Infection Prevention and Control Manager- RN/RPN- Temporary FT

"How do you live in the moment?"

We are passionate about 'Making Every Moment Matter'. We are seeking a candidate that shares our values - a person who has a passion to make a difference, who has a strong moral compass and who has a commitment to teamwork. The ideal candidate is a warm and loving person who makes meaningful connections with those they are caring for.

The IPAC Manager reports to the Director of Care and is responsible for the Home's organized IPAC program, including surveillance, education, auditing, and outbreak preparedness/response. The role ensures program delivery meets regulatory requirements and aligns with Ontario's IPAC Standard for Long-Term Care Homes and Public Health Ontario (PIDAC-IPC) best practice guidance, in collaboration with the local public health unit.

Wage Rate:

Annual salary range $75,000-$99,000

Vacancy:

This is an existing vacancy

Responsibilities:

The Infection Prevention and Control Manager provides direct leadership and supervision of Screeners, RNs, RPNs and PSWs and implements and oversees infection prevention and control practices that promote the safety of residents, staff, and physicians, including:

Program leadership & regulatory readiness

• Lead the Home's Infection Prevention & Control (IPAC) program, ensuring implementation of applicable standards/protocols and strengthening a culture of IPAC across all departments.
• Lead and continuously improve an organized IPAC program that protects residents, caregivers, families, staff, physicians, volunteers, and visitors.
• Ensure IPAC roles, responsibilities, and accountabilities are clearly defined, communicated, and supported through ongoing coaching and monitoring.
• Maintain the IPAC Lead's direct contact information with the local Medical Officer of Health/designate and the relevant IPAC Hub (as applicable).
• Maintain inspection-ready documentation (program materials, meeting minutes, action plans, and evidence of follow-up).
• Embed Culturally Safe and Appropriate IPAC practices into IPAC policies, education materials, signage, and communications and support resident/family trust and participation.

People Leadership, Hiring & Performance Management

• Provide direct leadership to assigned IPAC/screening staff (and other team members as assigned), including work allocation, coaching, and day-to-day direction.
• Participate in workforce planning for the IPAC/screening function and assist with hiring by supporting screening, interviewing, selection recommendations, and onboarding.
• Conduct regular performance check-ins and performance appraisals, set goals, and create development plans to build capability and accountability.
• Address performance concerns promptly through coaching and corrective action, including progressive discipline up to and including termination (in consultation with the Director of Care/Executive Director and in accordance with policy and employment legislation).
• Maintain appropriate confidentiality and act as an employer representative consistent with the responsibilities of a management (non-union) position.

Surveillance & Reporting

• Oversee daily screening and surveillance processes; identify infectious symptoms early and monitor trends.
• Monitor and analyze surveillance data (including IPAC documentation within PointClickCare or other systems) and provide routine reports to leaders/committees (daily/weekly/monthly as required).
• Ensure communicable disease reporting and notifications are completed according to public health direction and homes policy and procedure.
• Monitors and analyzes data in the IPAC module in the electronic health record
• Consults with the physicians/Nurse Practitioner on laboratory results and trending of data to promote antibiotic stewardship
• Follows guidelines for reporting communicable diseases to the appropriate government agencies

Outbreak Prevention & Outbreak Response

• Ensure an outbreak management system and a written outbreak response plan are in place, and activate the Outbreak Management Team as required.
• Lead outbreak response in consultation with the local Public Health Unit and required partners; chair outbreak huddles/meetings, maintain minutes, assign actions, and track follow-through and implementation and oversight of Outbreak Control Measures
• Maintain accurate line lists and ensure timely internal and external communications (residents, families, staff, physicians, leadership).
• Complete post-outbreak debriefs and reports and implement corrective/preventive actions.
• Attends all Public Health and Hospital Partner IPAC committee meetings and calls
• Ensures timely communication with Public Health re infectious diseases as per regulatory requirements
• Ensure outbreak-related communications and visitor guidance are delivered in a culturally safe and appropriate and accessible manner.
• Works with the Director of Care, Executive Director, and Corporate Support Office personnel to ensure timely communication to residents, staff, physicians, and families related to potential and confirmed outbreaks
• Initiates the outbreak CIS and keeps it up to date with amendments

Education, Coaching & Competency Management

• Deliver and evaluate IPAC education for staff, caregivers, volunteers, physicians, residents, and visitors (orientation, annual refreshers, just-in-time coaching during rounds).
• Educate and reinforce routine practices: hand hygiene, PPE selection/use, respiratory etiquette, sharps safety, and biomedical waste practices.
• Educate residents, families and visitors on infection prevention and control measures to prevent and control transmission of infection in health care settings, including hand hygiene, respiratory hygiene, appropriate use of personal protective equipment (PPE) and visitor restrictions when appropriate.
• Develop and support IPAC Champions and student placement orientation related to IPAC.
• Conducts the orientation/mentoring of new Screeners and IPAC Champions within the Home
• Provide education and coaching using Culturally Safe and Appropriate IPAC practices.
• Maintain an IPAC competency checklist/skills inventory by role and track completion, refreshers, and recurring non-compliance patterns.

