The Patient Safety Manager is responsible for developing and managing the Integrated Patient Safety Program at the Jonathan M. Wainwright Memorial VA Medical Center Main Campus, CBOCs, PTOCs, and any other locations where care or services are provided. Basic Requirements: English Language Proficiency. In accordance with 38 U.S.C. 7403(f), no person shall serve in direct patient care positions unless they are 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. Upon achievement of a State license, the individual may be appointed on temporary basis and later converted to a permanent appointment upon successful completion and graduation from the bridge program. (Reference VA Handbook 5005, Appendix G6); 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. Credit for foreign nursing education higher that associate degree/entry level requires a formal degree equivalency validation from a recognized equivalency evaluation accepted by VA such as International Consultants of Delaware (ICD). 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.) NOTE: Grandfathering Provision - All persons currently employed in VHA in 0610 series and performing the duties as described in the qualification standard on the effective date of the standard (1/29/2024) are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the grade held including positive education and licensure/certification. Grade Determinations: The following Scope, Education and Dimension criteria must be met in determining the grade assignment of candidates, and if appropriate, the level within a grade. The Dimension requirements (Practice, Veteran/Patient Driven Care, Leadership, Professional Development and Evidence-Based Practice/Research) are detailed for each grade and level within the online assessment: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12622131. Grade/Level Scope Education Nurse I, Level I Delivers fundamental, knowledge-based care to assigned clients while developing technical competencies. An Associate Degree (ADN) or Diploma in Nursing, with no additional professional nursing required. Nurse I, Level II Demonstrates integration of biopsychosocial concepts, cognitive skills and technically competent practice in providing care to clients with basic or complex. An ADN or Diploma in Nursing AND 1 year of specialized nursing experience equivalent to Nurse I, Level 1 ;OR a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) with no additional professional nursing experience required. Nurse I, Level III Demonstrates proficiency in practice based on conscious and deliberate planning. Self-directed in goal setting for managing complex client situations. An ADN or Diploma in Nursing AND 2 years of professional nursing experience in which one year is equivalent to Nurse I, Level 2; OR a BSN and 1 year of professional nursing experience equivalent to the Nurse I, Level 2; OR a Master's degree in nursing (MSN) and no additional professional nursing experience; OR a Master's degree in a *related field with a BSN and no additional professional nursing experience. Nurse II Demonstrates leadership in delivering and improving holistic care through collaborative strategies with others. A BSN with 2 years of professional nursing equivalent to Nurse I, Level 3; OR an MSN with one year of specialized nursing experience equivalent to Nurse I, Level 3; OR a Master's degree in a *related field with a BSN and one year of specialized nursing experience equivalent to Nurse I, Level 3; OR a Doctoral degree in Nursing with no professional nursing experience; OR a Doctoral degree in a *related field with a BSN with no additional professional nursing experience. Nurse III Executes position responsibilities that demonstrate leadership, experience and creative approaches to management of complex client care beyond the immediate practice setting. MSN and 2 years of specialized nursing experience, one of which is equivalent to Nurse II and meets all dimension requirements for Nurse III; OR a Master's degree in *related field with BSN and two years of specialized nursing experience, one of which is equivalent to Nurse II and meets all dimension requirements for Nurse III; OR a Doctoral degree in Nursing with and one year of specialized nursing experience equivalent to Nurse II and meets all dimension requirements for Nurse III; OR a Doctoral degree in a *related field with a BSN and one year of specialized nursing experience equivalent to Nurse II and meets all dimension requirements for Nurse III. *Note: Foreign education programs/degrees are not creditable as related degrees. Preferred Experience: Prior VA experience 3-5 years of nursing experience Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. Functional Requirements: Moderate lifting (15-44 pounds), moderate carrying (15-44 pounds), reaching above shoulder, use of fingers, both hands required, walking (2-6 hours), standing (2-6 hours), repeated bending, climbing (legs only), ability for rapid mental and muscular coordination simultaneously, ability to distinguish basic colors, hearing (aid may be permitted), sitting (2-6 hours), typing (2-4 hours). Environmental Factors: Outside and inside, excessive heat, excessive cold, slippery or uneven walking surfaces, working closely with others, working alone. ["The Patient Safety Manager uses the Nursing process and evidence-based practice to promote and cultivate an organizational culture of safety. The RN is responsible and accountable for all elements of the nursing process when working with