Nurse Consultant - HAI/AR Prevention & Response Infection Preventionist

Full Job Description

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Requirements

The Division of Disease Control and Public Health Response (DCPHR) is the department’s lead surveillance, planning and response arm for public events including communicable disease outbreaks and epidemics, pandemics, bioterrorism, and other public health and mass casualty events and disasters. The division includes the Office of Emergency Preparedness and Response; State Public Health Laboratory; Health Equity Branch, Communicable Disease Branch; Immunization Branch; Public Health Informatics, Reporting, Technology Branch; Refugee Branch; and Operations Branch. The Division exists to ensure that the Department has the ability to effectively prepare for, monitor, detect, diagnose, investigate, and nimbly respond to all types of conditions, events and disasters that impact the public’s health.

The Unit: The Communicable Disease Branch monitors, investigates, and controls epidemic and communicable diseases affecting the public health in Colorado, as required under Colorado statute, including enteric diseases, invasive bacterial diseases, respiratory disease, vaccine preventable disease, zoonotic diseases, foodborne and waterborne disease, and healthcare-associated infections (HAIs). The Healthcare-Associated Infections and Antimicrobial Resistance (HAI/AR) Program exists to prevent healthcare-associated infections and prevent the spread of emerging antimicrobial resistance threats in all healthcare settings in Colorado through surveillance, containment and response, infection prevention and antimicrobial stewardship.

About the Position: This position exists to provide infection prevention guidance and perform infection control assessments of targeted facilities; provide expertise to mitigate gaps detected during infection control assessments; and provide expertise during HAI outbreaks and on other infection prevention projects.

3 Revised 3/11/2025 This position possesses a specialized and unique level of knowledge and expertise in the infection prevention field and supports the overall goal and mission of the CDPHE Communicable Disease Branch to prevent and respond to communicable disease cases, clusters, and outbreaks.

It includes a thorough understanding of healthcare infection prevention guidelines and practices, often including board certification in infection control and related specialties in addition to training and experience in healthcare epidemiology and public health.

Position is held by a nurse with a specialized and unique level of knowledge and expertise which is that of a professional infection preventionist in a hospital, nursing home, and outpatient clinical settings, including knowledge of preventable surgical site and device associated infections, standard and transmission-based precautions and disinfection of the healthcare environment, the ability to audit infection prevention practices and provide feedback to clinical providers, and the ability to train less experienced infection preventionists in clinical settings on the latest infection prevention practices.

Position provides essential consultation to healthcare facilities, healthcare providers, and local public health agencies around HAI/ AR response activities, and relays key information and professional opinions and assessments back to HAI/ AR leadership to guide the direction of the public health response activities.

What you will be doing:

• Provides infection prevention (IP) expertise and performs infection prevention and
  control assessments (IPC) of targeted facilities, assessing staff practices to identify
  gaps for mitigation.
• Provides feedback to facilities verbally and in writing, summarizing the gaps
  identified during an assessment and the corresponding evidence-based
  recommendations (CDC, APIC, etc.) needed for mitigation.
• Assessing which practices may have led to transmission, or an outbreak in the facility,
  in order to guide targeted mitigation efforts to break the chain of infection.
• Assessing healthcare personnel performing their roles to ensure compliance with best
  practices.
• Assessing healthcare facility compliance with standard precautions and transmission
  based precautions, including that performed during direct patient care.
• Performs the majority of assessments for the HAI/AR program.
• Performs phone consultations and on-site assessments to review each facility’s
  infection prevention practices and policies in targeted areas.
• Maintains a matrix that is used to guide prioritization of identified facilities for IPC
  assessments
• Conducts outreach to facilities that have been selected for participation in
  assessments
• Works with influential facilities (Long-term acute care hospitals) to conduct annual
  proactive assessments
• Provides nursing/infection prevention expertise during healthcare-associated infection
  (HAI) outbreak and exposure event (drug diversions, injection safety, etc.)
  investigations.
• Consultation with other CDPHE outbreak team members, facility consultation, or
  participation in outbreak investigation site visits.
• Determine if possible adverse events might have occurred.
• Raise awareness and educates external partners on HAI/AR prevention and response
  activities.
• Provides statewide onsite assistance for HAI/AR prevention and response activities,
  including infection control assessments using CDC created tools and other resources.
  These efforts are statewide, and may include outlying communities with fewer
  resources, in collaboration with the Field Infection Preventionist.
• Makes infection prevention-related decisions and takes action with healthcare
  facilities and partners to implement mitigation actions during HAI/ AR investigations.
• Responsible for developing and guiding implementation of infection
  prevention strategies and guidelines around detecting and responding to HAI/ AR
  pathogens and used by internal and external partners
• Collaborates with other infection prevention team members at CDPHE to provide
  infection prevention expertise and perform proactive infection prevention assessments
  and provide setting-specific expertise to mitigate gaps detected during infection
  control assessments.
• Provides expertise during HAI outbreaks and on other infection prevention projects.
• Performs other infection prevention projects as directed by the Prevention and
  Response Unit Manager.
• Projects might include education for internal and external partners, surveys of health
  care facilities used to direct infection prevention assessments, developing the process
  to create a health care inventory list, and exploring options with outside partners to
  expand oversight of infection control capacity through licensing, credentialing, and
  regulations.

On assigned days, this position participates in the routine epi-call schedule byanswering e-mail questions and telephone calls from healthcare providers, patients,and the public on a variety of communicable disease issues.

Issues include diagnosis,case management, prophylaxis, prevention and control strategies.

This position bringscomplex calls to the attention of subject matter experts and senior staff for review andconsultation.

