Online Certificate in Healthcare Quality & Patient Safety

Program Overview

This 12-credit healthcare quality and safety post-graduate certificate program prepares nurses and healthcare professionals with advanced skills in improving patient care processes. Students will learn strategies for risk assessment, communication, and building a culture of safety, positioning them for advancement in various healthcare settings. The program can be completed in less than a year, providing a fast track to career growth in a high-demand field.

Program Outline

Outline:

This 12-credit program follows strategies for improving healthcare safety and quality, as aligned with today's industry standards. Students will identify ways to ensure the continuous improvement of the patient care process. You'll specifically focus on healthcare quality improvement, risk assessment, communication, legal issues and strategies that contribute to building a culture of safety. You'll also explore ways to ensure accountability and reliability in care processes and collaborate with multidisciplinary teams.

Careers:

Perfect for nurses and healthcare professionals who have already earned their master's degree online or on campus, our healthcare quality and safety post-graduate certificate program can help position you for advancement in various healthcare settings. Nurses and medical professionals with advanced skills are highly sought after by employers. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of medical and health services managers is projected to grow 28% through 2032, much faster than the average for all occupations.1 However, these numbers don't even reflect the more recent challenges confronted by today's healthcare system. Leaders and caregivers now have the impossible task of treating a high volume of patients in complex, often unpredictable, systems and conditions. Moreover, health leaders are needed to improve and enact procedural initiatives that could help save lives. "Given recent and ongoing health issues such as the COVID-19 pandemic and the effects of Zika spread and transmission, healthcare workers need to be prepared," said Dr. Karen Brooks, graduate nursing faculty lead at SNHU. "The healthcare quality and safety certificate program exposes students to strategies for effective interdisciplinary interactions and problem solving through strategic data analysis." Expertise in healthcare processes can help shape a better healthcare system for diverse patient populations. According to the National Academy of Medicine report, "The Future of Nursing 2020-2030: Charting a Path to Achieve Health Equity": "Care management, care coordination and transitional care are activities that nurses perform as members of a health care team to decrease fragmentation, bolster communication, and improve care quality and safety. "2 "A care management approach is particularly important for people with complex health and social needs, who may require care from multiple providers, medical follow-up, medication management, and help in addressing their social needs," the report said.2 Those who earn the graduate certificate in healthcare safety and quality can build the skills they need to help protect the 1 in 10 patients harmed while receiving hospital care.3 This harm is reportedly caused by a range of adverse events, and nearly 50% of these cases are considered preventable.3 What's more, this 12-credit program can be completed in less than a year – helping you fast-track your goals and make an immediate impact in the industry.