1. A medical facility shall designate an officer or employee of the facility to serve as the infection control officer of the medical facility.

2. The person who is designated as the infection control officer of a medical facility:

(a) Shall serve on the patient safety committee.

(b) Shall monitor the occurrences of infections at the medical facility to determine the number and severity of infections.

(c) Shall report to the patient safety committee concerning the number and severity of infections at the medical facility.

(d) Shall take such action as he or she determines is necessary to prevent and control infections alleged to have occurred at the medical facility.

(e) Shall carry out the provisions of the infection control program adopted pursuant to NRS 439.865 and ensure compliance with the program.

3. If a medical facility has 175 or more beds, the person who is designated as the infection control officer of the medical facility must be certified as an infection preventionist by the Certification Board of Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc., or a successor organization. A person may serve as the certified infection preventionist for more than one medical facility if the facilities have common ownership.

4. A medical facility that designates an infection control officer who is not a certified infection preventionist must ensure that the person has successfully completed a nationally recognized basic training program in infection control, which may include, without limitation, the program offered by the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc., or a successor organization. A medical facility shall ensure that an infection control officer completes at least 4 hours of continuing education each year on topics relating to current practices in infection control and prevention.

5. A medical facility shall ensure that it maintains a ratio of at least one employee who has the training described in subsection 4 for every 100 occupied beds. The number of beds must be determined based upon the most recent annual calendar-year average reported by the medical facility to the Director pursuant to NRS 449.490 and the regulations adopted pursuant thereto.

6. A medical facility shall maintain records concerning the certification and training required by this section.

7. The Division shall provide education and technical assistance relating to infection control and prevention in medical facilities.

(Added to NRS by 2011, 1582)