Transfusion Safety Officer (Nursing)

Position Profile

Humber River Health. Lighting New Ways In Healthcare.

Since opening our doors in 2015 as North America’s first fully digital hospital, we remain unwavering in our belief that we can change the hospital where we work, the community where we live, and the world of healthcare beyond our borders. Serving a community of 850,000 residents in North West Toronto, Equity Inclusivity and active participation in the North West Toronto Ontario Health Team are key initiatives important to our Team.

At Humber River Health, we use a custom combination of technology and clinical expertise to rebuild elements of care. We make technology work for staff and physicians; giving them more time to spend with patients, to eliminate inefficiencies, and to reduce the chance of errors. Humber River Health is formally affiliated with both the University of Toronto and Queen’s University and committed to becoming a community academic hospital.

Clinical Excellence, Optimizing Care through Technology and Community Connection frame our Research Strategy.

At Humber River Health, we’re not hoping for a renaissance, we are making it happen. As part of our dynamic team, you can lead the way, as we continue our journey towards high reliability care!

We have an exciting opportunity for a Transfusion Safety Officer (Nursing) to join our Laboratory Department ! The Transfusion Safety Officer (Nursing) will play a key part in improving transfusion safety and ensuring appropriateness by serving as a liaison between the Transfusion Medicine laboratory, nursing and medical teams, and patients, while ensuring compliance with regulations for reporting transfusion reactions to the relevant agencies.

Employment Status: Permanent Part Time Hours of Work: Day shifts from Monday to Friday - subject to change as per Management Rights Location: Humber River Health, Wilson Site Employee Group: Non Union

Salary Range: $100,674.05-$125,020.90 Reporting Relationship: Program Director, Laboratory Medicine

Responsibilities

Reviews and investigates transfusion reactions, and completes internal and external reports as required e.g. Transfusion Transmitted Surveillance System (TTISS), Canadian Blood Services (CBS), and Health Canada

Identifies and investigates any trends related to transfusion practice; reviews published guidelines, standards, and literature on blood product use, blood transfusion technique, alternatives to transfusion and effects of transfusion and make applicable recommendations

Acts as a resource for blood transfusion related technical problems; reviews, recommends and/or introduces blood transfusion equipment and devices to the appropriate hospital personnel

Liaises with Canadian Blood Services, commercial companies and Transfusion Medicine regulatory bodies on Transfusion related matters

Consults with clinical services regarding program changes that will affect blood product use, blood transfusion equipment needs, etc, including liaising with Transfusion Medicine laboratories and Safety Officers from other healthcare institutions

Oversees the completion of lookbacks, tracebacks and patient inquiries regarding blood transfusions

Participates in the investigation and debriefing of errors and accidents and reports to Manager, Medical Director and Transfusion Committee; and identifies area of improvement in transfusion policies and procedures

Promotes benchmarking and evidence-based practice in the transfusion of the appropriate blood, blood products and their alternatives

Works collaboratively with Laboratory Managers, Clinical Practice Leader, Corporate Quality and Risk Management, to identify transfusion issues relating to patient safety, identify strategies on reducing product wastage

Participates as a member on committees e.g. Transfusion Committee, CPL committee (as needed), requiring Transfusion Medicine input such as new product evaluation and nursing procedures

Conduct prospective and retrospective audits on the utilization of blood, blood products and their alternatives; and monitor Transfusion Medicine product utilization and brings utilization issues to the attention of the Medical Director and the Transfusion Medicine Committee

Provides education to physicians, residents, technologists, paramedical, nursing personnel and patients on appropriate use of blood, blood products and their alternatives, blood transfusion devices and other related information

Performing interdepartmental Policy & Procedure review pertaining to Transfusion Medicine

Acts a resource to nurses, clinicians and staff related to Transfusion Medicine issues

Assists in planning educational symposiums on transfusion related topics

Liaises with other paramedical organizations to ensure implementation of best practices in transfusion therapy (e.g. Ontario PeriAnesthesia Nurses Association, IV Nurses Association)

Participates and assists in the preparation of scientific papers for publication and/or presentation at scientific meetings on transfusion related matters

Other duties as assigned

Qualifications

Bachelor’s Degree of Nursing and/or related discipline required. Master’s Degree in Nursing, Adult Education Certification and Tissue Banking Certification preferred

Registration in good standing with the College of Nurses of Ontario (CNO) required

Minimum of 5 years of nursing experience, preferably in ICU or Emergency Department, Transfusion Medicine and Mentorship

Experience in MS Office (e.g., Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access, etc.)

Proficient in administering transfusions of blood & blood products to patients

Proficient in the use of the Hospital Information System/EMR

Knowledge of transfusion medicine practices

Excellent attendance and discipline free record required.

An understanding of equity, diversity, and inclusion principles as they relate to health practices is an asset. Humber River Health values lived and learned experiences in addressing systemic barriers and advancing inclusive practices.

Why choose Humber River