Hi everyone! I’m hoping to hear from people who currently work in quality improvement, patient safety, or a similar department within a hospital/health system.
I have a BS in Public Health and currently work as a Project Manager in healthcare communications. Before moving into project management, I also worked in direct patient care in a hospital. Long term, I’m really interested in transitioning back into the hospital setting and building a career in healthcare quality/patient safety, with the goal of eventually moving into quality leadership.
I’d love to hear what this field is actually like from people doing the work.
What is your job title, and what does a typical day/week look like for you? What kinds of projects do you work on? How much of your job involves data/analytics vs. meetings, project management, chart review, process improvement, etc.? What do you like/dislike about the field?
I’m also trying to figure out the best way to prepare myself for eventually making the transition. I’ve been considering getting an MHA, but I’m not sure if that’s the best graduate degree for quality improvement or if I should be looking at something else. Would you recommend a master’s at all? Are there particular certifications, technical skills, or types of experience that would make someone with my background more competitive?
Basically, if you were in my position and knew you wanted to end up in hospital quality improvement/patient safety, what would you focus on over the next few years?
Would really appreciate any insight, especially from anyone who entered QI without being an RN!