Quality Nurse Specialist

About the role

The Quality Nurse Specialist integrates performance improvement methodology, implementation science, and evidence‑based practice to support department- and service‑line quality initiatives across Akron Children's. This role partners with clinical leaders, educators, and frontline teams to translate evidence and data into sustainable improvements aligned with organizational quality, safety, and patient experience priorities. The Quality Nurse Specialist applies structured improvement and clinical inquiry methods to drive measurable outcomes while considering local context, workflow integration, and change readiness.

Responsibilities

• Leads department‑ and service‑line quality and performance improvement initiatives using structured methodologies (e.g., Model for Improvement, PDSA cycles, Lean tools).
• Collects, validates, analyzes, and interprets clinical and operational performance data to identify trends, variation, and improvement opportunities aligned with organizational priorities.
• Facilitates interdisciplinary improvement teams by defining project aims, measures, change strategies, and timelines, and supporting execution, evaluation, and sustainment.
• Develops and maintains dashboards, scorecards, and visual data displays to support data‑driven decision‑making at the department or service‑line level.
• Partners with clinical leaders, educators, and frontline staff to frame clinical inquiries (e.g., PICOT), critically appraise evidence, and align evidence‑based practice with local performance data.
• Supports implementation of evidence‑based and evidence‑informed practices by identifying barriers and facilitators, supporting workflow integration, and monitoring adoption and outcomes.
• Applies change management and facilitation skills to engage stakeholders, promote psychological safety, and support sustained improvement.
• Contributes to patient safety, regulatory readiness, and QAPI activities through monitoring quality indicators, participating in risk assessments, and supporting compliance with applicable standards.
• Manages an assigned portfolio of quality and performance improvement projects, ensuring alignment with organizational priorities, timelines,