Medication Safety and Compliance Nurse Specialist RN (Full Time/Days)

Penn Medicine; Lancaster (Lancaster County); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Pen n Medicine Lancaster General Health seeks a Medication Safety & Compliance Nurse Specialist to lead safety initiatives and ensure regulatory compliance. This full-time role collaborates with Nursing, Pharmacy, Quality, and IT to design, implement, and monitor systems that promote safe medication practices and prevent errors.

The position focuses on reducing adverse events, strengthening compliance, and guiding staff education and safety programs within Lancaster General Health.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in Nursing and active RN license in good standing.
• Five+ years of hospital/patient care experience.
• Experience with medication safety and quality initiatives.
• Knowledge of regulatory standards and compliance requirements.

Responsibilities

• Lead medication safety initiatives and improve safe-use practices.
• Collaborate with Pharmacy, Nursing, and leadership to reduce errors.
• Monitor compliance with BCMA, infusion pumps, and reconciliation processes.
• Participate in audits, investigations, and corrective actions.
• Develop education for staff on medication safety and compliance.

Skills

Medication safety

Nursing leadership

Regulatory compliance

Quality improvement

Education

Bachelor's degree in Nursing

RN license

Tools

EHR systems

ADC (pharmacy hardware)

Job description

Description

Penn Medicine is dedicated to our tripartite mission of providing the highest level of care to patients, conducting innovative research, and educating future leaders in the field of medicine. Working for this leading academic medical center means collaboration with top clinical, technical and business professionals across all disciplines.

Description

Penn Medicine is dedicated to our tripartite mission of providing the highest level of care to patients, conducting innovative research, and educating future leaders in the field of medicine. Working for this leading academic medical center means collaboration with top clinical, technical and business professionals across all disciplines.

Today at Penn Medicine, someone will make a breakthrough. Someone will heal a heart, deliver hopeful news, and give comfort and reassurance. Our employees shape our future each day. Are you living your life's work?

LOCATION:

Lancaster, PA - Lancaster General Hospital

HOURS:

Full Time (40 hours per week). Monday-Friday (8am-5pm). No nights, evenings or weekends

The Medication Safety & Compliance Nurse Specialist serves as the organizational leader and subject matter expert for medication safety, medication-use process improvement, regulatory compliance, safe medication administration practices and controlled substance diversion prevention for Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health.

The Medication Safety & Compliance Nurse Specialist works collaboratively with Nursing, Pharmacy, Medical Staff, Quality, Risk Management, Security, Human Resources, and Nursing and Pharmacy Informatics to design, implement, monitor, and continuously improve systems that promote safe medication practices and prevent patient harm. This advanced practice leader develops strategies to reduce medication-related adverse events, strengthen compliance with regulatory and accreditation standards, and enhance organizational oversight of controlled substances through data analysis, auditing, education, and quality improvement initiatives.

The Medication Safety & Compliance Nurse Specialist promotes a culture of safety, accountability, and continuous learning while supporting the organization's mission of delivering exceptional, evidence-based patient care.

Qualified individuals must have the ability (with or without reasonable accommodation) to perform the following duties:

• Serves as the nursing leader and clinical expert for medication safety at Lancaster General
• Provides consultation regarding medication administration practices, medication-related policies, and safe medication-use systems
• Leads initiatives designed to reduce medication errors, adverse drug events (ADEs), and preventable patient harm
• Assesses medication-use processes and identifies opportunities to enhance safety and reliability
• Collaborate with Pharmacy, Nursing and interdisciplinary leaders to improve medication management systems
• Participates in root cause analyses (RCA), apparent cause analyses related to the medication use process
• Recommends and implements evidence-based medication safety practices and technologies
• Collaborate with informatics for bi-direction flow of information to advance the safe use of technology
• Monitors compliance with barcode medication administration (BCMA), smart infusion pump technology, medication reconciliation processes, and other medication safety initiatives
• Participates in and provides leadership to Medication Safety Committees and related patient safety workgroups
• Serves as the nursing lead for controlled substance diversion prevention and surveillance activities; collaborates with the Nursing and Pharmacy Leadership
• Participates in the LGH Controlled Substance Diversion Prevention and Diversion Oversight Committee
• Collaborate with Pharmacy, Compliance, Security, Human Resources, Risk Management, and Nursing Leadership regarding diversion prevention strategies
• Conducts routine and focused audits related to controlled substance handling, administration, documentation, wasting, reconciliation, storage, and security
• Reviews controlled substance transaction reports and investigate discrepancies, variances, overrides, waste documentation, and unusual patterns of use
• Utilizes automated dispensing cabinet (ADC), electronic health record, and diversion surveillance data to identify potential compliance concerns and diversion risks.
• Assists in investigations involving suspected diversion events and supports documentation, reporting, and corrective actions as appropriate
• Refines processes for diversion detection, monitoring, reporting, and prevention Accountabilities
• Evaluates effectiveness of medication security measures and controlled substance monitoring technologies
• Tracks and trends controlled substance discrepancies and collaborates with key stakeholders for corrective action plans to address issues
• Provides staff education regarding diversion prevention, medication security, controlled substance handling, and reporting expectations
• Maintains comprehensive knowledge of regulatory and accreditation standards related to medication management and nursing practice
• Serves as a resource regarding requirements from regulatory agencies
• Conducts medication management and compliance assessments to identify gaps and opportunities for improvement
• Supports organizational survey readiness activities
• Participates in accreditation surveys and action planning related to findings
• Develops, reviews, and maintains medication-related policies
• Analyses data from medication events, audit findings, patient safety reports, and compliance monitoring activities
• Utilizes evidence-based improvement methodologies (i.e. PDSA) and high-reliability principles
• Tracks performance metrics and evaluates effectiveness of implemented interventions
• Collaborate with operational and clinical leaders to address identified risks and improve outcomes
• Provides expert consultation to nurses, leaders, and interdisciplinary teams regarding medication administration standards and medication management
• Supports standardization of nursing practices related to medication administration and documentation
• Develops and delivers educational programs related to medication safety, controlled substance management, diversion prevention, and regulatory compliance
• Serves as a mentor and resource for nurses, educators, and clinical leaders
• Collaborates with Clinical Informatics and Information Technology teams to optimize medication-related technologies
• Evaluates clinical technology functionality and recommends enhancements that support patient safety and regulatory compliance
• Performs duties in accordance with Penn Medicine and entity values, policies, and procedures
• Other duties as assigned to support the unit, department, entity, and health system organization

Minimum Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor's Degree in Nursing
• Current Licensure as a Registered Nurse, issued by the PA State Board of Nursing
• A healthcare provider in good standing and not excluded from participation with Medicare, Medicaid and other federal and state health insurance programs.
• Five 5+ years of hospital/patient care experience

Preferred Qualifications:

• Licensed Clinical Nurse Specialist, issued by the PA Board of Nursing
• Three 3+ years of experience in medication safety, quality improvement and/or performance improvement initiatives.

We believe that the best care for our patients starts with the best care for our employees. Our employee benefits programs help our employees get healthy and stay healthy. We offer a comprehensive compensation and benefits program that includes one of the finest prepaid tuition assistance programs in the region. Penn Medicine employees are actively engaged and committed to our mission. Together we will continue to make medical advances that help people live longer, healthier lives.

Live Your Life's Work

We are an Equal Opportunity employer. Candidates are considered for employment without regard to race, ethnicity, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, national origin, ancestry, age, disability, marital status, familial status, genetic information, domestic or sexual violence victim status, citizenship status, military status, status as a protected veteran or any other status protected by applicable law.