Responsible to the Clinical Manager, CYMHP Acute Services, the Patient Safety Specialist, in collaboration with stakeholders, has accountability to support the advancement of patient and staff safety within the Child and Youth Mental Health Acute Care services portfolio. This includes ongoing development, implementation, and evaluation of safety measures and protocols, targeting both patient and staff safety on the unit. The Safety Specialist will also be responsible for training, and supports to the site in support of staff safety needs in order to provide care to this patient population. Responsibilities include, but are not limited to, resolution and investigation of safety occurrences reports, care planning for safety in collaboration with the clinical team for all patients, leading environmental safety and CQI projects in collaboration with leadership, and be an active member and participate in JOHS, solutions for patient safety, and MAU safety leadership teams.
The successful applicant will also work with leadership in advancing cultural maturity, and supporting best practices that create safety. The Patient Safety Specialist also supports organization wide safety initiatives in order to provide safe, high quality care that is patient and family centered.
- Undergraduate degree in a health-related field or College diploma with relevant experience. Registered Health professional with a Master’s Degree preferred.
- Minimum 5 years’ experience working in the Mental Health field will be considered an asset.
- Valid CPI certification required.
- Proven ability to multi task and prioritize competing priorities, often within tight timelines
- Understand and demonstrate application of key concepts of patient safety such as: human factors, teamwork and communication best practices; environmental design for safety; system design and approaches; high reliability organizations, safety 1 & 2; safety event investigation; and the patient and family role in patient safety.
- Formal education in quality and patient safety, and expert knowledge of patient safety literature considered an asset
- Demonstrated project management skills. Proven change agent with advanced knowledge of change management strategies.
- Experience facilitating quality improvement, and application of quality improvement tools and methodologies. Certification in quality improvement an asset.
- Demonstrated expertise and ability to apply, teach and mentor teams in the use of patient incident investigation tools, such as root cause analysis and failure modes effects analysis (FMEA).
- Demonstrated skills in: data collection design and analysis, including knowledge of statistical and experimental design; ability to evaluate outcomes using a balanced scorecard approach; and presentation and report writing skills.
- Demonstrated ability to effectively work in teams in balance with an ability to work independently and offer creative and innovative solutions.
- Demonstrated skills in project management, change management, facilitation, and adult learning principles, presentation and report writing.
- Demonstrated evidence of commitment to continuous learning through pursuit of education endeavours.
- Demonstrated ability to understanding and appreciate cultural, religious and individual beliefs and fosters an environment of equity, diversity and inclusion.
- Proven leadership abilities, excellent interpersonal, communication and facilitation skills that promote cooperation, build teamwork and an ability to work collaboratively with all levels of the organization.
- Proficiency in Word, Excel, Powerpoint, Access, Epic, Sovera, and reporting software applications such as RL solutions.
