NICU Family Advocate

CHI Franciscan and Virginia Mason are now united to build the future of patient-centered care across the Pacific Northwest. That means a seamlessly connected system offering quality care close to home. From basic health needs to the most complex, highly specialized care, our patients can count on us to meet their needs with convenient access to the region’s most prestigious experts and innovative treatments and technologies.  While you’re busy impacting the healthcare industry, we’ll take care of you with benefits that may include health/dental/vision, FSA, matching retirement plans, paid vacation, adoption assistance, annual bonus eligibility, and more!

JOB SUMMARY:

This job is responsible for serving as a parent advisor and partner to NICU patients and planning/facilitating performance improvement projects focused on improving newborn care and safety. An incumbent engages with the Vermont Oxford Network (VON) in quality-related work to bring the best practices in the family integrated care model to the NICU. VON is a voluntary collaborative group of health professionals committed to improving the effectiveness and efficiency of medical care for newborn infants and their families through a coordinated program of research, education and quality-improvement projects.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:

• Supports NICU quality improvement work to assure families are care partners in line with best practices in improving newborn care and outcomes; reviews educational materials and policies/procedures for consistency with best practices and to assure they are designed to achieve improvement objectives.
• Reviews daily census and rounds on families that are new to the NICU; completes welcome and introduction activities per the family integrated care policy and focuses on the integration of families to the NICU environment and care.
• Reviews educational materials for families and policies/procedures while focusing on the integration of the family to the NICU environment and care.
• Attends monthly VON zoom meetings to work with the national team on best patient care practices focused on improving the quality, safety and value of care for newborn infants and their families; takes full advantage of shared learning and knowledge dissemination opportunities to inspire, innovate and accelerate local improvements in patient care.
• Works, as part of the NICU team, on the quality project for a stated year; oversees the collection of data and develops reports/documentation to be submitted to the VON international conference for presentation.
• Reviews VON research, reports and other documentation to benchmark local practices/results and to transform/adapt data into actionable items for improvement in the local context.
• Plans and/or hosts weekly NICU “socials” and the annual NICU alumni reunion; supports other events (e.g. read-a-thon) in support of performance improvement objectives.

EDUCATION/WORK EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS:

Have recently had a baby in the NICU, preferably at the St. Joseph Medical Center.

JOB KNOWLEDGE / SKILLS / ABILITIES:

Knowledge of NICU standards and practices sufficient to provide support to patients and their families.