Responsibilities:

• Assist with the implementation of a comprehensive Infection Prevention and Control Program.

• Establish effective working relationships with all departments and services and is available to provide information needed when dealing with infection prevention and control issues.

• Maintain the established system of reporting and recording on infections in the Home and makes available to the Infection Prevention and Control Committee and Medical Advisory Committee.

• Participate as a lead /member of Quality and Risk Management Committee.

• Auditing of IPAC practices in the home (please note that auditing of IPAC practices can also include overseeing audit activities performed by other staff in the home in collaboration with, or under the direction of, the IPAC Lead).

• Conducts at a minimum, quarterly real-time audits of specific activities performed by staff in the home, including but not limited to, hand hygiene, selection and donning and doffing of PPE.

• Conduct regular infectious disease surveillance.

• Review infectious disease surveillance results regularly to ensure that all staff are conducting infectious disease surveillance appropriately and to ensure that appropriate action is being taken to respond to surveillance findings.

• Convening the Outbreak Management Team (OMT) at the outset of an outbreak and regularly throughout an outbreak.

• Assist and co-ordinate the implementation of infection prevention and control procedures in suspected and confirmed outbreaks, as directed by the Infection Prevention and Control Committee and Medical Advisory Committee. Convening the Outbreak Management Team (OMT) at the outset of an outbreak and regularly throughout an outbreak.

• Establish on-going communication with local public health and/or local hospital.

• Collaborate with the Infection Prevention and Control Committee in developing in services programs for all employees that create:

  • awareness of Infection Prevention and Control program.
  • awareness of their responsibility for reduction and control of infections.
  • awareness of their responsibility in the contingency plan for an outbreak.
  • the promotion of resident/staff/volunteer immunization program.

• Keep an update list of staff/resident/volunteer vaccination status and report to local public health or other stakeholders as required.

• Convene the interdisciplinary IPAC team at least quarterly, and at a more frequent interval during an infectious disease outbreak in the home (this may also include convening the team during other disease outbreaks (i.e, non-infectious).

• Review daily and monthly screening results collected as pursuant to subsection 102(9) of the Regulation by the home to determine whether any action is required.

• Implement required improvements to the IPAC program as required.

• In collaboration with the IPAC team, implements required improvements to address any evaluation and/or audit findings as well as recommendations arising from the quality program for IPAC.

• Ensuring that there is in place a hand hygiene program in accordance with this standard which includes, at a minimum, access to hand hygiene agents at point-of-care (s.102(7) of the Regulation).

• Ensure that the IPAC programs are appropriately resourced and supported, including the need for additional staff with education in IPAC are available to provide support, as needed, on every shift.

• Complete the annual program evaluation, summarize infection control activities in the home. Ensure corrective action plans are developed based on data analysis.

• Work with occupation health and safety (Joint Health and Safety Committee) on IPAC matters related to staff.

• Overseeing the delivery of infection prevention and control education to all staff, caregivers, volunteers, visitors and residents.

• Provide professional input in the annual Infection Prevention and Control Manual review.

• Involve in the review, selection and purchasing of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) as required.

Qualifications:

The IPAC Lead shall have at a minimum, education and experience in IPAC practices, including:

• Infectious disease

• Cleaning and disinfection

• Data collection and trend analysis

• Reporting protocols

• Outbreak management

• Asepsis

• Microbiology

• Adult education

• Epidemiology

• Program management and

• Within three years of s.102 (6) of the Regulation coming into force, the IPAC Lead shall have current certification in infection control from the Certification Board of Infection Control

Note: We thank all candidates for their interests. However, only those selected for interviews will be contacted. No telephone calls please.

Disclaimer: Mon Sheong Foundation is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to providing employment accommodation in accordance with the Ontario Human Rights Code and the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act. If contacted for an employment opportunity or testing, please advise Human Resources if require accommodation.