Jeanette Zocco is a leader in perinatal quality and safety, with 28 years of experience in obstetrics in the hospital setting. She has worked as a bedside nurse, a charge nurse, a clinical nurse leader, a perinatal safety nurse, and a quality improvement performance specialist. Currently, she works as a healthcare system perinatal patient safety program manager and provides consulting services for hospitals seeking to implement evidence-based practice and improve patient outcomes.
Jeanette is known for developing innovative perinatal quality and safety programs in collaboration with multidisciplinary teams. Her programs have demonstrated improved maternal and neonatal safety outcomes.
MISSION
To elevate nursing practice, promote safe care, and ultimately facilitate improved outcomes for birthing parents and newborns through education and advocacy.
Areas of Expertise
Jeanette’s areas of expertise include data analysis, quality improvement, patient safety, nursing education, clinical research, medical record chronology preparation, project management, multidisciplinary simulation, labor and delivery, TeamSTEPPS, and fetal heart monitoring education.
Examples of quality improvement initiatives include:
-
Development of obstetric emergency response teams
-
Development of a standardized pre-cesarean checklist and team huddle process for unscheduled cesarean delivery
-
Implementation of CAT 2 huddles paired with the Shields Algorithm
-
Safe reduction in primary cesarean delivery
-
Obstetric hemorrhage safety bundle
-
Shoulder dystocia team response program
-
Prevention of retained surgical items
-
Multidisciplinary placenta accreta program
-
TeamSTEPPS implementation and training
Her experience includes both intrahospital and system-level perinatal quality and safety work in several large multi-institutional healthcare delivery systems.
CERTIFICATES & TRAINING
Jeanette holds National Certification Corporation (NCC) certifications in inpatient obstetrics, fetal heart monitoring, and obstetric and neonatal quality and safety. In addition, she is certified in simulation through Drexel University.
Professional Activity & Features
The Bossy Nurse Featured Story on Entrepreneurship (12/21/2025)
Burnout to Builder: Jeanette Zocco’s Pivot Playbook
Synova Perinatal Leadership Forum 2025 National Conference Speaker
Session titled Improving Neonatal Outcomes and Safety Culture with TeamSTEPPS, Lean Methodology, Category 2 Huddles, and the Shields Algorithm
NCC Item Writing Team Member
Former volunteer role creating test questions for the NCC ONQS exam. Requirements included successfully completing an NCC item writing course.
AWHONN 2024 National Conference
Poster presentation and Outstanding Leadership Poster Award
The Role of the Perinatal Safety Nurse: Bringing Quality Improvement to the Bedside
The Nurse Keith Show with Keith Carlson (12/15/2023)
Discussed the role of the perinatal safety nurse and the importance of quality and safety in improving patient outcomes and efficiency/workflow for frontline staff.
Nursing Strategies for Success with Damion Jenkins (10/20/2023)
Discussed key healthcare quality and safety issues, including preventable harm and opportunities for improved interdisciplinary teamwork and communication.
The Savvy Scribe Podcast with Janine Kolbach (10/3/2023)
Shared tips on writing and publishing a book.
More Than 10 Podcast with Ashlie Delskey (4/19/2023)
Discussed quality improvement and patient safety, errors in healthcare, person vs. systems approaches, and team debriefing.
AWHONN New York 4th Annual Conference
AWHONN New York 4th Annual Conference (11/7/2022): Perinatal Quality & Safety, LEAN Methodology
