Job Abstract

Job Description

Manages the overall assessment, planning, implementation and evaluation of patient care on the unit. Carries out the System, Hospital and Nursing Service mission, vision, values and the overall strategic planning, clinical management, patient care, budgeting, financial management and quality management on the unit. Promotes the organization service standards and creates a patient focused caring environment while addressing and meeting the individual needs of the patient; fosters an environment of collaboration and respect with physician colleagues, nurses and other healthcare team members.

Job Responsibility

• Maintains current knowledge of and ensures compliance with all regulatory and professional standards of care; utilizes creativity in developing quality/performance improvement programs, instructing staff and implementing new and improved standards; utilizes results from tracer methodology tools to develop corrective action plans to ensure that quality of care is embedded into clinical practice on an ongoing basis.
• Manages the personnel, supply and equipment budgets in collaboration with the staff and support department directors; develops long-term unit staffing schedules and ensures adequate daily coverage in accordance with established staffing needs; develops measures and monitors unit operational performance metrics inclusive of agency and overtime costs, vacancy and turnover rates.
• Collaborates with the Nurse Executive to establish nursing care standards and evaluates staff compliance; identifies research protocols effecting the patient population served and keeps nursing staff informed; facilitates the effective provision of support services essential to patient care.
• Facilitates the effective provision of support services essential to patient care; maintains a safe and caring environment for patients that is conducive to positive health teaching, and maintenance; patient and family expectations of care; develops mechanism to assess same; develops unit goals and objectives to support the institutional values and goals, with input from staff; recognizes the need for patient care to be delivered in a culturally sensitive manner and role models sensitivity to staff.
• Participates in the overall planning process for the service; responsible for the overall planning process for the unit; uses findings from patient satisfaction survey and with input from the staff, to establish unit based customer services agenda; uses findings from staff satisfaction survey and with input from the staff, to establish a unit based recruitment and retention agenda.
• Develops an effective plan for delivery of nursing care within the assigned area of responsibility; responds to patient and family concerns or complaints with sensitivity and compassion in a timely fashion; conducts monthly meetings with the staff to address equipment, scheduling, goals and objectives, performance metrics and improvement activities, and any staff concerns.
• Hires, educates and evaluates staff; works with Human Resources to counsel, discipline and terminate staff as needed; educates staff in new and existing department procedures and systems (e.g. information systems, fiscal responsibility, etc.); makes recommendations and provides opportunities for growth and development of personnel and arranges for appropriate education and training; is able to identify at least one potential successor to the Nurse Manager role; creates and maintains a supportive working environment for all staff, and students; demonstrates self-development and keeps current on a variety of clinical management and health care topics.
• Completes the Core Management Series and appropriate management conferences; responds in a timely fashion to staff concerns and functions proactively to retain staff; establishes unit metrics and goals to measure effectiveness of retention strategies; creates and maintains an atmosphere of respect and courtesy toward patients, staff and colleagues; employs learning organization principles and techniques in all aspects of unit leadership; promotes a level of professionalism on the unit; motivates academic pursuit and continuing education on the part of the staff by establishing and meeting service based professional certification goals.
• Promotes empowerment of the staff by utilizing collaborative approaches and encouraging new ideas; participates as a member of the healthcare team and various interdisciplinary committees to improve patient care and meet patient needs; promotes collegial relationships based on mutual respect and support.
• Performs related duties as required. All responsibilities noted here are considered essential functions of the job under the Americans with Disabilities Act. Duties not mentioned here, but considered related are not essential functions.

Job Qualification

• Bachelors Degree in Nursing (BSN) required.
• Current license to practice as a Registered Professional Nurse in New York State required, plus specialized certifications as needed.
• 7+ years of technical experience and 2+ years of leadership / management experience, required.