WHY UT SOUTHWESTERN?
With over 75 years of excellence in Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas, UT Southwestern is committed to excellence, innovation, teamwork, and compassion. As a world-renowned medical and research center, we strive to provide the best possible care, resources, and benefits for our valued employees. Ranked as the No. 1 hospital in Dallas-Fort Worth according to U.S. News & World Report, we invest in you with opportunities for career growth and development to align with your future goals. Our highly competitive benefits package offers healthcare, PTO and paid holidays, on-site childcare, wage, merit increases and so much more. We invite you to be a part of the UT Southwestern team where you’ll discover a culture of teamwork, professionalism, and a rewarding career! 

JOB SUMMARY
Under moderate supervision, conducts complex investigations of patient safety events across the Hospital Patient Safety team’s purview. Collects and analyzes information from documentation and interviews to reconstructs timelines, and identifies causal relationships using cause mapping, High Reliability principles, patient safety principles, human factors, and systems-based thinking. Ensures accurate documentation and supports development and tracking of corrective actions. 

This position builds on the organization’s ability to continue to conduct advanced patient safety investigations, identify systemic risks, and ensure effective implementation and sustainable corrective actions. The current workload associated with patient safety event investigations has expanded beyond the capacity of existing resources. Increased event volume, more complex clinical care environments, heightened expectations for thorough investigation, and growing demands for action plan monitoring have created a need for dedicated investigative expertise. Dedicated investigative expertise will strengthen organizational learning, enhance regulatory readiness, improve accountability, and support proactive risk reduction efforts that advance patient safety and high reliability across the hospital.

BENEFITS
UT Southwestern is proud to offer a competitive and comprehensive benefits package to eligible employees. Our benefits are designed to support your overall wellbeing, and include:

• PPO medical plan, available day one at no cost for full-time employee-only coverage
• 100% coverage for preventive healthcare-no copay
• Paid Time Off, available day one
• Retirement Programs through the Teacher Retirement System of Texas (TRS)
• Paid Parental Leave Benefit
• Wellness programs
• Tuition Reimbursement
• Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Qualified Employer
• Learn more about these and other UTSW employee benefits!

EXPERIENCE AND EDUCATION

Required

• Education
  Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing 
   

• Experience
  3 years healthcare experience 
  Previous experience in event investigation or quality improvement 
   

• Licenses and Certifications
  (RN) REGISTERED NURSE 
   

Preferred

• Licenses and Certifications
  (CPPS) Cert Prof in Patient Safety 
  (CPHRM) CPHRM 
   

JOB DUTIES

• Lead Comprehensive Patient Safety and Quality Investigations
  • Independently conduct complex investigations of adverse events, serious safety events, near misses, and high-risk occurrences through detailed data collection, medical record review, staff interviews, and analysis of organizational processes.
  • Evaluate clinical, operational, environmental, and human performance factors contributing to events and ensure investigations are completed within established regulatory and organizational timelines.
• Develop Event Reconstructions and System-Based Timelines
  • Create detailed event chronologies that synthesize clinical documentation, witness accounts, workflow processes, and system influences to accurately reconstruct events.
  • Identify gaps in processes, communication breakdowns, handoff failures, and latent organizational conditions that may have contributed to event occurrence.
• Apply Advanced Root Cause and Human Factors Methodologies
  • Utilize Root Cause Analysis (RCA), Human Factors Engineering principles, Cause-and-Effect Mapping, Systems Analysis, and other evidence-based investigative methodologies to identify underlying contributors and systemic vulnerabilities.
  • Differentiate active failures from latent conditions and assess organizational risk factors influencing safety outcomes.
• Prepare Comprehensive Investigation Documentation and Reports
  • Develop clear, objective, and defensible investigation reports that summarize findings, causal factors, risk assessments, and recommended corrective actions.
  • Maintain detailed investigative records, documentation standards, action-item tracking, and workload metrics to support regulatory compliance, accreditation requirements, and organizational reporting needs.
• Facilitate Leadership Review and Executive-Level Presentations
  • Present investigation findings, causal analyses, and corrective action recommendations to multidisciplinary RCA teams, operational leaders, physicians, and executive leadership.
  • Effectively communicate complex clinical and operational information to diverse audiences while facilitating consensus on corrective actions and risk-reduction strategies.
• Monitor Corrective Action Plans and Organizational Accountability
  • Collaborate with operational leaders to develop measurable corrective action plans designed to mitigate identified risks and improve system reliability.
  • Monitor implementation progress, validate effectiveness of interventions, escalate barriers or delays, and provide ongoing status reporting to leadership.
• Analyze Safety Data and Identify Emerging Organizational Risks
  • Evaluate trends across safety events, sentinel events, near misses, patient complaints, and quality indicators to identify recurring patterns and enterprise-wide vulnerabilities.
  • Utilize analytical tools and performance data to prioritize improvement opportunities and support proactive risk management initiatives.
• Support Organizational Performance Improvement and High Reliability Initiatives
  • Serve as a subject matter expert in patient safety, root cause analysis, Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA), and event investigation methodologies.
  • Partner with clinical, operational, quality, and risk management leaders to advance a culture of safety, promote high reliability principles, and support strategic quality improvement initiatives.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Analytical and investigative skills
• Knowledge of patient safety and human factors
• Effective communication skills
• Ability to manage multiple priorities
• Working knowledge of common business software (Microsoft Office)

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS/WORKING CONDITIONS

Working Conditions

• Clinical Setting
• Office Setting

Salary Information
Salary is commensurate with education, skills, and relevant experience.

SECURITY AND EEO STATEMENT

Security
This position is security-sensitive and subject to Texas Education Code 51.215, which authorizes UT Southwestern to obtain criminal history record information.

EEO
UT Southwestern Medical Center is committed to an educational and working environment that provides equal opportunity to all members of the University community. As an equal opportunity employer, UT Southwestern prohibits unlawful discrimination, including discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, disability, genetic information, citizenship status, or veteran status.