clinical and operational teams. The RN is a member of the Quality team and responsible for collaborating with facility teams, family, and internal and external services to the VA to promote Veteran-centered safety practices The incumbent is under the direct supervision of the Chief, Quality, Safety, and Value, who provides the administrative supervision and general instruction, plans, and assigns work, assigns time schedules, approves leave, and completes performance evaluation. Promotes a culture of learning, prevention, and collaboration in which an environment of patient safety and high-quality care flourish. Provides guidance and support in assessing, coordinating, educating, consulting and communicating patient safety strategies to others in the organization. Collaborates in the creation, review, and refinement of the scope of the Patient Safety program within the facility on a continuous basis Identifies, communicates, and facilitates change within the organization to improve patient safety based on identified risks. Acts to support the organization by fostering a culture of continuous improvement that will sustain reporting and reduction of medical/health care errors and other factors that contribute to unintended adverse patient outcomes Travel between Walla Walla campus and VA Clinics as needed 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. Directly supports 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. Participates in the development of innovative approaches to the establishment, enhancement, modification and/or improvements in care with a focus on patient safety/risk. Serves as the subject matter expert for the patient safety program. Expert in the use of RCAs, SPOT database, JPSR system, Safety forums, and NEO training on patient safety. Manages facility adverse and sentinel events reporting processes and utilizes the Safety Assessment Code matrix to assign SAC score to reported events. Facilitates RCAs, evaluates RCA team performance and follows up on RCA/Aggregate Reviews Actions/Outcome Measures Serves as the system POC for Patient Safety alerts/advisories/recalls to include responding to tracking system actions Serves as a member on select facility committees to report on patient safety program performance and provide input regarding patient safety program requirements. Monitoring facility compliance with Joint Commission Patient Safety Standards and Goals. Conducts periodic formal environment of care patient safety inspections. Attends pre construction meetings and construction rounds to provide input regarding potential patient safety impact. Addresses results of safety culture survey and develops recommendations for appropriate action plans as needed. Provides timely and accurate referral of human factor concerns to VA and non VA subject matter experts. Coordinate with Risk Management Protected Peer Review Program Continuously evaluates the program, collecting and submitting facility performance measures. VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package: VA Nurse Total Rewards Pay: Competitive salary, regular salary increases, potential for performance awards Paid Time Off: 50 days of paid time off per year (26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays per year) Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement) Licensure: 1 full and unrestricted license from any US State or territory Work Schedule: Full-time. Monday - Friday, 8:00am - 4:00pm Telework: Ad-hoc telework may be authorized as determined by the operational needs of the service Recruitment/Relocation Incentive: Authorized; may be offered to a highly qualified candidate. Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized"]
The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) is the largest integrated health care system in the United States, providing care at 1,321 health care facilities, including 172 VA Medical Centers and 1,138 outpatient sites of care of varying complexity (VHA outpatient clinics) to over 9 million Veterans enrolled in the VA health care program. VHA Medical Centers provide a wide range of services including traditional hospital-based services such as surgery, critical care, mental health, orthopedics, pharmacy, radiology and physical therapy. In addition, most of our medical centers offer additional medical and surgical specialty services including audiology & speech pathology, dermatology, dental, geriatrics, neurology, oncology, podiatry, prosthetics, urology, and vision care. Some medical centers also offer advanced services such as organ transplants and plastic surgery.
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Important Information for CPHQ Recertification
The recertification process has been streamlined. Unlike previous years, you don’t need to list out your CE activities at the time of completing your application. Instead, you will be asked to attest to having met the requirements, further aligning with the honor-based system of recertification. In the event that your application is randomly selected for audit, you may be required to list your CE activities and submit supporting documentation.
While you may participate in NAHQ learning opportunities (Learning Labs, JHQ articles, etc.), you can only claim CE credit once for each activity. Therefore, if you’ve previously earned CE from a NAHQ learning opportunity, you can’t claim it again, nor will you see the repeat CE appear in your “My Learning� tab. This includes activities used in previous recertification cycles.
