Clinical Quality Nurse

Dell Medical School; Austin (TX); On-site; USD 72,000 - 88,000; Full time

Job summary

Dell Medical School seeks a Clinical Quality Nurse to lead CQI initiatives, improve patient safety, and ensure regulatory readiness across teams. You will guide data analyses, apply PDSA and Lean methods, and develop dashboards to monitor KPIs.

Reporting to the Associate Director, you will educate staff, participate in audits, and foster a culture of continuous improvement while aligning with CMS, TJC, and NCQA standards and organizational goals.

Qualifications

• RN license in Texas with a BSN.
• Minimum of three years of clinical experience.
• Familiarity with CQI concepts and data analysis.

Responsibilities

• Leads Multidisciplinary Quality Improvement Initiatives.
• Develop and implement CQI plans using PDSA and Lean.
• Conduct data analysis and performance reporting to identify trends.
• Support regulatory compliance and survey readiness (CMS/TJC/NCQA).
• Educate clinical staff on quality practices and documentation standards.

Skills

Process Management

Problem Solving

Functional/Technical Skills

Drive for Results

Interpersonal Savvy

Organizational Agility

Customer Focus

Education

BSN

MS in Nursing/Healthcare Admin/Public Health

Tools

EMR Systems

Reporting Tools

Job description

General Notes

The Clinical Quality Nurse plays a vital role in enhancing clinical outcomes, safety initiatives, and operational efficiency through data-driven continuous quality improvement (CQI) initiatives. This position leads multidisciplinary teams in analyzing performance metrics, identifying opportunities for improvement, and ensuring continuous readiness for regulatory surveys.

Reporting to the Associate Director of Clinical Quality, the Clinical Quality Nurse serves as a trusted consultant, educator, and facilitator while fostering an environment of ongoing improvement and excellence. By aligning improvement strategies with organizational goals and regulatory requirements, this role supports measurable advancements in patient safety, care delivery, and compliance.

Purpose

The Clinical Quality Nurse supports and leads clinical quality, patient safety, regulatory readiness, and performance improvement initiatives. This role uses clinical expertise, data analysis, continuous quality improvement methodologies, and multidisciplinary collaboration to identify opportunities for improvement and implement sustainable solutions. The position partners across clinical and operational teams to align quality improvement strategies with organizational goals and regulatory requirements while advancing patient safety, care delivery, compliance, and operational performance.

Responsibilities

• Leads Multidisciplinary Quality Improvement Initiatives
• Facilitate team collaboration to support business outcomes and clinical excellence.
• Develop and implement CQI plans using methodologies such as PDSA and Lean.
• Champion change and help others adapt to new tasks and processes.
• Encourage team members to follow procedures and policies while fostering innovation.
• Conducts Data Analysis and Performance Reporting: Extract and analyze clinical and operational data to identify trends and improvement opportunities. Conduct statistical analysis to determine reliability and confidence intervals. Create charts, graphs, and narrative summaries using multiple data systems. Present quality metrics to teams and leadership to demonstrate impact.
• Supports Regulatory Compliance and Survey Readiness: Ensure continuous readiness for CMS, TJC, NCQA, and other regulatory bodies. Participate in survey preparation, mock audits, and documentation reviews. Develop and monitor corrective action plans to address compliance gaps. Serve as a subject matter expert on internal policies and external regulations.
• Facilitates Risk Management and Patient Safety Activities: Conduct root cause analyses, failure mode and effect analyses, and other assessments. Review event reports and elevate high-risk issues for resolution. Assist with developing targeted improvement strategies based on findings from audits, claim denials, and satisfaction surveys. Promote a safety culture and support incident prevention strategies.
• Educates and Consults with Clinical Staff: Deliver educational programs on regulatory requirements, internal concerns, and system usage. Coach staff on documentation standards, safety protocols, and quality practices. Participate in committees and projects to influence policy and procedure development. Build collaborative partnerships to improve compliance and health outcomes.
• Develops and Maintains Quality Reporting Tools: Design dashboards and reports to track KPIs and benchmark performance. Integrate quality metrics into operational workflows and decision-making. Document and analyze trends, errors, and reporting findings. Support business‑specific projects with creative, data‑informed solutions.
• Marginal or Periodic Functions: Participate in accreditation mock surveys and emergency preparedness drills. Assist with grant applications or research projects related to quality and safety. Attend professional conferences and disseminate best practices. Serve as a liaison for external quality collaboratives and benchmarking groups. Support strategic planning and innovation initiatives across departments. Perform related duties as required.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Process Management: Design and improve processes that are efficient, scalable, and aligned with organizational goals. Apply process mapping and agile methodologies to streamline workflows. Implement SOPs and monitor compliance with healthcare quality standards. Refine processes based on performance data and stakeholder feedback.
• Problem Solving: Use logic and data to identify root causes and develop effective solutions. Conduct root cause and risk assessments using applied data analysis. Evaluate the impact and sustainability of solutions through CQI frameworks. Make sound decisions under pressure using critical thinking.
• Functional/Technical Skills: Demonstrate deep knowledge of clinical standards, EMR systems, and regulatory frameworks. Apply expertise in clinical quality, healthcare compliance, and risk management. Navigate EMR platforms and reporting tools to extract and analyze data. Interpret and apply CMS, TJC, and NCQA standards to ensure compliance.
• Drive for Results: Consistently deliver high‑quality outcomes aligned with strategic goals. Lead quality improvement initiatives aligned with organizational goals. Track and report KPIs to demonstrate progress and effectiveness. Encourage accountability and continuous development planning.
• Interpersonal Savvy: Build effective relationships across different teams and disciplines. Demonstrate excellent communication and negotiation skills with stakeholders. Facilitate multidisciplinary collaboration and consensus‑building. Resolve conflicts constructively and promote shared ownership of outcomes.
• Organizational Agility: Understand how organizations work and adapt strategies accordingly. Align quality initiatives with strategic priorities and operational realities. Navigate complex systems and hierarchies to drive change. Build coalitions and foster partnerships across departments.
• Customer Focus: Prioritize patient and stakeholder needs in decision‑making. Design improvements that enhance patient experience and safety. Incorporate feedback from patients and staff into quality initiatives. Balance clinical goals with regulatory and operational requirements.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Nursing (BSN).
• Minimum of three years of experience in a clinical setting.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Nursing, Healthcare Administration, or Public Health.
• Minimum of two years of experience in clinical quality.
• Two years of experience in acute care, ambulatory care, or multi‑site healthcare systems.

Licenses/Registrations/Certifications

• Required: Current RN license in the State of Texas; Basic Life Support (BLS) certification.
• Preferred: Certified Professional in Healthcare Quality (CPHQ); Clinical Nurse Leader (CNL) certification; Certification in Risk Management or Patient Safety, such as CPPS.

Salary Range

$79,890+ depending on qualifications

Working Conditions

• Standard office equipment.
• Repetitive use of a keyboard.
• May be exposed to occupational hazards such as communicable diseases, blood borne pathogens, ionizing and non‑ionizing radiation, hazardous medications, and disoriented or combative patients, or others.