RN - Quality - Full-Time - AVALA Hospital RH140

Summary

A quality nurse plays a crucial role in healthcare settingsby ensuring the delivery of safe and effective patient care. Their job dutiesencompass a wide range of responsibilities aimed at promoting patientwell-being and maintaining high standards of care.

Overall, a quality nurse is dedicated to providing holistic,patient-centered care while maintaining the highest standards of regulatorycompliance and accreditation, quality, safety, and professionalism in thehealthcare setting. The quality nurse serves as a risk manager and isresponsible for identifying, analyzing, and mitigating potential risks andliabilities within an organization ensuring that the organization operates incompliance with regulations, industry standards, and best practices. Thisposition supports employee health and the infection control preventionist on anas needed basis.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Establishes effective interpersonalrelationships with physicians, nurses and all other members of the healthcareteam. 
• Treats patients and their families with respectand dignity. Identifies and addresses psychosocial, cultural, ethnic andreligious/spiritual needs of patients and their families.             
• Demonstrates an ability to be flexible,organized and function under stressful situations.               
• Maintains a good working relationship bothwithin the department and with other departments.              
• Demonstratesknowledge of nursing theory and management; demonstrates knowledge of disasterand emergency policies and procedures. Keeps informed of new developments andevidence-based practice in nursing and perioperative settings.           

Quality Assurance

• Demonstrates effectiveness in planning andimplementing the performance improvement program to meet the needs of thehospital.
• Facilitates and maintains performanceimprovement and quality activities throughout the hospital.
• Demonstrates effective organizational skillsthrough ongoing interaction with clinical personnel, nurse managers, ancillarydepartments, administrative team and Governing Body to facilitate the hospitalwide performance improvement program.
• Organizes and leads interdisciplinary Qualitymeetings.
• Demonstrates knowledge of current methodologyand practices.  Maintains awareness ofchanges in the regulations and requirements by accrediting bodies.       
• Maintains state of readiness for surveyaccreditation including but not limited to DNV, CMS, DHH, and CMS.
• Maintains clinical contracts and assures annualreview of performance measures.
• Assures the development or revision of policyand procedure related to process changes or corrective action.  Facilitates the approval process andcommunication of new and revised policies and procedures.              
• Oversees patient satisfaction surveys andgrievance process along with performance improvement related to such.
• Responsible for Core measure reporting and NHSNreporting.
• Collects, analyzes and trends data, works with multidisciplinaryteams to develop action plans and evaluates effectiveness.

 Risk Management Facilitator

• Accurately demonstrates use of occurrencereporting to document occurrences, medical staff review functions, committeereview and actions. Compiles reports for committees and administrative team.
• Utilizes information obtained via occurrencereports to seek and act on opportunities to improve patient care processes.
• Facilitates root cause analysis evaluation,internal audits and action-plan follow-up.
• Knowledge of basic components of riskmanagement, including potentially compensable event, risk investigation,reporting and claims management.
• Ability to perform medical record review forthe purpose of identification of real or potential risk and the monitoring ofdocumentation practices.
• Advises hospital staff, medical staff and/orcommittees regarding real or potential liability situations.
• Acts as a liaison between hospital and lawyersin medical malpractice cases.
• Advises clinical staff as needed to ensurehospital policy is followed.
• Interacts professionally with patient/family toincrease patient/family satisfaction and/or diffuse potential litigiousoccurrences related to patient/family perception.
• Knowledge of appropriate and currentdocumentation practices related to the risk management arena.
• Provides education to medical and hospitalstaff on risk management practices including, but not limited to riskidentification reports, quality notification reports, key elements of riskpractices that present potential liability problems.
• Review, evaluates, and recommends action onrisk related matters pertaining to patients, visitors, employees, student,physical plant and personal property.

 Infection Control Preventionist

• Supports Infection Control preventionist asneeded
• Monitors hospital for possible infectionoutbreak
• Implements and maintains plans and proceduresconcerning control measures as set forth by the Quality Council
• Identifies and implements infection preventionand control strategies according to specific topics, including hand hygiene,cleaning/disinfection/sterilization, use of isolation/barrier precautions
• Informs the appropriate state and parishorganizations of any reportable diseases
• Familiar with standards and protocols forinfection prevention/control
• Interpret results of diagnostic/lab reports
• Collect and compile surveillance data
• Design/implement patient immunization programs
• Design/implement employee immunization programsand infection control component of employee health program
• Provide counseling, follow -up, work restrictionrecommendations related to communicable disease or following exposures
• Assist with analysis and trending ofoccupational exposure incidents
• Apply surveillance data and reports, advancedstatistical methods and tools, including infection ratio, risk assessment,hazard vulnerability analysis
• Participate in antimicrobial stewardship program
• Participation in environmental rounds andidentify possible infection control issues
• Lead integration of prevention activities withinand across departments
• Other duties/assignments as directed bySupervisor

