Patient Safety Quality Specialist RN

Patient Safety Quality Specialist RN – My Michigan Health

Summary
The Patient Safety Quality Specialist RN supports the organization’s commitment to continuous quality improvement as an approach to assess and improve the quality of healthcare services. They serve as a change agent to lead, facilitate, and partner with the workforce to create and sustain a culture of safety.

Responsibilities

• (20%) Work with departments to mitigate immediate risks to patients resulting from human or systems errors through various cause analysis approaches. Provide proactive support through tracking, trending, and identification of system opportunities that lead to patient harm, and lead efforts for systems improvement to prevent such harms.
• (20%) Proactively collect and report data and opportunities for patient safety, quality, and regulatory initiatives as needed; oversee event reporting process and ensure timely investigative follow‑up of all responsible managers. Analyze trends and patterns in event reporting data, report findings to leaders, and assist departments with changes in processes, policies, and workflows based on cause analysis findings. Monitor progress of changes at regular intervals.
• (20%) Serve as a resource regarding applicable Joint Commission standards related to patient safety and other compliance regulations. Facilitate development of strategies to remain compliant with all regulatory requirements and assist with developing and revising policies and procedures as needed.
• (20%) Round routinely in clinical care departments to assess and address quality, risk reduction, and patient safety activities/concerns. Follow up with department managers and leadership regarding patient quality and safety concerns noted during rounding.
• (10%) Participate/lead entity, regional, and system quality and patient safety committees, teams, work groups, and huddles. Serve as a quality and patient safety consultant to various committees to ensure integration of quality and patient safety work across the continuum of care.
• (10%) Facilitate and support implementation of patient safety and quality program and just culture initiatives and assist with coordination of education for staff and clinicians as needed.

Other Duties and Responsibilities

• Facilitate teams to address opportunities for improvement identified in quality and patient safety data warehouses.
• Coordinate development of evidence‑based, standardized care practices and performance improvement activities.
• Plan, prepare, and coordinate presentations and educational opportunities for new employees and providers regarding quality, risk, and patient safety strategies.
• Facilitate compliance with The Joint Commission, CMS, and state quality assurance and performance improvement requirements by coordinating and communicating appropriate information to designated committees and leadership.
• Lead initiatives for high‑priority opportunities identified by leadership.
• Serve as a liaison for claims and legal counsel that may require case review and file development.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Certifications and Licensures
BLS:
Basic Life Support — required within 1 month of hire or transfer.
RN:
Registered Nurse — required.

Required Education
Bachelor’s degree required.
Master’s degree in Nursing preferred; additional Quality/Patient Safety certifications preferred.

Experience, Training and Skills
Three to five (3‑5) years of clinical experience.
Familiarity with variance reporting tools and processes and working knowledge of key safety/regulatory organizations and accreditation standards (TJC, IHI, etc.).
Ability to monitor quality and proactively reduce risk.
Problem‑solving techniques and expertise, interpersonal and customer service skills, oral and written communication skills, and ability to speak in a public forum.
Interpersonal skills to communicate successfully with individuals and groups at all levels.
Competency in Microsoft Windows; may be required to participate in further learning opportunities.

Physical/Mental Requirements and Typical Working Conditions
Exposure to stressful situations, including public contact, trauma, grief and death.
Able to wear PPE that includes latex materials or substitute if required.
Must be able to move freely about facility and perform job functions.
Vision and hearing are necessary.
Frequently required to sit/stand/walk for long periods; may require postural changes such as stooping, kneeling or crouching.
Exposure to blood‑borne pathogens; must follow blood‑borne pathogen and TB testing.
Ability to handle multiple tasks, work independently, attend regularly, and stay awake.
Dexterity required for handling, reaching, grasping, fingering, feeling; may involve repetitive movements.
Physical Demand Level: Light. Must be able to occasionally (0‑33%) lift or carry 11‑20 lbs, frequently (34‑66%) 10 lbs, and/or walk/stand/push/pull arm/leg controls.