The Professional Practice Leader position provides education and development to the direct patient care staff in addition to being accountable for the care outcomes of a service line or clinical population. This position leads and coordinates interprofessional activities focusing on clinical practice, consultation, education and research, incorporating evidence into practice. The Professional Practice Leader position uses expert communication skills to serve as care advocate and to mentor and coach staff in clinical and professional practice. This position assumes an advanced leadership role in analyzing systems to anticipate/reduce risk and improve patient safety/quality. Responsibilities for the Professional Practice Leader position include contributions at the unit and housewide levels, with expectation to collaborate/manage/lead on system-wide and national initiatives.
Promotes interprofessional collaboration in patient care, providing leadership to maintain a supportive and healthy work environment. Builds partnerships across the system and strives for consensus in practice.
~ Partners in collaboration with leadership of the service lines/specialty areas to promote staff accountability and effective decision-making, which includes coaching to provide feedback in an effective way. Consults, as the subject matter expert, and guides clinicians to available resources and policies on standards of care for their service line and/or across departments. Indirectly affects patient care through the bedside RN as their focus is on developing and ensuring they give quality care. Promotes the transfer of knowledge to practice, ensuring that knowledge/training is carried out and integrated into practice. Validates effectiveness of education on identified outcomes.
~ Directs and mentors teams in implementing clinical projects and/or practice changes. QUALITY/SAFETY ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS
~ Provides guidance to staff in clinical project development and management, using the PDCA process and supporting the Pathway to Excellence/Magnet journey.
~ Collaborates with Quality team regarding patient safety events. Engages in action planning including evidence-based practice guidelines and disseminating necessary practice changes.
~ Utilizes dashboards to maintain awareness of patient outcome measures and system patient care metrics, partnering with clinical areas to identify needs, plan, implement, and evaluate an intervention to positively impact the quality of patient care. Drives nurse sensitive indicator performance by using data to identify gaps and plan interventions to meet and exceed expectations. Provides education to support improvement of the patient experience.
~ Operationalize quality initiatives by maintaining awareness and knowledge of applicable regulatory or accrediting body standards and the applicability to the clinical area. Provides leadership in design, implementation and evaluation of process improvement initiatives.
Builds a project plan for practice change while considering financial implications. Contributes to unit plans for resource utilization and capital needs, incorporating financial evaluation within project management. Drives strategies to meeting department financial target on hospital and/or unit-based scorecard.
Engages the learner for continued professional growth while promoting and supporting transition of staff along the Clinical Career Path. Assists in cross training and preparing staff to transition across clinical settings (e.g. Obs to ED, L&D ST to OR cross-training).
~ Applies theories of change to support staff and promote evidence-based decision-making. Cultivates a climate of clinical inquiry to establish an environment where staff want to become involved in research and evidence-based practice. Guides staff in the creation and submission of clinical abstracts, posters, and presentations.
~ Collaborates across the hospital and system in implementing change as appropriate, maintaining awareness of current changes in practice standards and applies to clinical practice setting. EDUCATION
~ Master of Science in Nursing preferred
~ WORK EXPERIENCE
~ Five years clinical nursing experience with three years in a clinical specialty
RN-Temp - Registered Nurse - Temporary State Licensure within 60 days AND
Demonstrates the skills and competencies necessary to safely perform the assigned job, determined through on-going skills, competency assessments, and performance evaluations
~ Sufficient proficiency in speaking, reading, and writing the English language necessary to perform the essential functions of this job, especially with regard to activities impacting patient or employee safety or security
~ Ability to effectively communicate with patients, physicians, family members and co-workers in a manner consistent with a customer service focus and application of positive language principles
~ Ability to function independently and exercise judgment in interactions with physicians, interprofessional care team and patients and their families
~ Expert knowledge of Nursing Unit's Dashboard and Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) scores
~ Demonstrates expertise in operating the electronic medical record
~ TRAVELTravel specifications may vary by department**
May require travel within the Houston Metropolitan area Yes
May require travel outside Houston Metropolitan area No
Houston Methodist Hospital is recognized by U.News & World Report as the No. 1 hospital in Texas and one of America’s “Best Hospitals.” As a full-service, acute-care hospital located in the Texas Medical Center and the flagship hospital of Houston Methodist, it has evolved into one of the nation’s largest nonprofit teaching hospitals and a leader in innovative medical research with a comprehensive residency program. Two of Houston Methodist’s primary academic affiliates are among the nation’s leading health care organizations: Weill Cornell Medicine and New York-Presbyterian Hospital. Houston Methodist also has affiliations with Texas A&M University and the University of Houston. With 948 operating beds, 85 operating rooms and more than 8,400 employees, Houston Methodist Hospital offers unparalleled care for thousands of patients from around the world.
Houston Methodist will not engage in discrimination against or harassment of any person employed or seeking employment with Houston Methodist on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, status as a protected veteran or other characteristics protected by law. VEVRAA Federal Contractor – priority referral Protected Veterans requested.
