Provider Quality Assurance Nurse

PHMC is proud to be a leader in public health. PHMC requires that all employees are fully vaccinated with the Covid-19 vaccine before the first day of employment.

The Philadelphia Immunization Program’s Provider Quality Assurance (PQA) initiative is a strategy to raise immunization coverage levels and standards of practice at the provider level. This strategy relies on an assessment of current practices, vaccine coverage levels, utilization of immunization resources, and compliance with medical standards and federal regulations.

The PQA Nurse will perform VFC site visits at provider offices throughout Philadelphia. They will be responsible for pre-visit data collection, pre- and post-visit data entry, and post-visit communications with the site in addition to instituting quality improvement initiatives with sites through the CDC’s Immunization Quality Improvement for Providers (IQIP) program. The implementation of the quality improvement plan will require the PQA Nurse to provide on-site education sessions, technical assistance, and ongoing
training and support through continuous contact and site visits.

The PQA Nurse will also work with colleagues to provide other education programs throughout the year including, but not limited to, Immunization Techniques Training, VAERS Training, VFC 101, and Immunization Schedule Training. The PQA Nurse will collaborate with our Communications Team and our Provider Education Coordinator to review materials and update existing materials and develop new educational materials and training programs using programs such as MS Office or CANVA.

• Conduct in-office educational trainings and assistance on vaccine management and administration, standards for pediatric, adolescent, and adult immunization practices, the PhilaVax IIS, and strategies to increase immunization coverage levels.
• Other duties as necessary.
• Work closely with the Immunization Program Manager, the Deputy Program Manager, the Provider Education Coordinator, the PQA Nurses, the VFC Coordinator, the Adult Vaccine Coordinator, the Storage and Handling team, the Vaccine Ordering team and the Immunization Program Medical Specialist to implement immunization activities.
• Assist in the development of provider education materials using software such as MS Office or CANVA.
• Provide feedback on new developments for the PhilaVax IIS as it relates to the VFC/VFAAR and IQIP programs.
• Assist providers in development of and implementation of quality improvement plans through the IQIP program.
• Manage and evaluate assessment data collected before provider visits; conduct immunization coverage rate assessments using the PhilaVax IIS and work closely with immunization staff to ensure data quality and to track immunization coverage levels.
• Attend monthly Immunization Program meetings, monthly PQA Team meetings, and attend/participate in other activities for DDC.
• Participate in additional immunization education activities as needed, including training for Medical Assistants, Office Managers, Physicians, Nurses, and internal staff.
• Support PDPH response to real-life public health emergencies as required.
• Support and participate in community immunization activities throughout DDC including, but not limited to, administering vaccine or Ig in the case of a vaccine preventable disease outbreak.
• Enter data and findings from the site visit into various online platforms, such as REDCap, and provide a summary of findings to the provider.
• Conduct approximately four to five compliance visits per month to VFC-enrolled immunization providers to conduct an on-site assessment of vaccine storage & handling procedures, vaccine administration, participation with the PhilaVax IIS, implementation of strategies to increase immunization coverage levels, and ongoing immunization education needs.

SKILLS:

• Knowledge of :
  • Theories, principles, and practices of nursing and their application in community health and clinic service settings.
  • Laws and regulations governing nursing practices.
  • Immunology o Surveillance, prevention, and control of vaccine preventable diseases.
  • Vaccine administration techniques.
  • The ACIP immunization schedule
• Must be eligible to work legally in the United States.
• Must be able to lift up to 50lbs
• Laws and regulations governing nursing practices.
• Immunology o Surveillance, prevention, and control of vaccine preventable diseases.
• Demonstrated proficiency in MS Office, demonstrated ability to learn new computer applications, comfort using databases, and proficiency utilizing on-line data management platforms.
• Experience implementing education and/or training programs.
• Must possess a valid driver’s license
• Theories, principles, and practices of nursing and their application in community health and clinic service settings.
• The ACIP immunization schedule
• Vaccine administration techniques.
• Strong written and oral communication skills.

EDUCATION / EXPERIENCE:

• Clinical experience is beneficial.
• 3-5 years of experience.
• RN/BSN.

SALARY:

• $70,000 - $75,000- Commensurate with experience

TO APPLY: Interested applicants should submit an electronic cover letter and resume bundled into one document, to: Amber Tirmal, MPH- Immunization Program Manager Division of Disease Control, Philadelphia Department of Public Health Email: [email protected]