Transfusion Safety Officer - FT/Days

Overview

At Houston Methodist, the Transfusion Safety Officer (TSO) position is responsible for cultivating transfusion safety outside of the laboratory through education, active surveillance of the transfusion process, patient blood management, quality improvement, and research. The TSO works as a liaison interdepartmentally to promote safe and effective transfusion practices ensuring that they exceed all current and emerging standards of practice.

Houston Methodist Standard

PATIENT AGE GROUP(S) AND POPULATION(S) SERVEDRefer to departmental "Scope of Service" and "Provision of Care" plans, as applicable, for description of primary age groups and populations served by this job for the respective HM entity.

HOUSTON METHODIST EXPERIENCE EXPECTATIONS

• Provide personalized care and service by consistently demonstrating our I CARE values:
  • INTEGRITY: We are honest and ethical in all we say and do.
  • COMPASSION: We embrace the whole person including emotional, ethical, physical, and spiritual needs.
  • ACCOUNTABILITY: We hold ourselves accountable for all our actions.
  • RESPECT: We treat every individual as a person of worth, dignity, and value.
  • EXCELLENCE: We strive to be the best at what we do and a model for others to emulate.

• Practices the Caring and Serving Model

• Delivers personalized service using HM Service Standards

• Provides for exceptional patient/customer experiences by following our Standards of Practice of always using Positive Language (AIDET, Managing Up, Key Words)

• Intentionally collaborates with other healthcare professionals involved in patients/customers or employees' experiential journeys to ensure strong communication, ease of access to information, and a seamless experience

• Involves patients (customers) in shift/handoff reports by enabling their participation in their plan of care as applicable to the given job

• Actively supports the organization's vision, fulfills the mission and abides by the I CARE values

Responsibilities

PEOPLE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Promotes a positive work environment and contributes to a dynamic, team focused work unit that actively helps one another to achieve optimal departmental results. Collaborates with all members of the team by actively communicating and reporting pertinent information and data in a comprehensive manner.

• Establishes practices that meet or exceed customer expectations and fosters a customer-focused environment.

• Collaborates with healthcare personnel to identify and implement strategies related to transfusion practices, safety, and blood conservations.

• Acts as a resource and subject matter expert for transfusion issues within the organization.

SERVICE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Works with the appropriate departments to develop education/training for nurses and physicians regarding blood transfusions and informed consent for transfusion.

• Provides education to physicians, residents, technologists, and nursing personnel on appropriate use of blood/blood products and their alternatives. Provides introductory training for new physicians and staff responsible for blood transfusion in high usage areas.

• Assists in planning educational presentations and forums on transfusion related topics.

QUALITY/SAFETY ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Contributes actively to the agenda and missions of the Transfusion Medicine Care Management Performance Improvement (CMPI) committee.

• Contributes to blood utilization review process by performing transfusion audits. Provides feedback to improve and achieve the hospital's goals in blood management and conservation. Creates and evaluates reports related to blood product wastage.

• Tracks hospital performance of key processes by active surveillance (audits) of patient identifications, sample collections, blood requests and indications, blood deliveries, and administrations of blood products.

• Generates and evaluates data related to the organization's patient blood management goals.

• Educates clinical staff regarding recognition and reporting of transfusion reactions. Reviews transfusion safety events and transfusion reactions and presents findings to the Medical Director.

FINANCE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Adjusts work schedule to accommodate departmental/organizational needs. Organizes time effectively and sets priorities. Anticipates needs of other team members and proactively offers assistance.

GROWTH/INNOVATION ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Identifies and presents areas of innovation and improvement in transfusion operations to promote safe patient transfusion practices. Offers innovative solutions through evidence-based practice/performance improvement projects and shared governance activities.

• Demonstrates continuous learning and growth; identifies own learning needs and actively seeks educational opportunities, both formal and informal, to meet those needs. Applies evidence-based practice to daily work, such as reviewing the professional literature and attending professional meetings and sharing with colleagues.

This job description is not intended to be all-inclusive; the employee will also perform other reasonably related business/job duties as assigned. Houston Methodist reserves the right to revise job duties and responsibilities as the need arises.

Qualifications

EDUCATION

• Bachelor's degree or higher from an accredited school of nursing

WORK EXPERIENCE

• Two years of clinical nursing experience in a tertiary health care setting

• Experience working in a field related to transfusion medicine preferred

• Experience in performance improvement preferred

License/Certification

LICENSES AND CERTIFICATIONS - REQUIRED

• RN - Registered Nurse - Texas State Licensure and/or Compact State Licensure within 60 days OR
• RN-Temp - Registered Nurse - Temporary State Licensure within 60 days

KSA/ Supplemental Data

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

• 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

• Strong analytical and interpersonal skills with persistence on follow-through

• Excellent critical synthesis, statistical analysis, and problem-solving skills

• Ability to work under pressure and balance many competing priorities

• Proficient in spreadsheet, word-processing, and presentation software

• Demonstrates effective communication skills, including presentation and translation of data

• Maintains a positive and supportive attitude and demeanor

• Professional handling of exposure to confidential/sensitive information

• Excellent interpersonal skills required to interact with diverse patient population

SUPPLEMENTAL REQUIREMENTS

WORK ATTIRE

• Uniform No
• Scrubs Yes
• Business professional Yes
• Other (department approved) No

ON-CALL**Note that employees may be required to be on-call during emergencies (ie. DIsaster, Severe Weather Events, etc) regardless of selection below.

• On Call* No

TRAVEL****Travel specifications may vary by department**

• May require travel within the Houston Metropolitan area Yes
• May require travel outside Houston Metropolitan area No

Company Profile

Since its founding in 1919, Houston Methodist Hospital has earned worldwide recognition. Houston Methodist Hospital is affiliated with the Weill Medical College of Cornell University and New York-Presbyterian Hospital, one of the nation's leading centers for medical education and research.  In 2020, U.S. News & World Report named Houston Methodist Hospital to its top ranked Honor Roll for the fourth time and second consecutive year. 2020 also marked the ninth year in a row Houston Methodist Hospital has been named the No. 1 hospital in Texas. Houston Methodist Hospital directs millions of research dollars into patient care and offers the latest innovations in medical, surgical and diagnostic techniques. With 952 operating beds, 85 operating rooms and over 8,000 employees, Houston Methodist offers complete care for patients from around the world.

 

The same high-quality care for which Houston Methodist is known is available at several Emergency Care Centers in Houston and the surrounding areas.  These Emergency Care Centers house exam rooms, full digital radiography suite, low radiation dose 16-slice CT scan, ultrasound and a full on-site stat chemistry lab.