Infection Prevention Specialist

About the role

Life Queenstown Private Hospital is looking for an Infection Prevention Specialist to report to Lutendo Xela. The role identifies, manages, mitigates and evaluates infection prevention risks to patients, employees and the wider community, and works to build competence in infection prevention management within the facility.

Key responsibilities

• Execute the hospital infection prevention strategy, implement an infection prevention plan and set business unit targets with the Nursing team
• Lead the Infection Prevention Committee and direct reporting, investigation, root cause analysis, trending and actions on infection-related incidents
• Carry out internal audits (laundry, sterilization and storage, catering, healthcare risk waste, infection prevention control) and the hazardous biological agent risk assessment, and close out findings from Department of Health inspections, QMS reviews and audits
• Monitor and report patient and environmental risks, and assess high-risk patients and the environment
• Manage occupational exposure to hazardous biological agents, ensure the Hepatitis B programme is offered to all healthcare workers and induct new employees
• Facilitate training such as hand hygiene, exposure to body fluids, infection prevention bundles and significant resistant organisms, and design in-service training per unit
• Manage internal and external outbreaks, lead the outbreak task team and review the Outbreak Management Process annually

Required profile

• Qualified Infection Prevention and Control Specialist from a recognised institution with at least 60 credits; short learning programmes under 6 months are not recognised
• Practical application knowledge as an IPS/IPC or 2IC; experience in a specialist unit is advantageous
• Agreement to join the LHC certificate course (SLP) and the 6-day onboarding programme within one month of employment
• Understanding of the private healthcare industry

Required skills

• Excellent basic computer skills (Microsoft Office)
• Competencies: leadership, problem solving, communication, influencing, customer responsiveness, research skills, ethical behaviour and resilience