Qualifications

An applicant may meet the minimum qualifications for this job in one of two ways: They may qualify through their work experience alone or through a combination of education and work experience.

Experience Only:

Nine (9) years of infection prevention and control assessments performed in healthcare settings for outbreaks prevention and response efforts or in an occupational field related to the work assigned to the position and a current, valid licensure as a Registered Nurse from the Colorado Board of Nursing or any state participating in the Enhanced Nurse Licensure Compact (eNLC)


Education and Experience:

Master’s degree from an accredited institution in nursing, public health or in a field of study related to the work assignment and/or years of professional experience in infection prevention and control assessments performed in healthcare settings for outbreaks prevention and response efforts or in an occupational field related to the work assigned to the position and current, valid licensure as a Registered Nurse from the Colorado Board of Nursing or any state participating in the Enhanced Nurse Licensure Compact (eNLC)

*This experience must be substantiated within the Work Experience section of your application. "See Resume" will not be accepted. In addition, part-time work will be prorated.

NOTE: Click on the link here to HOW TO APPLY and submit a complete application. That documents your work history giving details of your qualifications, including how your experience aligns with the minimum and preferred qualifications for this position when listing your work history.


*** YOU MUST ATTACH A COPY OF TRANSCRIPTS TO YOUR APPLICATION IF YOU ARE USING EDUCATION TO MEET THE MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS***

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT
Must be willing to:
• A pre-employment background check
• Current, valid licensure as a Registered Nurse from the Colorado Board of Nursing or any state participating in the Enhanced Nurse Licensure Compact (eNLC)
• Travel to conduct site visits to conduct infection control assessments and oversee projects
• Be expected to work and/or remain at their worksite in delayed start, early release, or closure situations.
• Be available in the event of an emergency, (e.g., bio-terrorist attack, chemical attack, disease outbreak or all hazards) and be required to report to work immediately at the regular or alternate location. During this time, travel restrictions may be in place.
• Be available in the event of the activation of the Continuity of Operations Plan (COOP) and be required to report to work immediately at the regular or alternate location. During this time, travel restrictions may be in place.

Preferred Qualifications

• Public Health nursing background
• Experience in performing infection control assessments in a healthcare setting
• Experience assessing compliance with standard and transmission based
  precautions, including those performed during patient care activities
• Experience in performing infection outbreak investigations in a healthcare setting
• Experience with implementing evidence-based recommendations in a healthcare setting
• Understanding of regulatory requirements for healthcare settings in relation to IPC
• Understanding of healthcare-associated infections and how they are spread in healthcare
  settings
• Infection Control certification (CIC, IPCO, similar)
• Public Health nursing background
• Experience performing infection outbreak investigations
• Experience designing and facilitating in-person and distance trainings for medical
  professionals and local public health agencies
• Experience working with public health facility's
• Experience to utilize/learn computerized information systems, training platforms, and
  multimedia.
Appeal Rights:
An applicant who has been removed from an employment list or removed from consideration during the selection process may request a review by the State Personnel Director.



As an applicant directly affected by the results of the selection or comparative analysis process, you may file a written appeal with the State Personnel Director.




Review of the completed, signed and submitted appeal will be timely on the basis of written material submitted by you, using the official appeal form signed by you or your representative.

This form must be completed and delivered to the State Personnel Board by email at dpa_state.personnelboard@state.co.us within ten (10) calendar days from your receipt of notice or acknowledgement of the Department’s action.




For further information on the Board Rules, you can refer to 4 Colorado Code of Regulations (CCR) 801-1, State Personnel Board Rules and Personnel Director's Administrative Procedures, Chapter 8, Resolution of Appeals and Disputes, atspb.colorado.gov/board-rules.

Additional Information

A complete application packet must include:

1. A complete application that documents your work history giving details of your qualifications, including how your experience aligns with the minimum and preferred qualifications when listing your work history.
2. A copy of your transcripts if you are using education to meet the minimum qualifications. (unofficial copy acceptable)
3. If you are a veteran, attach a copy of your DD214 to your application

The Selection Process:
1. Part of, or all of, the comparative analysis for this position may be a structured application review, which involves a review of the information you submit in your application by Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) against the preferred qualifications.
2. A top group, up to six (6) candidates, will be invited to schedule an interview with the hiring manager.

E-Verify: CDPHE uses e-Verify, an Internet-based system, to confirm the eligibility of all newly hired employees to work in the United States.

Learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities.ADAAA Accommodations:The State of Colorado believes that equity, diversity, and inclusion drive our success, and we encourage candidates from all identities, backgrounds, and abilities to apply.

The State of Colorado is an equal opportunity employer committed to building inclusive, innovative work environments with employees who reflect our communities and enthusiastically serve them.

Therefore, in all aspects of the employment process, we provide employment opportunities to all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, medical condition related to pregnancy, creed, ancestry, national origin, marital status, genetic information, or military status (with preference given to military veterans), or any other protected status in accordance with applicable law.

The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals.

As part of this commitment, our agency will assist individuals who have a disability with any reasonable accommodation requests related to employment, including completing the application process, interviewing, completing any pre-employment testing, participating in the employee selection process, and/or to perform essential job functions where the requested accommodation does not impose an undue hardship.

If you have a disability and require reasonable accommodation to ensure you have a positive experience applying or interviewing for this position, please direct your inquiries to our ADAAA Coordinator, Dan McKenna, at daniel.mckenna@state.co.us or call 303-692-2060, option 5.



~THE STATE OF COLORADO IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER~
CDPHE IS A TOBACCO FREE CAMPUS