Discussion: Jobs in Healthcare Settings and Their Effect on Quality and Safety

To achieve meaningful and lasting improvement in healthcare quality and safety in any organization, the goals of individuals who work there, as well as the goals that belong to relevant external entities, must be aligned and in sync. In previous weeks, you explored how healthcare professionals can influence quality and safety.

In this Discussion, you will reflect on what you have learned and your own personal goals. You will also consider how you might contribute to advancing the cause of quality and safety in your own healthcare career.

To prepare for this Discussion:

Review the Learning Resources.

Reflect on the knowledge and insights that you have gained from this and previous courses.

Go to one of the job sites listed below or one of your own choosing and select a job in a healthcare organization that appeals to you and is consistent with your career goals. 

Career Builder.
Retrieved from http://www.careerbuilder.com/

• Monster.
  Retrieved from http://www.monster.com/
• Indeed.
  Retrieved from https://www.indeed.com/
• Consider your selected job in relation to one of the following certifications and choose one to focus on for this Discussion (see Required Readings for helpful links): 

Certified Professional in Patient Safety

• Certification in Healthcare Risk Management

Certification in Healthcare Quality Professional

Review the interactive Good Samaritan Hospital organizational chart and accompanying videos from this course.

• Review the case study that you selected in Week 1.

By Day 4

Post a comprehensive explanation of the following:

• Identify and describe the job that you selected.

Explain how you might influence quality and safety (directly or indirectly) if you had the job you selected.

Explain the ethical and social obligations that you would have if you had the job that you selected.

Identify an individual depicted in the interactive organizational chart and explain how you might interact with them to improve patient safety and quality if you had the job that you selected.

• Identify the certification that you selected and briefly explain how the certification may help with your career goals.

Identify at least one professional organization that you may want to join which would help with your professional development in the chosen job, and then explain why that you chose that professional organization.

• Explain how you could help prevent the medical error discussed in the case study that you selected in Week 1 or other medical errors from happening if you had the job that you selected.