Remember, if you’re recertifying during the grace period (1/1/24-1/31/24), you already had to earn your CE hours by Dec 31, 2023.
You still have time! Register today for a multi-day virtual event that addresses the most urgent and important issues facing healthcare today that offers a full schedule of educational sessions organized around NAHQ’s twice-validated healthcare quality competency framework.
We are excited to announce the release of the book “UNSTOPPABLE: Inspiring Stories of Perseverance, Triumph and Joy from Trailblazing Women in Healthcare“.
Be inspired by nine leading healthcare trailblazers, including our own CEO Stephanie Mercado, who empower us all with their vision and passions.
You’ll notice we’ve simplified the application process to recertify. You will not have to list your CE activities at the time of applying*. Simply attest that you met the requirements to complete the application.
*In the event of an audit, CPHQs may need to list activities and upload documentation in their NAHQ account.
Quality Education Resources
Join this informative session, “Quality Education Resources� Thursday, June 22 from 11-11:30 a.m. CT. You will learn about the range of NAHQ quality education resources available to you and hear directly from universities about the benefits they realized from implementing NAHQ’s content within their courses.
Maintain a Pulse on the Latest Quality & Safety Benchmarking Data
Learn more about NAHQ’s enhanced Quality and Safety Benchmarking Program, which provides timely insights to help U.S. hospitals and health systems create data-driven business cases for their quality and safety resourcing.
Understand the Variability Among Your Quality Team Through Workforce Accelerator
Join us Tuesday, May 2, at 11 a.m. CT, to learn more about the different options available to engage with NAHQ’s enterprise-wide solution, Workforce Accelerator®. Options range in size and scope and are designed to meet the various budgetary and timing needs of health systems as they embark on their quality journeys. Register today!
Healthcare Quality and Safety Workforce Report: New Imperatives for Quality and Safety Mean New Imperatives for Workforce Development
The National Association for Healthcare Quality® (NAHQ) has conducted groundbreaking research on the advancement of the quality and safety agenda and has published the results in a new workforce report. NAHQ’s Healthcare Quality and Safety Report answers the question: “Is today’s healthcare workforce doing the work that will advance critical priorities of quality, safety, equity, value, and system sustainability?� The answer is no.
Updated Maintenance Dates: Sunday, February 5, 2023
Maintenance is planned for Sunday, February 5, from 11 p.m.-4 p.m. CT. During this time, you will not have access to the “My Learning” section of your NAHQ account. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause and thank you for your patience.
NAHQ’s Organizational Membership Subscription will serve as a one-stop shop for healthcare quality and safety training and education. Attend the February 2, at 11 a.m. CT, info session to further understand the new offering that will continue NAHQ’s focus of “Quality in Action.�
NAHQ has published an updated version of the CPHQ exam content outline.
The new exam content will take effect on March 15, 2023. Candidates planning to take the exam before March 15, 2023, can access the current CPHQ exam content outline and related resources on our website.
Missed NAHQ Next? Don’t worry, you can purchase NAHQ Next on-demand and receive access to all content for 60 days from purchase. Benefit from actionable content that addresses issues head-on and features “how-tos” and results. Buy now and have the opportunity to receive 40+ CEs.
Healthcare Quality and Safety Workforce Report: New Imperatives for Quality and Safety Mean New Imperatives for Workforce Development
Member Briefing Workshop and Healthcare Quality Week Webinar
October 7, at 12 p.m. CT
NAHQ will host an exclusive member briefing workshop where NAHQ CEO Stephanie Mercado and NAHQ President-Elect Nidia Williams will review the workforce report in-depth and prepare you to discuss it with your team and leadership during Healthcare Quality Week.
October 17, at 12 p.m. CT
To kick off Healthcare Quality Week, (HQW) NAHQ will host a complimentary webinar with NAHQ leaders to discuss the report, its impact and how you can leverage the report to your advantage.
You still have time! Register today for a multi-day virtual event that addresses the most urgent and important issues facing healthcare today that offers a full schedule of educational sessions organized around NAHQ's twice-validated healthcare quality competency framework.