Recommendations for optimizing an infection control practitioner's effectiveness in an ambulatory care setting.
As the trend toward ambulatory care increases, the infection control practitioner's (ICP) role and responsibilities in this setting are continually expanding. Implementation of mandated governmental regulations, such as the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Bloodborne Pathogen Standard, has markedly increased the ICP's workload. Analysis reveals that much of the ICP's time is being spent on clerical tasks that encompass a variety of nonclinical functions. Clerical support would allow the ICP to use his or her time to implement essential components of an infection control program in the most cost-effective manner.
Department of Veterans Affairs Outpatient Clinic, Los Angeles, CA.
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D000554:Ambulatory Care Facilities / Q000458:organization & administration*; D003625:Data Collection; D017598:Efficiency, Organizational; D016357:Infection Control Practitioners / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015141:Los Angeles; D009817:Office Management; D012380:Role; D013647:Task Performance and Analysis; D014481:United States; D014493:United States Department of Veterans Affairs; D015443:Word Processing; D016526:Workload / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*