Employee Health

• Maintains employee health files
• Screens new staff for necessary immunizations,TB testing
• Acts as a resource to employees who have beeninjured
• Monitors employee health to protect patients
• Develops/implements employee safety programs
• Documents employee injuries/illness in theworkplace

Advanced Orthopedic and SpineCertification Requirements

(CR.1c) As part of the AdvancedOrthopedic and Spine Certification, at a minimum, the program indirect-carestaff, must have one (1) hour of education specific to the program scope,initially, and at least annually thereafter.

(CR.1e) As part of the AdvancedOrthopedic and Spine Certification, staff possess adaptability to processes asrelated to up to date best practices, collaboration between departments,compliance with protocols/processes, communication, cooperation and exceptionalcustomer service.

 Within 90 days of hire or, ifcurrently employed, within 90 days of signing the job description, must adhereto:

• Orientation of Advanced Orthopedic and SpineCertification
• In compliance with the Program educationrequirements
• Completed department specific competencies

 Core Competencies

ActionOrientation - Targets and achieves results, overcomes obstacles, acceptsresponsibility, establishes standards and responsibilities, creates aresults-oriented environment, and follows through on actions.

Communications- Communicates well both verbally and in writing. Effectively conveys andshares information and ideas with others. Listens carefully and understandsvarious viewpoints. Presents ideas clearly and concisely and understandsrelevant detail in presented information.

Creativity/Innovation- Generates novel ideas and develops or improves existing and new systems thatchallenge the status quo, takes risks, and encourages innovation.

CriticalJudgment - Possesses the ability to define issues and focus on achievingworkable solutions. Consistently does the right thing by performing with reliability.

CustomerOrientation - Listens to customers, builds customer confidence, increasescustomer satisfaction, ensures commitments are met, sets appropriate customerexpectations, and responds to customer needs.

InterpersonalSkills - Effectively and productively engages with others and establishestrust, credibility, and confidence with others.

Leadership- Motivates, empowers, inspires, collaborates with, and encourages others.Builds consensus when appropriate. Focuses team members on common goals.

Teamwork- Knows when and how to attract, develop, reward, and utilize teams to optimizeresults. Acts to build trust, inspire enthusiasm, encourage others, and helpresolve conflicts and develop consensus in creating high-performance teams.

Professional Requirements

• Meets dress code standards and adheres to dresscode policy.                                                                    
• Completes annual education requirements.                                                                                        
• Maintains regulatory requirements.                                                                                                                       
• Maintains patient confidentiality at all times.                                                                                                     
• Reports to work on time and as scheduled,completes work within designated time.                        
• Wears identification while on duty, usescomputerized punch time system correctly.                       
• Completes in-services and returns in a timelyfashion.                                                                                    
• Attends annual review and department in-services,as scheduled.                                                            
• Attends monthly staff meetings or reads staffmeeting minutes.
• Represents the organization in a positive andprofessional manner.                                                         
• Actively participates in performanceimprovement and continuous quality improvement (CQI) activities.
• Complies with all organizational policiesregarding ethical business practices.                                      
• Communicates the mission, ethics and goals ofthe hospital, as well as the focus statement of the department.
• Promotes professional growth of subordinates bysharing knowledge and/or directing them to sources if information appropriateto given situation. Utilizes journals, books, etc. to learn and/or improve newtechniques and equipment.
• Assists other staff members in performing anyduty that enhances the delivery of patient care.

 Regulatory Requirements

• Graduate of an accredited school ofprofessional nursing.
• BSN required; MSN preferred
• Licensed to practice in the state of Louisiana.
• Three years healthcare experience.
• Knowledgeable regarding regulatory andaccreditation agencies
• Current BCLS and ACLS certification.
• CPHQ certification within 2 years of hire

Skills

• Ability to communicate effectively in English,both verbally and in writing.
• Basiccomputer knowledge.
• Proficientin MS Excel.

Physical Demands

The physicaldemands described here are representative of those that must be met by anemployee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Whileperforming the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talkand hear. This position is very active and requires repetitive motions, standing,walking, bending, kneeling and stooping all day. The employee must frequentlylift or move items weighing up to 50 pounds. 

Employment Type: FULL_TIME