Held in high esteem for her effectiveness, Nicole M. Justice, MSJ, is vice president of patient safety, risk, and insurance at Tampa General Hospital in Florida. She holds a Master of Science in U.S. law, legal studies, and jurisprudence from the Seton Hall University School of Law and a Bachelor of Science in business administration and management from the University of South Florida. Her extensive education and experience in health care regulations and patient safety have been instrumental in her career success.
At Tampa General Hospital, Ms. Justice manages insurance coverage for the organization, oversees patient safety, and ensures a safety culture from the bedside to the boardroom. She encourages staff to report potential risks, allowing for a better understanding of processes, systems, and team members involved in the care delivery model. Additionally, she manages risks, handles insurance claims and litigation, and works with accrediting agencies. Ms. Justice started at Tampa General Hospital as the manager of quality and regulatory standards in 2010. She advanced to director of patient safety in 2019 and senior director of patient safety in 2022 before assuming her current role in 2024. Her leadership has significantly increased safety and risk reporting every year, resulting in more reports about potential incidents rather than actual occurrences. She takes pride in working collaboratively with the care delivery team to ensure patients receive the necessary care without posing risks to anyone involved.
In addition to her professional role, Ms. Justice has been a consumer board member of the Florida Board of Medicine since 2022. Further, she has been intricately involved in her community, serving as board chair of Rise Tampa, Our Police Foundation from 2019 to 2022, and volunteering with the Girl Scouts, her local church, Leadership Tampa, and the Institute for Healthcare Improvement’s Patient Safety Executive Program. Moreover, Ms. Justice’s professional memberships include the Florida Society for Healthcare Risk Management, the American Hospital Association, and the American Society for Healthcare Risk Management. These affiliations reflect her commitment to staying informed and connected within her field. Ms. Justice ascribes her achievements to hard work, tenacity, continuous learning, openness to feedback, and her motivation to make a difference. She aims to remain involved in improving patient safety across the health care system and continue contributing on a broader scale. She values the importance of creating future leaders and establishing lasting practices that outlive any individual person. Ms. Justice advises aspiring professionals in her industry to lean into their strengths and find ways to leverage them, ensuring that their confidence matches their competence. Outside of her professional life, she enjoys time with her family, water-based activities like paddleboarding, children’s sports, watching softball, and being outdoors with animals.