Joan Strauch

• Collaborated with multi-disciplinary team and implemented comprehensive infection prevention protocols around Clostridium difficile (C diff) reducing the hospital-onset C diff standard infection ratio (SIR) from 3.8 to 0.2 during 2019-2020.
• Developed and led educational training programs for over 3000 healthcare staff, significantly increasing compliance with infection control standards around COVID by 90% within 2020-2022 (e.g. poster at entrances; creating a policy following CDC, State mandate, Colorado and El Paso County Health departments and Centura; new isolation signs; reprocessing of N95 respiration mask due to low supplies;).
• Orchestrated a multi-disciplinary team to conduct a thorough risk assessment, resulting in the identification and mitigation of "black flex" particles found in OR instrument containers, thereby decreasing the potential surgical site infections and overall improvement of patient care (2018)
• Spearheaded infection prevention initiatives that resulted in a 6% reduction of Catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTI), indirectly contributing to cost savings of $1350 per CAUTI at the two facilities (2014-2017).
• Collaborated with surgeons, OR leadership and OR and unit staff on decreasing CSEC (2023) COLO (2018) and HYST (2014) SSI SIR below the expected infection ratio from (1.89-3.45) to (0.02-0.2).
• Completed extensive surveillance on notifiable infections in region with population of many people.
• Identified trends for hospital infections, interpreting surveillance data to develop risk reduction strategies.
• Collaborated with public health officials to investigate cases involving possible exposure to contagious diseases.
• Utilized graphic tools to present quality performance improvement projects.
• Conducted research studies on various aspects of infectious diseases and their transmission routes.
• Determined cause and risk factors or mode of transmission by investigating parasites or diseases.
• Provided education and training programs on proper infection control techniques for staff members.
• Analyzed laboratory results from cultures taken from patients suspected of having an infection.
• Monitored procedures for hospital staff regarding sterilization, disinfection and decontamination of personnel, instruments and equipment.
• Wrote and submitted final reports detailing successes and failures in each investigation and recommended corrective actions.
• Participated in continuing education opportunities, reviewing professional publications, and attending activities.
• Collaborated with interdisciplinary teams to control specific disease entities and support quality initiatives.
• Monitored adherence to established protocols for infection control practices by healthcare personnel.
• Conducted inspections of healthcare facilities to identify potential sources of infection.
• Upheld requirements for data collection, reporting and quality control for duration of investigations.
• Implemented CDC and OSHA driven infection prevention and control policies to guide hospital departments.
• Coordinated efforts between clinical staff members, administrators, and other stakeholders to ensure effective implementation of infection control measures.
• Reported any incidents or violations related to infection control standards to the appropriate authorities.
• Investigated clusters and outbreaks to identify source of infection, educating healthcare personnel regarding short and long term control measures.
• Communicated trend data and analysis to implement process improvement initiatives.
• Consulted with local and state health departments to report infectious cases.
• Managed time effectively to ensure tasks were completed on schedule and deadlines were met.
• Maintained updated knowledge through continuing education and advanced training.
• Collaborated closely with team members to achieve project objectives and meet deadlines.

• Completed extensive surveillance on notifiable infections in region with population of many people.
• Researched and developed methodologies, instrumentation and procedures to promote medical application and data analysis.
• Identified trends for hospital infections, interpreting surveillance data to develop risk reduction strategies.
• Collaborated with public health officials to investigate cases involving possible exposure to contagious diseases.
• Developed educational programs for hospital personnel, patients and families to enhance knowledge of infection control.
• Utilized graphic tools to present quality performance improvement projects.
• Conducted research studies on various aspects of infectious diseases and their transmission routes.
• Determined cause and risk factors or mode of transmission by investigating parasites or diseases.
• Provided education and training programs on proper infection control techniques for staff members.
• Analyzed laboratory results from cultures taken from patients suspected of having an infection.
• Monitored procedures for hospital staff regarding sterilization, disinfection and decontamination of personnel, instruments and equipment.
• Wrote and submitted final reports detailing successes and failures in each investigation and recommended corrective actions.
• Participated in continuing education opportunities, reviewing professional publications, and attending activities.
• Collaborated with interdisciplinary teams to control specific disease entities and support quality initiatives.
• Monitored adherence to established protocols for infection control practices by healthcare personnel.
• Conducted inspections of healthcare facilities to identify potential sources of infection.
• Upheld requirements for data collection, reporting and quality control for duration of investigations.
• Implemented CDC and OSHA driven infection prevention and control policies to guide hospital departments.
• Coordinated efforts between clinical staff members, administrators, and other stakeholders to ensure effective implementation of infection control measures.
• Reported any incidents or violations related to infection control standards to the appropriate authorities.
• Investigated clusters and outbreaks to identify source of infection, educating healthcare personnel regarding short and long term control measures.
• Communicated trend data and analysis to implement process improvement initiatives.
• Consulted with local and state health departments to report infectious cases.
• Managed time effectively to ensure tasks were completed on schedule and deadlines were met.
• Maintained updated knowledge through continuing education and advanced training.
• Collaborated closely with team members to achieve project objectives and meet deadlines.

Occupational Health RN (20 hours a week)

• Assessing the health status of employees by conducting routine health screenings and examinations
• Developing and implementing workplace health and safety programs
• Providing emergency medical care and first aid to employees who become ill or injured at work
• Advising management on health and safety policies and standards
• Monitoring and assessing the effectiveness of health and safety programs and initiatives
• Providing education and counseling to employees about health and wellness
• Responding to critical incidents at the workplace

Infection Control RN (20 hours a week)

• Implemented isolation precautions for high-risk patients, minimizing exposure risks to others within the healthcare environment.
• Conducted regular audits of clinical practices related to infection control measures, identifying areas for improvement and providing targeted recommendations.
• Optimized environmental cleaning procedures, resulting in decreased transmission of pathogens within the facility.
• Set clear policies to improve success of infection control measures in departments.
• Identified and mitigated unnecessary infection risks through regular reviews and procedural assessments.
• Coordinated successfully and with full compliance to prevent infections according to facility and Joint Commission standards.
• Evaluated the effectiveness of existing infection control policies and procedures, making necessary revisions to adapt to changing needs within the healthcare environment.
• Evaluated hospital-onset and healthcare-acquired infections by conducting root cause analysis.
• Investigated outbreaks and revamped control measures to prevent future incidents.
• Collaborated with clinical leaders to develop policies and procedures related to infectious disease management, improving overall patient care standards.
• Organized and led regular training sessions for staff members on infection prevention topics, ensuring continuous professional development opportunities.
• Educated patients and families about infectious disease prevention strategies, fostering increased understanding and engagement in self-care activities.
• Gathered and submitted data to regulatory agencies for mandatory report infections such as National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) (during this time was known as NNIS)
• Promoted a culture of safety within the healthcare facility by serving as a resource on infection prevention best practices.
• Served as an advocate for patient safety, participating in quality improvement initiatives related to infection prevention efforts across all departments.
• Kept teams operating in accordance with latest epidemiological research and sound care practices.
• Conducted thorough investigations of infection outbreaks, identifying root causes, and implementing corrective actions.
• Surveilled ongoing infections to verify adequate data collection, control procedures and current staff interventions.
• Developed effective training programs to help staff understand and implement critical protections.
• Developed targeted interventions for reducing the risk of infectious diseases among patients and staff.
• Reduced infection rates by implementing and monitoring strict infection control protocols.
• Increased compliance with hand hygiene practices through ongoing education and training sessions for staff members.
• Improved patient safety through comprehensive surveillance and data analysis of hospital-acquired infections.