Infection Prevention & Control Clinical Consultant

Description At Kindred Healthcare, our mission is to promote healing, provide hope, preserve dignity and produce value for each patient, resident, family member, customer, employee and shareholder we serve. Kindred Healthcare, Inc. (NYSE:KND) is a healthcare services company, based in Louisville, Kentucky, with annual revenues of over $4 billion. At March 31, 2008, Kindred through its subsidiaries provided healthcare services in 646 locations in 40 states. Kindred’s 52,900 employees are committed to providing high quality patient care and outstanding customer service to become the most trusted and respected provider of healthcare services in every community we serve. For more information, go to www.kindredhealthcare.com. An Equal Opportunity Employer. Drug Free Workplace. As a Kindred Healthcare team member working at our corporate headquarters in Louisville, Kentucky, you instantly become an integral part of one of the nation's largest and most respected long-term healthcare networks, which cares for thousands of patients and residents. Our corporate staff provides accounting, payroll, reimbursement, communications, financial, human resources, information systems and legal support for 52,900 people working together in long-term acute care hospitals, nursing centers, and rehabilitation services contract locations across the country.
 
For the third year in a row, Kindred Healthcare's corporate office was recently named one of the Top 25 Best Places to Work in Kentucky among large-sized companies and one of Fortune's Most Admired Companies for 2009.
 
We are recruiting an Infection Prevention and Control Clinical Consultant to join our Hospital Division.
 
Summary:
Provides support, guidance, and clinical expertise in the development, training and implementation of the Hospital Division's Infection Prevention and Control Program. Serves as division knowledge expert in infection prevention and control practices, processes, surveillance methodologies, products, equipment, and regulatory and accreditation standards.  
 
Essential Functions:

• Participates in planning and creating operational, service design and other organizational plans and policies to achieve the mission and vision of the hospital division Infection Prevention and Control Program (IPCP).
• Develops, designs and provides policies and procedures that guide and support the provision and integration of services according to the mission and vision of the hospital division IPCP.
• Directs the coordination and integration of the hospital division IPCP with other departments and hospital primary functions.
• Communicates and promotes effective and efficient infection prevention and control practices, processes, systems, and operational plans to key clinical leadership.
• Participates in hospital and departmental performance improvement activities to measure and assess the quality of services provided.
• Assesses needs, establishes revisions and supports infection prevention and control practices, processes and systems as it relates to hospital populations.
• Develops, assists and supports the Hospital Division's implementation plan for infection prevention and control with focus on standardization.
• Facilitates development and implementation of standardized infection prevention and control practices, including surveillance system for detecting and hospital acquired and community infections, to improve patient outcomes, enhance patient safety, and reduce waste.
• Works collaboratively with Clinical Operations, the National Infection Control Council (NICC), and hospitals' Chief Clinical Officers as appropriate to provide educational programs, tools and processes for orientation, in-service training and continuing education to ensure qualified and competent staff to provide quality care and services.
• Develops and maintains IPCP's Core Policies and Procedures Manual and staff, patient and family education materials to assure safe, efficient and effective quality patient care.
• Conducts periodic audits to ensure consistency and compliance with infection prevention and control practices, regulation and accreditation standards.
• Provides technical expertise and consultation regarding infection prevention and control tools, protocols, methodologies and documentation.
• Evaluates infection prevention and control products and equipment for value regarding quality and cost effectiveness and makes recommendations.
• Chairs the NICC and develops field task forces with hospital Infection Control Practitioners and clinical leadership as necessary to identify, assess, and respond to ongoing needs. 

 Knowledge/Skills/Abilities:

• Expert knowledge of infection prevention and control practices, processes, systems, standards and regulations.
• Knowledge of compliance requirements regarding products and patient information.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to establish and maintain excellent relationship skills with team and field.
• Ability to demonstrate critical thinking, appropriate prioritization and time management skills. Independent decision-making skills.
• Ability to travel 60% of the time.

Requirements

• Registered Nurse with Bachelor's degree required, Master's degree preferred, in a healthcare or related field.
• Certified in Infection Control (CIC) or similar certification required.
• 5+ years progressively-responsible experience in active infection control program; prefer experience in multi-hospital program or system management; Long Term Acute Care (LTAC) hospital experience a plus.

NOTE:  This position works out of the Louisville, KY office.  Might consider temporary work from home set up for the right candidate.