Behind the Data: A Nursing Role in Surgical Quality with Emily Nelson

In this episode of My Nurse Specialty, I talk with Emily Nelson about her role in NSQIP, the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program. Emily shares how she started her career in the OR, moved into quality and safety work, and now leads a remote team of nurses who review surgical data to help hospitals improve outcomes and patient safety. We talk about what this role actually looks like day to day, the kind of experience that helps nurses transition into this work, and why titles can be misleading when nurses are exploring nontraditional or remote opportunities. Emily also shares helpful advice for nurses who want remote work and encourages them to stay curious, look beyond job titles, and apply for roles that interest them. In this episode, we talk about: What NSQIP is and how nurses use surgical data to improve hospital quality and safety How OR, perioperative, and critical care experience can open doors into remote quality roles Why nurses should look beyond job titles and stay open to unexpected career paths About Emily: Emily Nelson is an RN who began her nursing career in the operating room and later transitioned into surgical quality and safety. She now works in a regional role supporting NSQIP across multiple medical centers, leading a team of nurses who abstract surgical cases, analyze outcomes, and help drive quality improvement efforts. Her work combines clinical knowledge, data interpretation, and collaboration to improve patient safety on a larger scale.