Patient Safety Specialist

at  St Marys General Hospital

WORK TYPE: TEMPORARY FULL TIME

In April 2024, the Boards of St. Mary’s General and Grand River Hospitals both independently voted in favour of a voluntary merger of the Hospitals to form a new hospital organization. This evolution of our partnership will occur alongside our joint redevelopment work, as we strive to build a new acute care campus in the community. We welcome talent to both St. Mary’s General Hospital and Grand River Hospital that are ready to be part of an exciting, generational change for hospital care in Waterloo Region.
Please Note: New employees must provide documentation/proof of full COVID-19 vaccination status, a 2-step TB screening, as well as proof of immunity to measles, mumps, rubella, and varicella (chickenpox) prior to their start date at St. Mary’s General Hospital. Staff will require clearance from Employee Health and Wellness before they are able to begin any position within SMGH or GRH.
Position Summary :
The Patient Safety Specialist possesses expert knowledge and skills to provide support, education/ training, and coaching/ mentorship to hospital clinical programs and services related to patient safety, to meet the strategic goals of the organization, achieve operational efficiencies, and make sustainable change. While performing the functions of this role, the incumbent takes into consideration external and internal drivers in determining actions to provide high quality, safe services. The incumbent contributes to ensuring a safe environment for patients, staff and visitors.

POSITION REQUIREMENTS:

• Undergraduate degree in Healthcare Management or a health related discipline required
• Current member of a regulated healthcare profession required
• Master’s Degree in Health Sciences, Quality Improvement, or Patient Safety preferred
• Certification in Patient Safety (CPPS) or other relevant education/ experience preferred
• 5 - 7 years of recent experience in an Accredited (Accreditation Canada) acute care hospital setting in a clinical capacity
• Experience in risk management, patient safety and/or quality improvement
• Demonstrated commitment to ongoing learning and professional development
• Experience with data collection, measurement, and interpretation techniques translated into appropriate methods for end-users
• Proven ability to research, interpret, and apply evidence-informed practices/ legislation/ research to enhance patient safety through policy and procedures
• Expertise in facilitation and coordination of investigations related to patient safety incidents through Quality of Care Reviews, ensuring thorough documentation, monitoring, and follow-up on corrective actions/recommendations. (e.g. RCA, FMEA, human factors principles)
• Proven champion in patient safety demonstrated through program developments, enhancement of services for patient care, and integration of innovative safety projects/ concepts
• Application and knowledge of Just Culture systems thinking, Canadian Incident Analysis Framework, Human Factors principles, IHI initiatives, Ontario Health programs and other innovative safety practices
• Excellent interpersonal, communication and presentation skills including demonstrated expertise in meeting and group facilitation
• Exceptional change management, critical thinking, problem solving, negotiation and conflict resolution skills
• Collaboration with interdisciplinary healthcare professionals across various departments to identify potential safety issues, analyze incidents, and promote a culture of safety within the organization
• Superior written communication skills demonstrated through creation of recommendations from Quality of Care Reviews, safety reports, and summaries (e.g. Patient Safety Initiatives, and Key Performance Indicators)
• Demonstrated computer literacy and proficiency including all Microsoft applications, Quality Improvement tools, and incident reporting software e.g. RLDatix
• Team-focused approach including engagement, flexibility, and an excellent attendance record

• Providing advice, support, and consultation to internal shareholders in response to patient safety related inquiries/ incidents
• Developing, implementing, and reviewing policies and processes required to improve patient safety within the organization
• Participating on committees and working groups providing a patient safety perspective
• Advising and coordinating projects related to patient safety and preventable harm utilizing quality improvement principles and tools
• Ensuring everyday readiness is embedded through various roles, functions, and structures in alignment with patient safety through Accreditation Canada ROPs
• Investigating and facilitating the review of patient safety incidents (Quality of Care Reviews) including serious safety events, never events, and critical incidents, embedding Just Culture systems thinking to enhance patient safety
• Enhancing patient safety by compiling reports, analyzing trends, identifying issues for action and working with teams to ensure follow up actions are completed, and assisting in communication of results
• Fostering a culture of safety reflected in Just Culture systems thinking through education, support, leadership, mentorship, and as a champion to enhance patient safety throughout the healthcare organization
• Implementing goals and action plans related to patient safety as outlined in our annual Quality Improvement, Strategic, Integrated, and Patient Safety Plans