Hand Hygiene Program Leadership

• Lead and maintain a comprehensive Hand Hygiene Program aligned with the 4 Moments for Hand Hygiene, supporting consistent practice among staff, physicians, volunteers, students, contractors, residents, and visitors.
• Establish a Interdisciplinary approach by partnering with Nursing, PSWs, Environmental Services, Dietary, Programs, and Resident/caregivers to design and reinforce hand hygiene practices across the Home.
• Embed resident-centred hand hygiene by promoting resident/visitor education, accessible reminders/signage, and supportive routines that encourage hand hygiene at key points (e.g., before dining, after toileting, upon entering/leaving common areas, before/after group programs), while respecting dignity, choice, and Culturally Safe and Appropriate IPAC practices.
• Plan and implement a regular routine hand hygiene audit schedule (e.g., unit-based and role-based observation), including documentation of findings, analysis of trends, and identification of barriers.
• Use audit outcomes to guide coaching, resource allocation (e.g., dispenser placement, product accessibility), and workflow adjustments that increase compliance.
• Deliver orientation and annual refresher training on the 4 Moments, technique, and point-of-care risk assessment, using practical demonstrations and just-in-time coaching during rounds.
• Maintain a hand hygiene competency inventory by role/department, track completion, and provide retraining where gaps are identified.
• Evaluate the effectiveness of the hand hygiene program at least annually and after outbreaks, incorporating staff/resident feedback, audit results, and emerging best practices into updated action plans.

Audits & Quality Improvement

• Promote staff awareness of the purposes and objectives of the IPAC program components
• Plan and conduct an audit program (hand hygiene, PPE donning/doffing, cleaning/disinfection of shared equipment, screening/surveillance processes) and use results to drive unit action plans and leadership reporting.
• Chair the Home's IPAC Committee meetings and ensure meeting documentation, action plans, and follow-up are completed.
• Lead annual evaluation of the IPAC program and continuous improvement planning.
• Monitor the IPAC module in PointClickCare for accuracy and completeness
• Conducts audits of IPAC process/policy compliance, screening and surveillance, PPE compliance and donning/doffing, hand hygiene, and cleaning and disinfection procedures for shared medical equipment and shares data weekly for unit performance boards and monthly for leadership and Health & Safety Committee
• Complete a monthly analysis of Infection rates
• Completion of IPAC practices and self-assessment audits as per schedule
• Completion of Infection Prevention and Control checklist for LTC and Retirement homes.
• Create and distribute daily IPAC reports to the broader leadership team
• Present data analysis and trending to the Leadership Team, Professional Advisory Committee and Quality Committee
• Reports on regional data trends and actions taken at regional meetings.
• Chairs Quarterly IPAC Team meetings and ensures minutes are posted and action plans are developed related to identified improvement opportunities
• Create quarterly IPAC quality reports and presents at quarterly Quality Committee meetings
• Coordinate and leads annual flu clinics and immunization programs
• Coordinate bi-annual Respiratory Fit Testing training and ensure compliance with training requirements.
• Collaborate with environmental, nursing, resident experience, nutritional, dietary and environmental service partners on implementing IPAC best practices.
• Support the development of audit compliance to cleaning and disinfecting procedures in nursing, dietary, programs, housekeeping, and laundry
• Regularly review Infection Prevention and Control policies and procedures and revise as needed to reflect current best practices
• Policy development in the area of IPAC
• Complete the annual Public Health flu survey

Immunization, Safety, PPE & Supply Stewardship, and Cross-Department Collaboration

