Critical Care Quality Coordinator Critical Care - Cardiac Transplant ICU Full-time Days

At Northwestern Medicine, every patient interaction makes a difference in cultivating a positive workplace. This patient-first approach is what sets us apart as a leader in the healthcare industry. As an integral part of our team, you'll have the opportunity to join our quest for better healthcare, no matter where you work within the Northwestern Medicine system. At Northwestern Medicine, we pride ourselves on providing competitive benefits: from tuition reimbursement and loan forgiveness to 401(k) matching and lifecycle benefits, we take care of our employees. Ready to join our quest for better?

The Critical Care Quality Coordinator reflects the mission, vision, and values of NM, adheres to the organization’s Code of Ethics and Corporate Compliance Program, and complies with all relevant policies, procedures, guidelines and all other regulatory and accreditation standards.

The Critical Care Quality Coordinator will work in a multidisciplinary environment that will require exceptional interpersonal skills, including the ability to establish and maintain effective relationships with patients, physicians, clinical and administrative units. This position will utilize critical thinking skills to monitor nursing quality measures and implement nursing interventions. Individual requires the ability to use appropriate judgment, independent thinking and creativity when resolving gaps in the quality of practice. Also responsible for initiating & organizing applicable nursing and physician education for the unit regarding new quality initiatives.

Responsibilities:

• Attends interdisciplinary rounds daily. Address quality and patient safety concerns consistently by promoting nurse and physician accountability. Promote improvement in interprofessional communication on grounds and aim to decrease hospital-acquired infections in the critical care environment.
• Communicates and collaborates with other clinical and administrative departments to coordinate appropriate patient care, as needed.
• Manages urgent/emergent medical situations as appropriate and in accordance with the organization’s protocols for medical emergencies and cardiac arrests. Obtain and/or operate emergency equipment according to relevant standards.
• Serves as a resource for staff and physicians for daily problem solving and decision-making on quality issues. Maintain a consistent alertness to patient care needs and take a proactive approach to address/resolve issues.
• Complies with all existing policies and procedures related to patient care. Make recommendations to bedside nursing staff, MD/APP teams and management regarding new policies and procedures that may improve patient outcomes. Assure implementation of new policies and procedures in a timely manner.
• Performs daily audits to assess unit compliance with NMH established protocols and regulatory standards.
• Gathers data to measure achievement in quality and patient safety goals. Continuously assess clinical practice in the critical care environment and provide feedback to anticipate needs for further intervention or process improvement.
• Provides teaching to staff on both a formal and informal basis. Participate in continuing education to stay up to date on best practice and quality initiatives.
  • Coordinates interdisciplinary unit orientation for new MD residents monthly.
  • Facilitates new RN quality sessions on a rolling basis in collaboration with unit Education Coordinator(s).
• Leads unit efforts in pressure injury prevention and skin assessments/documentation.
  • Collaborates with WOCNs to ensure accurate pressure injury identification and associated treatment plans.
  • Spearheads collection of wound photos upon patient admission/transfer to unit as well as on a weekly basis. Ensures proper documentation of wounds.
  • Facilitates weekly interdisciplinary meetings to discuss present on admission (POA), Hospital-acquired Pressure Injuries (HAPI), and progressed pressure injuries.
  • Completes Root Cause Analyses of pressure injuries attributable to the unit. Creates action items for future improvement.

Required:

• Bachelor’s degree in nursing required
• Graduate from an accredited school of nursing required
• Registered Professional Nurse licensure in the State of Illinois required
• Certification in Basic CPR required
• 1-2 years’ experience in Critical Care required
• Obtains and maintains CCRN certification when eligible

Preferred:

• Exceptional interpersonal skills, including the ability to establish and maintain effective relationships with patients, physicians, management, staff and other customers.
• Ability to handle challenging situations.
• Ability to balance multiple priorities.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to use personal computers and select software applications.
• Ability to analyze data for decision-making purposes.
• Strong computer skills, including EPIC EMR and Rover Technology, Microsoft Office, Teams, Outlook and database entry
• Ability to maintain a high degree of confidentiality
• Ability to adapt to changes in work environment, delays or unexpected events.
• Demonstrates attention to detail and monitors own work for accuracy

Northwestern Medicine is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate in hiring or employment on the basis of age, sex, race, color, religion, national origin, gender identity, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation or any other protected status.

If we offer you a job, we will perform a background check that includes a review of any criminal convictions. A conviction does not disqualify you from employment at Northwestern Medicine. We consider this on a case-by-case basis and follow all state and federal guidelines.