Surgery Patient Safety Investigative Nurse

Summary of Essential Functions

• Assess the organizational processes for standards compliance and safety of patients.
• Systematic collection of data, Analyze collected data.
• Monitor and update organization wide Patient Safety/Error Reduction program.
• Base interventions on research findings and data analysis.
• Evaluate the degree to which the behavioral outcomes or goals have been met.
• Assure Federal and state standards are followed.
• Coordinate and integrate existing initiatives related to safety.
• Develop reporting mechanism for system communication of safety plan.
• Coordinate/Facilitate educational programs for hospital and medical staff.
• Must have knowledge of general medical /nursing theory and clinical practice.
• Must be able to interpret Joint Commission standards and stay current with changes.
• Knowledge of medical staff bylaws, rules and regulations.
• Ability to maintain working relationships with hospital employees, medical staff and administration.

Educational Requirements

• High school graduate or equivalent.
• Graduate from an accredited professional school of nursing or respiratory care therapy.
• Bachelor or higher degree in nursing regarded favorably.
• Must be able to communicate effectively in English, both verbally and in writing.

Licenses and Certifications

• Licensed as a Registered Nurse with the BNE for the State of Texas preferred.
• Licensed as a LVN with the BNE for the State of Texas accepted.
• Licensed as a RRT with the TDH and NBRC accepted.

Knowledge/Skills/Abilities

• Articulate and able to communicate orally and/or in writing with physicians, department directors, administrators, and allied health professionals.
• Ability to analyze, synthesize, report and manage patient care information obtained through quality assessment reviews.
• Experience in the accreditation process.
• Familiarity with computer usage

Physical Requirements

• Ability to walk and stand for lengthy periods of time.
• Ability to climb to accomplish tasks.
• Ability to handle and lift weight up to 20 pounds.
• Full range of body motion, eye-hand coordination, and manual dexterity.
• Ability to work under pressure and stress in a calm, pleasant manner.
• Corrected vision and hearing to normal range.
• Exposure to communicable diseases and/or body fluids.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Conducts concurrent and retrospective reviews of the medical record for the hospital system; identifying and interpreting objective and subjective medical record data to determine if standard of care was met.
• Conducts or facilitates Patient Care investigations, Root cause analysis and failure mode effects analysis. Display investigation/timeline results to assure accurate analysis.
• Develop necessary charts/statistics for results review. Assures completed documentation of process review, committee reporting and follow up
• Facilitates a multidisciplinary approach to enhance a climate of teamwork and patient safety and performance improvement by maintains link with other departments and appropriate personnel.
• Serves as an educator for general orientation and ongoing staff training concerning performance improvement, patient safety and standards compliance.
• Maintains and updates performance improvement documentation database including data entry and reporting functions to be utilized for regulatory survey.
• Utilizes a systematic approach to implement and assess compliance of National Patient Safety Goals.
• Maintains current review of national organizations via list-serves, meetings, newsletters and journals.
• Works with community events to enhance safety and team building.
• Performs all other tasks/responsibilities as necessary.