• Lead seasonal respiratory illness preparedness (e.g., influenza/COVID/other respiratory viruses): prevention strategies, surveillance, communications, and escalation pathways.
• Coordinate annual influenza clinics and immunization programs (and other initiatives as applicable) in collaboration with Public Health and clinical partners.
• Provide IPAC leadership for PPE and infection-control supply stewardship, including product selection, rollout, and compliance monitoring.
• Track and report PPE burn rate/usage trends; set readiness expectations with purchasing/materials (min/max levels, reorder triggers, expiry tracking, outbreak surge planning).
• Partner with Environmental Services, Nursing, Dietary, Programs, Housekeeping, and Laundry to embed cleaning/disinfection best practices and improve compliance.
• Participate as a standing member of the Joint Health & Safety Committee; identify hazards, support investigations (e.g., exposures/needle sticks), and drive corrective actions aligned with OHSA and internal policy.
• Works in accordance with the organization's Health and Safety policies and procedures and in compliance with the Occupational Health and Safety Act
• Other duties as assigned and or indicated in the Job Task Inventory

Qualifications:

The qualifications needed to join our family are as follows:

• Post-secondary education in a health-related discipline (e.g., Registered Nurse (RN/RPN) Nursing, Public Health, Epidemiology, Microbiology, Health Sciences) with demonstrated, progressive experience in infection prevention and control in a healthcare setting (Long Term Care preferred).
• Candidate is a Registered Nurse (RN/RPN): Current registration in good standing with the College of Nurses of Ontario (CNO) as a Registered Nurse (RN) (or Registered Practical Nurse (RPN) with eligibility to practice in Ontario.
• Candidates registered as an RN/RPN in another Canadian jurisdiction who are eligible to practice in Ontario will also be considered.
• Demonstrated education and experience in infection prevention and control practices, including: infectious diseases; cleaning and disinfection; data collection and trend analysis; reporting protocols; outbreak management; asepsis; microbiology; adult education; epidemiology; and program management.
• CBIC certification requirement: Current certification in infection control from the Certification Board of Infection Control and Epidemiology (CBIC) (e.g., LTC-CIP/LTC-CIC/CIC, as applicable) or commitment to obtain within three (3) years of designation, in alignment with Ontario LTC requirements.
• Individuals designated after April 11, 2025 will have up to three years from their date of designation to achieve certification.
• Non-Acute Care Infection Control Professional (NAC ICP) certification (asset).
• Minimum 2 years recent infection control/IPAC experience in Long-Term Care or Acute Care required.
• Able to work regularly on-site and meet the minimum on-site IPAC Lead hours required for the home's licensed bed capacity (and additional hours during outbreaks as needed).
• Membership with IPAC Canada (preferred) and active participation in IPAC learning/networking.
• Member of National Infection Control Association (IPAC Canada) preferred
• Minimum 2 years of people leadership/management experience.
• Training and experience in Quality Improvement (preferred)
• Knowledge of epidemiological principles, statistics and microbiology and the ability to integrate this knowledge into clinical practice would be a significant asset.
• Demonstrated ability to lead committee meetings and support interdisciplinary teams (including outbreak-related meetings).
• Strong computer skills (spreadsheets, Word, PowerPoint, email, internet/literature searches) and comfort producing surveillance reports.
• Demonstrated leadership, communication, coaching, and problem-solving skills; strong adult learning/education facilitation skills.
• Flexible hours as required (e.g., outbreak response / urgent operational needs).
• Ability to organize, plan, and work independently
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment
• To show evidence of being focused on people's feelings when interacting and knowing how to turn a task into positive social interaction.
• To undertake and meet all legal requirements within the context of promoting individuals' rights and measuring/reducing elements of risk.
• Current CPR and First Aid is required
• Must provide a complete and current (within six months) Vulnerable Sector Check (including a Criminal Background Check) or be willing to obtain one
• As a condition of employment, candidates are required to submit documented results of TB testing (within the last six months or within 14 days upon hire) or a chest X-ray (within the last year), as per Public Health requirements
• Two supervisory references required
• Provide proof of all required vaccines. The Employer strongly recommends to "stay up to date" with the recommended vaccines. Vaccination requirements are subject to changes as determined by the Employer.

What do we offer you?

• Competitive wages
• Employee benefits
• Employee perks
• Employee and Family Assistance Program
• Support for personal and professional growth

We look forward to speaking with you and Making Every Moment Matter. Although we appreciate all applicants' interest, only those selected for further consideration will be contacted.

As part of our recruitment process, we may use secure, limited AI tools to assist with administrative tasks such as organizing applications or analyzing role alignment. These tools are used solely to support our recruitment team. All hiring decisions are made by people.

We are committed to ensuring our hiring practices are equitable, inclusive, and privacy conscious. Any personal information collected or processed is handled in accordance with the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Act (PIPEDA) and our internal privacy policies.

We strive to be diverse, inclusive, fair, equitable and accessible by addressing barriers and promoting dignity and respect for all. If you require accommodation at any time during the recruitment process, please contact the hiring manager.