Vice President, Nursing Quality and Safety

Kirby Bates Associates has been exclusively retained by ChristianaCare to conduct a search for their next system Vice President, Nursing Quality and Safety.

ChristianaCare is a nationally recognized, not-for-profit teaching health system dedicated to improving health outcomes, expanding access to high-quality care, and lowering healthcare costs. ChristianaCare includes an extensive outpatient network, emergency medical services, home health care, and three hospitals with more than 1,300 beds, including a Level I Trauma Center and regional centers of excellence in heart and vascular care, cancer care, and women’s health. ChristianaCare, a four-time Magnet designated organization, ranks among the nation’s leaders in quality outcomes.

The Vice President, Nursing Quality and Safety (VP) provides strategic leadership and enterprise oversight for nursing quality, patient safety, and performance improvement. The VP plays a critical role in advancing a culture of safety, implementing evidence‑based practice, and continuous improvement of outcomes.

Reporting to the Chief Nursing Executive, the VP oversees key nursing functions, including Nursing Quality & Safety, Wound Ostomy Continence Nursing, and the WISH Program and serves as a trusted advisor and mentor to nurse leaders, frontline teams, and members of the systemwide Nursing Quality and Safety Council as well as Event Based Nursing Peer Review. The VP partners closely with nursing leaders, physicians, clinical teams, and enterprise leaders across Quality, Patient Safety, Risk Management, Accreditation, and Information Technology.

Opportunity Highlights:

• Serve as the system’s senior nursing quality and safety leader for a nationally recognized health system embarking on the High Reliability Organization journey.
• Shape and advance systemwide nursing quality, patient safety, and performance improvement strategies with direct influence on outcomes.
• Lead and develop high‑impact programs focused on evidence‑based practice, event review, peer review, and human factors.
• Partner with executive, clinical, and operational leaders to design and sustain data‑driven, outcome focused quality initiatives.
• Oversee nursing quality analytics and external reporting, including NDNQI, Magnet, and Leapfrog.
• Join a collaborative, values‑based culture deeply committed to professional development, caregiver engagement, safety, and equity.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s and Master’s degree required, one of which must be in nursing. Doctorate preferred.
• Current or eligible for Registered Nurse licensure in the State of Delaware.
• Nurse Leader certification required; certification in healthcare quality and patient safety preferred.
• Minimum of five years of progressive system leadership experience with demonstrated success working across interprofessional teams to design, implement, and sustain evidence‑based quality and safety programs and improve outcomes (NDNQI).
• Formal Lean Six Sigma training required (or willingness to obtain within two years).
• Knowledge of current nursing practice standards, The Joint Commission, CMS, Magnet, State, and other regulatory requirements.