PICU Clinical Nurse Specialist or Quality and Practice Advisor

Company: Lucile Packard Children's Hospital Stanford
Location: Stanford
Posted on: February 13, 2026

Job Description:

Job Description Job Description Company Description We are proud to inform you that this position is eligible for our Student Loan Assistance Program. You may receive up to $9,600 which will be applied directly to your student loan account*. *This benefit is for eligible positions as outlined in our program guidelines. At Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital Stanford, we know world-renowned care begins with world-class caring. That's why we combine advanced technologies and breakthrough discoveries with family-centered care. It's why we provide our caregivers with continuing education and state-of-the-art facilities, like the newly remodeled Lucile Packard Children's Hospital Stanford. And it's why we need caring, committed people on our team - like you. Join us on our mission to heal humanity, one child and family at a time. Job ID: LP_00020471-2653083 Job Description JOB SUMMARY This paragraph summarizes the general nature, level and purpose of the job. Clinical Nurse Specialist: Clinical Nurse Specialists are Master's Degree prepared advanced practice Registered Nurses in roles characterized by the following responsibilities: * Provide care for patients with multiple or complex health needs within a specific clinical area; * Use advanced clinical skills in the assessment, diagnosis, treatment and evaluation of patients; * Use theoretical and clinical expertise to assist health care providers and patients in promoting or achieving optimal health; * Develop and implement standards of nursing practice; * Serve as a consultant or expert resource person for other health providers; * Facilitate an interdisciplinary and collaborative approach to meeting the needs of patients; * Seek consultations and make referrals as needed; and * Promote research to improve clinical nursing practice. Clinical Nurse Specialists assess, plan, provide and evaluate specialized nursing care of patients by advancing the quality and scope of nursing practice through clinical practice, education, research, consultation, and administrative roles in the area of clinical expertise (e.g., diabetes, cardiology, respiratory, pediatrics, etc.) for a specified patient population. Quality and Practice Advisor: Quality and Practice Advisor (QPA) are Registered Nurses who utilize evidence informed practice to facilitate and lead improvements in patient care and in the work environment. The QPA is a facilitator of improvement work evaluating data trends, developing clinical practice changes ground by evidence-based practice, clinical specialty consultant to the nursing staff and inter-professional teams at LPCHS. QPA works collaboratively with inter-professional teams to enact implementation of evidence-based practice and specialty standards, lead improvement and change initiatives, utilize data and standard processes to assess and improve patient outcomes. Major responsibilities include but are not limited to nursing leadership, represents clinical practice in a subspecialty practice area, education of team members, facilitating and conducting evidence-based practice including dissemination, and professional development of the inter-professional team. ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS The essential functions listed are typical examples of work performed by positions in this job classification. They are not designed to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, tasks, and responsibilities. Employees may also perform other duties as assigned. Employees must abide by all Joint Commission Requirements including but not limited to sensitivity to cultural diversity, patient care, patient rights and ethical treatment, safety and security of physical environments, emergency management, teamwork, respect for others, participation in ongoing education and training, communication and adherence to safety and quality programs, sustaining compliance with National Patient Safety Goals, and licensure and health screenings. Must perform all duties and responsibilities in accordance with the hospital's policies and procedures, including its Service Standards and its Code of Conduct. Clinical Nurse Specialist: * Analyzes unit patient care plans currently for evidence of documentation of standards of practice, shares findings with staff, and collaborates in developing a variety of valid and reliable assessment tools to assist staff with documentation records. * Demonstrates expertise in the execution of daily patient care, providing collaboration, direction, and instruction to the staff in the application and utilization of the nursing process. * Elects, implements, and evaluates comforting, therapeutic, restorative, and preventative nursing measures for selected patients; expertise in the planning and delivery of special patient care problems. * In collaboration with nursing managers and other researchers, performs, assists with, and Initiates, evaluates and revises nursing plans of care that reflect a multidisciplinary approach to patient care; coordinates the nursing plan of care with the medical plan of care. * Maintains and teaches others the specialized knowledge and skill necessary to perform techniques and routines in the specialty service area. * Offers consultative services within nursing services and to other disciplines to provide or participates in planning, development, execution and evaluation of clinical research. * Participates in the hospital's quality improvement program; collaborates in setting unit standards of care and monitors indicators of quality projects. * Provides direct patient care using consistency in assessing current patient care situations, priorities, and needs. * Provides safety, comfort care, and treatment of patients according to established legal, ethical, and institutional standards. * Serves as a consultant to patients, families, and staff. Quality and Practice Advisor: * Establishes and monitors care standards and makes recommendations for changes in area of clinical practice based on professional standards and evidence. * Demonstrates a minimum of proficient level understanding of daily patient care, providing collaboration, direction, and