Sepsis Coordinator

Purpose & Scope

The Sepsis Coordinator is a registered nurse who leads the hospital's sepsis performance improvement program, serving as the clinical and administrative lead for early recognition, timely treatment, and regulatory compliance related to sepsis care across the continuum. This role drives adherence to CMS SEP‑1 core measure bundle requirements, partners with emergency department, intensive care, and medical‑surgical unit leadership to close performance gaps, and serves as the primary educator and data steward for sepsis‑related quality outcomes. The Sepsis Coordinator works collaboratively with physicians, nursing staff, pharmacy, laboratory, and hospital administration to reduce sepsis‑related mortality, length of stay, and readmissions.

Education

• Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) – required
• Master's degree in Nursing or a related field – preferred

Experience

• Minimum 2–5 years of clinical experience in emergency department, critical care, or medical‑surgical settings – required
• Working knowledge of CMS SEP‑1 core measure specifications and Surviving Sepsis Campaign guidelines – required
• Experience with quality data abstraction, chart review, and clinical performance reporting – required
• Prior experience as a sepsis coordinator, quality/performance improvement nurse, or clinical nurse specialist – preferred
• Familiarity with EHR‑based sepsis alert systems (e.g., Epic Sepsis Model) and clinical decision support tools – preferred
• Experience presenting data to physician committees and hospital leadership – preferred

Certification / Licensure

• Licensed as a Registered Nurse by the Virginia Department of Health Professions – required
• Compact State Licensure in Nursing – acceptable alternative
• Sepsis‑specific certification, where available – preferred

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• CPHQ or other formal quality improvement training – preferred
• Strong clinical judgment and ability to engage physicians and staff on time‑sensitive, high‑acuity cases
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills; ability to present performance data clearly to multidisciplinary and executive audiences
• Proficiency with EHR systems, quality databases, and standard reporting/analytics tools (e.g., Excel, quality dashboards)
• Demonstrated ability to lead change‑management initiatives across departments without direct reporting authority
• High attention to detail and comfort with audit‑level documentation accuracy

Benefits

VHC Health offers a comprehensive benefits package, including medical, dental, and vision coverage (subject to eligibility requirements), as well as additional wellness and retirement benefits designed to support employees and their families.