Registered Nurse - Patient Safety Manager

Veterans Health Administration • Baltimore, MD

35d • Onsite

About The Position

The Patient Safety Manager (PSM) Registered Nurse (RN) executes the position responsibilities that demonstrate leadership; detailed planning; professional communication; creative and innovative approaches to the improvement of patient safety/healthcare program development; possess an ability to organize priorities; meet deadlines; provide in-person, telephonic and electronic professional presentations; demonstrate the ability to work independently. The PSM functions as the lead manager and implementer of patient safety policies and activities developed by the National Center for Patient Safety (NCPS) and is the facility's key person to help build and implement patient safety systems and promote the culture of safety within Veterans Affairs (VA) facilities and for VA patients in all healthcare settings. Direct support is provided to the development, maintenance, and operation of the VHA's patient safety process at the facility level. This includes working with all levels of staff within the facility, including top-level management, Root Cause Analysis (RCA) team members, RCA team leaders, and RCA recorders. Must have the attitude that building the culture of safety is paramount and the foundation upon which safe operations are based. Such a culture takes time to build and requires constant nurturing and reinforcement to maintain. The PSM collaborates with, trains, and directs patient safety activities of personnel within the facility, such as infection control professionals, risk managers and quality managers. Responsible for translating the policies, theories, and strategies into action within the complex interrelationships that exist related to patient safety. They have the primary responsibility for training and implementing patient safety and RCA process to clinicians, management, and all relevant support personnel within their facilities and associated facilities and operations (i.e., home care). The PSM is responsible for maintaining clear communication between the facility and NCPS, both to communicate relevant patient safety information and lessons learned from the facility which have potential impact beyond the local level and to understand changes at the national level in the Patient Safety Program. Performs duties directly contributing to the administrative management of a health care delivery system. Duties require the ability to apply the specialized principles and practices of health care management in directing or supporting a health care delivery system.

Requirements

• U.S. Citizenship; non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.
• Must be proficient in basic written and spoken English.
• Graduate of a school of professional nursing approved by the appropriate accrediting agency and accredited by one of the following accrediting bodies at the time the program was completed by the applicant: The Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) or The Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE).
• OR Individuals attending a master's level bridge program in nursing who have completed coursework equivalent to a bachelor's level degree in Nursing may have opportunity to become registered as a nurse with a state licensing board prior to completion of the bridge program.
• OR In cases of graduates of foreign schools of professional nursing, possession of a current, full, active, and unrestricted registration will meet the requirement for graduation from an approved school of professional nursing to warrant an appointment as a Nurse who has completed an associated degree/entry level Nursing education program.
• Current, full, active, and unrestricted registration as a graduate professional nurse in a State, Territory or Commonwealth (i.e., Puerto Rico) of the United States, or the District of Columbia.
• Graduate Nurse Technician (GNT) Exception: Candidates who otherwise meet the basic education requirements, but do not possess the required licensure, may be appointed at the entry step of the grade and level applicable to the completed nursing education as a GNT on a 120-day temporary appointment while actively pursuing licensure (may be extended up to two years on a case-by-case-basis.)
• Whole Health is an approach to health care that empowers and equips people to take charge of their health and well-being and live their life to the fullest.
• The VA is committed to Whole Health and values Veteran and Employee health and wellbeing.
• As a VA employee, you will practice Whole Health in an environment that supports personalized and proactive care.

Nice To Haves

• Experience in implementing patient safety policies and activities developed by the National Center for Patient Safety (NCPS) and patient safety systems and promoting a culture of safety within Veterans Health Administration (VHA) facilities and for Veteran patients in all healthcare settings.

Responsibilities

• Functions as the lead manager and implementer of patient safety policies and activities developed by the National Center for Patient Safety (NCPS).
• Serves as the facility's key person to help build and implement patient safety systems and promote the culture of safety within Veterans Affairs (VA) facilities and for VA patients in all healthcare settings.
• Provides direct support to the development, maintenance, and operation of the VHA's patient safety process at the facility level.
• Works with all levels of staff within the facility, including top-level management, Root Cause Analysis (RCA) team members, RCA team leaders, and RCA recorders.
• Collaborates with, trains, and directs patient safety activities of personnel within the facility, such as infection control professionals, risk managers and quality managers.
• Translates policies, theories, and strategies into action within the complex interrelationships that exist related to patient safety.
• Trains and implements patient safety and RCA process to clinicians, management, and all relevant support personnel within their facilities and associated facilities and operations (i.e., home care).
• Maintains clear communication between the facility and NCPS, both to communicate relevant patient safety information and lessons learned from the facility which have potential impact beyond the local level and to understand changes at the national level in the Patient Safety Program.
• Performs duties directly contributing to the administrative management of a health care delivery system.
• Applies the specialized principles and practices of health care management in directing or supporting a health care delivery system.

Benefits

• Competitive salary
• Regular salary increases
• Potential for performance awards
• 50 days of paid time off per year (26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays per year)
• Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting)
• Federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA
• Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement)
• 1 full and unrestricted license from any US State or territory

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: Associate degree