The New Mexico VA Health Care System is seeking a Staff Nurse (Infection Preventionist) to join the team! The Infection Preventionist is a professional registered nurse in the Quality, Safety and Value Section. The Infection Preventionist, in collaboration with the Infection Control Team and the Hospital Epidemiologist, is accountable for multiple facets of the NMVAHCS Infection Control Program.

Duties

VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package: VA Nurse Total Rewards Duties include but are not limited to: Serves as the administrative and clinical expert in infection control, including but not limited to infection control aspects of blood-borne pathogens, multi drug resistant organisms, communicable diseases, water safety and the prevention of Legionella, and other infectious processes. Actively involved in continuously and systematically evaluating the quality and effectiveness of the Infection Prevention & Control Program, based on established professional, community, or regulatory standards, such TJC, OIG and others. Actively participates in committees and projects, as assigned, at the service, facility, VISN or national level. Collaborates with local public health officials to coordinate disease prevention efforts in the community. Integrates relevant public health issues into practice. Develops, coordinates and teaches educational programs on infection control related topics. Applies epidemiological principles and statistical methods, including risk stratification, to identify target populations, analyze trends and risk factors and design and evaluate prevention and control strategies. Ensures surveillance design is consistent with selected internal and external comparative data bases. Utilizes a systematic approach to surveillance to identify and analyze data and monitor effectiveness of prevention and control strategies that are consistent with the organization's goals and objectives. Tracks/monitors lab reports and other data sources to identify trends in infection occurrences. Uses appropriate statistical techniques to describe data, calculate rates and critically evaluate significance of findings. Reports data and makes recommendations to the infection prevention team, infection control committee and/or leadership as appropriate. Obtains and manages in a data base critical data and information, including surveillance for infections utilizing nationally recognized methods and definitions. Intervenes directly to prevent infections and/or develops a collaborative team approach in identifying, analyzing and resolving infection prevention and control issues. Uses standard epidemiological principles and practices to observe, investigate, and implement control measures through the organization when an outbreak or cluster of infections is noted. Pay: Competitive salary, regular salary increases, potential for performance awards Paid Time Off: 50 days of paid time off per year (26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays per year) Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement) Licensure: 1 full and unrestricted license from any US State or territory Work Schedule: Monday thru Friday, 7:00am - 3:30pm. Telework: Not Authorized. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized. Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized. Financial Disclosure Report: Not required.

Requirements

Qualifications

Applicants pending the completion of educational or certification/licensure requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met. Basic Requirements: United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy. English Language Proficiency. In accordance with 38 U.S.C. 7402(d), no person shall serve in direct patient care positions unless they are proficient in basic written and spoken English. Graduate of a school of professional nursing approved by one of the following accrediting bodies at the time the program was completed by the applicant: The Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) or The Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). The approving official may authorize a waiver of the requirement for ACEN or CCNE accreditation of any degree in nursing provided the college or university has regional accreditation from an accrediting body recognized by the Department of Education at the time of the candidate's graduation and the composite qualifications of the applicant warrant such consideration. In cases of graduates of foreign schools of professional nursing, possession of current, full, active and unrestricted registration will meet the requirement of graduation from an approved school of professional nursing. OR The completion of coursework equivalent to a nursing degree in a MSN Bridge Program that qualifies for professional nursing registration constitutes the completion of an approved course of study of professional nursing. Students should submit the certificate of professional nursing to sit for the NCLEX to the VA along with a copy of the MSN transcript. (Reference VA Handbook 5005, Appendix G6) OR In cases of graduates of foreign schools of professional nursing, possession of a current, full, active and unrestricted registration will meet the requirement for graduation from an approved school of professional nursing. Current, full, active, and unrestricted registration as a graduate professional nurse in a State, Territory or Commonwealth (i.e., Puerto Rico) of the United States, or the District of Columbia. For foreign education equivalency the only certifying body the VA recognizes is CGFNS and its' subsidiary, International Consultants of Delaware (ICD). Without certification of BSN-equivalency, the VA can only consider the degree at the associates level and pay will be determined accordingly. Preferred Experience: Certification in Infection Control (CIC). If not certified, the applicant will consider obtaining certification when eligible. 2-3 years experience in Infection Prevention & Control. Bachelor's degree in nursing. Master's degree highly preferred. Five years successful nursing experience. Documented evidence of high satisfactory performance and dependability. Ability to establish and maintain effective interpersonal relationships and communication skills with physicians, staff patients and their significant others. Posses a working knowledge of quality management principles, Joint Commission requirements. Possess basic computer knowledge and skills. Grade Determinations: The following criteria must be met in determining the grade assignment of candidates, and if appropriate, the level within a grade: Nurse I Level I - An Associate Degree (ADN) or Diploma in Nursing, with no additional nursing practice/experience required. Nurse I Level II - An ADN or Diploma in Nursing and approximately 1 year of nursing practice/experience; OR an ADN or Diploma in Nursing and a bachelor's degree in a related field with no additional nursing practice/experience; OR a Bachelor's of Science in Nursing (BSN) with no additional nursing practice/experience. Nurse I Level III - An ADN or Diploma in Nursing and approximately 2-3 years of nursing practice/experience; OR an ADN or Diploma in Nursing and a Bachelor's degree in a related field and approximately 1-2 years of nursing practice/experience; OR a BSN with approximately 1-2 years of nursing practice/experience; OR a Master's degree in nursing (MSN) or related field with a BSN and no additional nursing practice/experience. Nurse II - A BSN with approximately 2-3 years of nursing practice/experience; OR ADN or Diploma in Nursing and a Bachelor's degree in a related field and approximately 2-3 years of nursing practice/experience; OR a Master's degree in nursing or related field with a BSN and approximately 1-2 years of nursing practice/experience; OR a Doctoral degree in nursing or meets basic requirements for appointment and has doctoral degree in a related field with no additional nursing practice/experience required. Nurse III - Master's degree in nursing or related field with BSN and approximately 2-3 years of nursing practice/experience; OR a Doctoral degree and approximately 2-3 years of nursing practice/experience. Note regarding MSN degrees: If your MSN was obtained via a Bridge Program that qualifies for professional nursing registration, a BSN is not required. Reference: VA Regulations, specifically VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Appendix G-6 Nurse Qualification Standard. This can be found in the local Human Resources Office. Physical Requirements: Heavy lifting (45 lbs and over); Heavy carrying (45 lbs and over); Straight pulling and pushing; reaching above shoulder; use of fingers; both hands required; walking and standing up to 8 hours; repeated bending; Ability for rapid mental and muscular coordination simultaneously; hearing aid permitted.

Education

IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.

Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html.

Contacts

• Address Raymond G Murphy Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center 1501 San Pedro Drive, Southeast Albuquerque, NM 87108 US
• Name: Heidi Orehek
• Phone: 5055194348
• Email: [email protected]