS Director, Chief of Staff, VAMHCS Chief Nurse Executive, Clinical Center Directors and Associate Chief Nurse Executives to ensure that infection control practice is consistent with nationally recognized professional standards, statutes, regulations and current nursing/clinical research findings. 

 

- Serve as a member of the Nurse Professional Standards Board, the Infection Control Committees, VAMHCS Environment of Care, Performance Improvement Committees, VAMHCS Emergency Preparedness, VAMHCS Commodity Committee and VAMHCS External Peer Review Program Committee as well as VISN 5 Committees. 

 

- Responsible for planning Infection Control education and training for all VAMHCS staff. 

 

- Assesses the VAMHCS Infection Control Program through: surveillance activities, applying epidemiological principles including risk stratification, using statistical methods, and a systematic approach to monitor the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of infection control strategies.  The Director of Infection Control develops, revises and updates VAMHCS policies, procedures and protocols related to infection control. 

 

- Ensures appropriate resource utilization related to the VAMHCS Infection Control Program.  This involves the selection of appropriate products as well as conducting cost benefit analysis to determine cost effectiveness.

 

- Participates in assessing the environment, forecasting trends, transmitting ideas and values, developing and implementing policies, guidelines, and initiating programs.  The Director of Infection Control is the vehicle for interpretation and articulation of national VHA policies and directives to the local and VAMHCS level for implementation. 

 

- Participates in the annual budget preparation for the Infection Control Program in collaboration with the Chief of Staff.  The Director of Infection Control provides the oversight and financial management of the MRSA Prevention Budget.  The Director of Infection Control oversees the allocation and control of these funds to assure adequate availability of supplies in the facilities effort to decrease MRSA and other multi drug resistant organisms. 

 

 

 

Required Skills:

QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED:

 

The Director or Infection Control has a current and unrestricted license as a Registered Nurse and has a Baccalaureate Degree (BSN) and a Masters Degree in Nursing from an accredited school or college of nursing or a Masters Degree in a health care related field from an accredited school.  The incumbent has a minimum of three (3) years of progressive clinical nursing experience in an acute care and long term care settings.  In addition, a minimum two (2) years of management in Infection Control is required.  Certification by the Certification Board in Infection Control (CBIC) is required and membership in Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, (APIC) is preferred.  The incumbent has demonstrated sustained leadership characterized by exemplary organizational skills and interpersonal skills.

 

Your salary and grade will be determined by the Nurse Professional Standards Board (NPSB).  The NPSB is a peer review process.  The PSB will review your individual qualifications, education, professional training/internship(s) and professional experience to determine the most appropriate salary and grade based on your individual accomplishments.

 

 

 

 

APPLICANTS PLEASE NOTE: Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications (particularly positions with a positive education requirement.) Therefore, applicants must report only attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Applicants can verify accreditation at the following website: All education claimed by applicants will be verified by the appointing agency accordingly. http://www.ed.gov/admins/finaid/accred/index.html

 

FOREIGN EDUCATION: To receive credit for education completed outside the United States, you must show proof that the education has been submitted to a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign educational credentials and such education has been deemed at least equivalent to that gained in conventionalU.S. education programs.

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT: (Failure to comply may be grounds for withdrawal of an offer of employment or dismissal after appointment)

HOW YOU WILL BE EVALUATED:

Once the application process is complete, a review of your application will be made to ensure you meet the job requirements. To determine if you are qualified for this job, your resume and supporting documentation will be compared against your responses to the occupational questionnaire. The numeric rating you receive is based on your responses to the questionnaire. The score is a measure of the degree to which your background matches the knowledge, skills and abilities required of this position.  If, after reviewing your resume and or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications and or experience your score can and will be adjusted to more accurately reflect your abilities. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating.

INCOMPLETE APPLICATIONS will receive a rating of IFM (ineligible due to missing forms). Requests for reconsideration of ratings will not be considered for applicants who fail to submit a complete application package.We cannot be held responsible for incompatible software, fax transmissions, delays in mail service, etc.

 

Only send documentation as requested/required by this announcement and that directly supports your qualifications for this position. 

Bring your expertise to VA and be valued as part of a team that is recognized and respected for significant contributions to medicine. You’ll enjoy a patient-focused environment, terrific benefits and incentives, and the ability to practice at any VA facility in the country.

APPLY TODAY
www.VAcareers.va.gov

Equal Opportunity Employer

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