Infection, Prevention and Control

**Infection Prevention and Control (IPAC) Lead** (Re-Posted)**
**Full-Time, Non-Union**
**N/22-01**

**The Organization**

St. Joseph’s Health Centre Guelph (SJHCG) is a faith-based organization that is part of St. Joseph’s Health System. We live by our CARE values: Compassion, Accountability, Respect, and Excellence, and embed person
- and family-centred throughout our 240 long-term care beds, 104 hospital beds, and a variety of outpatient and community support services. Our staff complement of approximately 700 employees is committed to contributing to a healthy, safe, and respectful environment. If you are a passionate and highly motivated to helping us advance in our mission, vision and values, we look forward to you joining our team

**The Position Summary**

The IPAC Lead has responsibility for IPAC across the organization, as well as direct accountability for IPAC for hospital programs. The IPAC Lead is a member of the healthcare team, and reports to the Director, Strategy, Quality and Client Experience. This position will have an IPAC Associate reporting into it for corporate program development and monitoring. Weekend and after hours may be required in accordance with the operational needs of SJHCG and there may be a requirement to work outside the normal hours of work periodically.

**Responsibilities**:
The IPAC Lead is responsible for developing the facility’s infection prevention program with the support of the IPAC associate. The IPAC lead is also accountable for implementing, monitoring and evaluating the facility’s infection prevention program that is delivered through collaborative leadership with the IPAC associate for Long-term Care to ensure consistency in approaches and practices. The IPAC lead ensures that existing Provincial Infectious Diseases Advisory Committee (PIDAC) best practice guidelines and IPAC guidelines of applicable professional organizations and regulatory and governmental agencies are incorporated into the programs (post-acute care, long-term care, community support services) and makes recommendations to leadership for improvements. The IPAC Lead will use continuous quality improvement techniques and project management approaches to continuously improve client care procedures and control mechanisms related to quality, compliance and infection prevention. The IPAC Lead reviews relevant public health issues to integrate into practice, serves as an advisor and resource person regarding infection prevention issues for all SJHCG programs, collaborates with other healthcare professionals within and outside of the facility, and is responsible for implementing infection prevention education programs. The IPAC Lead incorporates the principles of fiscal responsibility into practice and promotes the standards of advanced professional practice.

The IPAC Lead systematically collects, and analyzes healthcare-associated infection data to identify trends and risk factors, investigates incidents of infections and reports such incidents to the appropriate person/department, discusses and monitors infection prevention practices with staff members and conducts outbreak investigations and audits. Specifically, the IPAC Lead is responsible to:

- Make recommendations to interdisciplinary teams and leaders regarding the prevention and control of infections.
- Lead surveillance and exposure investigations in order to implement measures to prevent/control transmission of infectious agents.
- Risk manages and communicates with leaders and staff members regarding the management of infectious patients/residents and other infection prevention approaches.
- Coordinate the annual infection control risk assessment in conjunction with the Infection Prevention and Control Committee (IPAC).
- Develop and implementing the annual infection prevention plan in conjunction with the infection prevention and control committee.
- Evaluate the annual plan for goal achievement in conjunction with the Infection prevention and control committee.
- Ensure the completion of IPAC audits regarding the implementation of and compliance with selected policies.
- Consult on infection risk assessment prevention and control strategies.
- Work with education leads in providing training and orientation for all staff members and independent practitioners regarding the prevention of Hospital Acquired Infections and IPAC core competencies.
- Coordinate with the Employee Health Services regarding relevant staff member health issues.
- Assess and analyze internal and external data in order to successfully implement best practices.
- Coordinate with clinical teams and environmental services regarding the development of standards, audits, and research.
- Conduct surveillance of Hospital Acquired Infections data and monitoring trends for the organization.
- Prepare reports and statistical data for the infection control committee, medical staff committees, program managers, quality and risk and the facility’s administration