Patient Safety Engineer, Quality Improvement Program

University of Iowa•Iowa City, IA

7d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Quality Improvement Program (QuIP) at UI Health Care has an opening for a full-time Patient Safety Engineer. The Patient Safety Engineer is responsible for assessing, planning, implementing, and/or evaluating patient safety principles and practices throughout UI Health Care. This role provides a planned, systematic approach to identifying, designing, measuring, and monitoring patient safety in a complex organization. The Patient Safety Engineer will gather data detailing patient-related errors and conduct analysis for the organization. Additionally, they will develop strong, professional relationships with all members of the interdisciplinary care team and collaborate with leadership and staff to facilitate the successful integration of patient safety principles into current and future practice.

Requirements

A master’s degree in a healthcare related field with 1-3 years’ experience in healthcare outcomes, performance improvement initiatives/techniques and/or safety experience in a healthcare organization, OR a bachelor’s degree in nursing with at least 3 years’ experience clinical nursing care.
A current RN license.
Relevant experience (3 years or more) in clinical nursing care.
Outstanding communication skills at the verbal, written and presentation levels.
Demonstrated proficiency in computer software applications, including Microsoft Office Suite, including Excel, PowerPoint and Visio.
Possess ability to analyze data and report metrics.
Demonstrated initiative and ability to work with minimal supervision.
Flexible and adaptable to changing situations, priorities and deadlines.
Strong investigative, analytical and critical thinking skills.
Demonstrated knowledge of effective strategies for working with patients, faculty, staff and students from a variety of backgrounds and perspectives.

Nice To Haves

Previous clinical experience in an academic medical center.
Some knowledge of University and Regent policies, procedures, and regulations.
Member/active participation in professional organization(s).

Responsibilities

Manages the incident reporting system, reviews all safety events, ensures correct categorization and harm level assignment, and verifies appropriate follow-up documentation.
Manages high harm event reviews, secures staff perceptions via Qualtrics surveys, presents findings at the Patient Safety Steering Committee (PSSC), and provides input on safety event management.
Facilitates Comprehensive Systematic Analyses (CSAs) as directed by the PSSC and/or CQO, following established guidelines and The Joint Commission Sentinel Event policy.
Attends Quality and Safety Oversight Subcommittee (QSOS) meetings to represent and answer questions related to CSA Action Plans.
Develops and updates educational incident reporting and safety content for all staff members at UI Health Care.
Provides incident reporting education/training as needed to all staff members in the organization.
Participates in/leads pillar patient safety committees, Sentinel Event/Serious Safety Event meetings, teams, work groups, and huddles.
Serves as a patient safety consultant to various other committees to ensure integration of patient safety work across the continuum of care.
Prepares accurate tracking and trending of patient safety incidents and related activities.
Facilitates the use of data to identify opportunities to improve safety, prevent events with the potential to negatively impact patient care, promote a culture of patient safety, and improve hospital processes.
Develops reports to effectively communicate findings, with clear, concise, and tailored presentations.
Provides regular cadence of safety event reporting to appropriate governance structures, clinical departments, and/or other designated groups.
Conducts cause analysis on safety events and works with departments to mitigate immediate risks to patients.
Collaborates with Risk Management to ensure continuity and closed-loop communication in addressing high harm events, including disclosure and EHR documentation practices.
Facilitates compliance with The Joint Commission (TJC), Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), and state quality and patient safety requirements.
Leads initiatives for high priority safety opportunities as identified by leadership.
Manages/supports the Good | Great Catch award program.
Conducts Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA) as needed/appropriate.
Completes quality and safety reviews for insurance companies.
Participates in annual Critical Access Hospital (CAH) reviews and provides educational support.
Assumes special assignments as delegated by the Chief Quality Officer and the Director of the Quality Improvement Program.