instruction to the staff in the application and utilization of the nursing process. * Maintains and teaches others the specialized knowledge and skill necessary to perform techniques and routines in the specialty service area. * Consults within nursing services and interprofessional teams in planning, development, execution and evaluation of in the delivery of care to improve quality outcomes and practice compliance. * Basic understanding of quality improvement cycles and change management. * Participates in the hospital's quality improvement program and monitors indicators of quality and safety trends. Qualifications MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS Any combination of education and experience that would likely provide the required knowledge, skills and abilities as well as possession of any required licenses or certifications is qualifying. Clinical Nurse Specialist Education: Master's degree in a work-related discipline/field from an accredited college or university. Experience: Three (3) years of progressively responsible and directly related work experience. License/Certification: Registered Nurse by California Board of Registered Nursing Clinical Nurse Specialist by California Board of Registered Nursing Basic Life Support by American Heart Association (AHA) or RQI Healthcare Provider Basic Life Support Quality and Practice Advisor: Education: Bachelors degree in Nursing; required to be enrolled in a CNS program to be eligible to hire and must be completed within 4 years of job acceptance. Experience: Three (3) years of progressively responsible and directly related work experience License/Certification: CA Registered Nurse (RN); BLS for healthcare providers; advanced life support for area of specialty (NRP/PALS/ACLS) AND must have a certification in their field of specialty KNOWLEDGE These are the observable and measurable attributes and skills required to perform successfully the essential functions of the job and are generally demonstrated through qualifying experience, education or licensure/certification. Clinical Nurse Specialist: * Ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing. * Ability to conduct research, document results, draw conclusions and make recommendations. * Ability to develop and perform patient assessment and plan of care. * Ability to identify competency-based education needs of and implement educational programs for staff. * Ability to perform patient assessment and triage. * Ability to provide consultation to physicians, nurses and other health care providers in meeting care needs of patients. * Ability to provide direct evaluation and consultation to patients. * Knowledge of advanced clinical practice education, consultation, research, and administration. * Knowledge of clinical operations, workflow and procedures. * Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services including customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction. * Knowledge of the principles, practices and objectives as well as issues and developments in the field of nursing, especially as applied to the area of nursing specialty. * Skill: Advanced nursing skills in area of specialty. Quality and Practice Advisor: *Ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing. * Ability to conduct research, document results, draw conclusions and make recommendations. * Ability to develop and perform patient assessment and plan of care. * Ability to identify competency-based education needs of and implement educational programs for staff. * Ability to perform patient assessment and triage. * Ability to provide consultation to physicians, nurses and other health care providers in meeting care needs of patients. * Ability to provide direct evaluation and consultation to patients. * Ability to speak, read, write, and understand English effectively at a level appropriate for the safe and effective performance of the job. * Knowledge of advanced clinical practice education, consultation, research, and administration. * Knowledge of clinical operations, workflow and procedures. * Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services including customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction. * Knowledge of the principles, practices and objectives as well as issues and developments in the field of nursing, especially as applied to the area of nursing specialty. * Skill: Advanced nursing skills in area of specialty. PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS The Physical Requirements and Working Conditions in which the job is typically performed are available from the Occupational Health Department. Reasonable accommodations will be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the job. Additional Information Pay Range Compensation is based on the level and requirements of the role. Salary within our ranges may also be determined by your education, experience, knowledge, skills, location, and abilities, as required by the role, as well as internal equity and alignment with market data. Typically, new team members join at the minimum to mid salary range. Quality and Practice Advisor Minimum to Midpoint Range (Hourly): $79.03 to $98.79 Clinical Nurse Specialist Minimum to Midpoint Range (Hourly): $87.14 to $108.92 Stanford Medicine Children's Health (SMCH) strongly values diversity and is committed to equal opportunity and non-discrimination in all of its policies and practices, including the area of employment. Accordingly, SMCH does not discriminate against any person on the basis of race, color, sex, sexual orientation or gender identity, religion, age, national or ethnic origin, political beliefs, marital status, medical condition, genetic information, veteran status, or disability, or the perception of any of the above. People of all genders, members of all racial and ethnic groups, people with disabilities, and veterans are encouraged to apply. Qualified applicants with criminal convictions will be considered after an individualized assessment of the conviction and the job requirements, and where applicable, in compliance with the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance.

Keywords: Lucile Packard Children's Hospital Stanford, Salinas , PICU Clinical Nurse Specialist or Quality and Practice Advisor, Healthcare , Stanford, California