State of Connecticut Executive Branch

In a state facility this class is accountable for coordinating the Infection Control Program and for serving as a liaison between all departments and the Infection Control Committee.

In the Department of Public Health this class is accountable for coordinating hospital-acquired infection control activities and serving as a liaison to health care facilities regarding infection control.

• Conducts surveillance of infections in patients/clients and employees; 
• Prepares monthly reports, statistical summaries and analyses of infections for the Infection Control Committee; 
• Writes policies and procedures for infection prevention and control; 
• Develops and conducts in-service education programs for all facility personnel to improve knowledge and practices of infection control and epidemiology of infectious diseases; 
• Maintains records of all patients/clients with infections; 
• Consults with Epidemiologists in Department of Public Health when clusters of infection occur and/or unusual pathogens are isolated; 
• Reports and provides information required by Department of Public Health or other official bodies; 
• Consults in infection control aspects of employee health program including immunization and other similar activities; 
• Develops and updates isolation techniques according to current standards of practice which provide optimum care for patients/clients with infections; 
• Monitors patient/client care activities to identify methods, techniques, equipment, supplies, new products and/or specific policies or procedures which may constitute a risk of originating or transmitting infections; 
• Reviews sterilization and disinfection methods practiced in all areas of facility and makes recommendations for changes; 
• May attend educational conferences related to specialty; 
• Performs related duties as required.

DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH

• Trains infection control practitioners in acute care hospitals to conduct surveillance of hospital-associated infections according to accepted standards; 
• Conducts on-site inspection of surveillance methods and findings; 
• Analyzes surveillance results to determine rates of hospital-associated infections; 
• Coordinates and conducts meetings with hospital infection control practitioners to review collective surveillance results and to establish best practices for surveillance and prevention of hospital-associated infections; 
• Develops and implements educational programs for health care staff and the general public; 
• Assists in the investigation of reported outbreaks of infections in hospitals and long-term care facilities; 
• Provides consultation to infection control practitioners as needed; 
• Assists in conducting pilot surveillance efforts for hospital infections not currently under statewide surveillance; 
• Performs related duties as required.

• Considerable knowledge of
  • principles and practices of infection control with special reference to infections and preventable diseases; 
  • theories and practices of microbiology, epidemiology, nursing, statistics and public health; 
• Skills
  • interpersonal skills; 
  • oral and written communication skills; 
• Considerable ability to conduct independent research and evaluate results in field of epidemiology and infection control.