DIRECTOR OF NURSING- ACUTE CARE Kilmarnock, VA
Rappahannock General Hospital
Primary Function/General Purpose of Position
The Nurse Director is responsible for the integration, facilitation, and coordination of administrative and clinical practice for the assigned nursing unit(s) with twenty-four hour accountability. Provides management and clinical support to other nursing units and house-wide as required. Serves as a professional role model, mentor, and clinical resource/educator for nurses and other members of the health care team. Develops unit goals and objectives with staff based on analysis of clinical and managerial processes to improve patient outcomes and create a culture of excellence. Represents the unit and is a liaison to internal and external customers. Is responsible for participating in unit budget development, monitoring, and variance analysis/reporting. Participates in product line development in partnership with clinical value analysis team (CVAT) and materials management team processes.
Participates in professional development activities and is active on hospital-wide committees.
Employment Qualifications
- Must be a graduate of an accredited program of professional nursing. A Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) or higher degree in Nursing is required/ Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) preferred. Must possess current license as a Registered Nurse from the Commonwealth of Virginia State Board of Nursing or awaiting reciprocity.
- Certification in specialty or nursing leadership preferred
- Membership in a professional organization preferred
- Must maintain current Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) certification.
- Work requires knowledge of organization and operation of a patient care unit and nursing care techniques and methods. Possess knowledge generally acquired through three to five years of experience as a professional nurse, with progressively increasing responsibility and experience appropriate to specialty area.
- Must have a broad based knowledge of clinical, psychological, and pathophysiological theories relating to nursing diagnosis and treatment, Possesses the ability to perform the range of nursing techniques found in general nursing practice including the unusual and non-routine as normally acquired through three to five years' experience as a professional nurse.
- Previous work experience in a supervisory or charge nurse position that required knowledge of financial management and personnel supervision and practice.
Essential Job Functions
- Identifies the need for change and process improvements related to cost, quality and service. Basic understanding of budgeting process, to include staffing, supply expense and capital expense.
- Listens and responds; verbally, non-verbally, and in writing, in a constructive manner with the goal of promoting understanding, while building right relationships.
- Communicates pertinent information to staff, which affects daily operations and goal achievement mentors effective communication skills to key clinicians.
- Identifies, defines and analyzes issues and underlying causes and determines the best course of action by facilitating creative problem resolution. Mentors team for succession planning.
- Facilitates staff achievement of professional development goals and fulfill their career potential by providing guidance, commitment, recognition and standards of performance. Encourages and supports the use of formal career advancement programs. Utilizes appropriate resources to teach and improve clinical practice among staff.
- Determines the shape of the present and future job environment by developing plans, methods, and work organization to efficiently maintain and improve practices. Integrates a current knowledge of the changing market place into the planning and strategic direction for the organization. Builds relationships with and collaborates with other health care providers, consumers and administrators to develop patient related programs. Participates in and facilitates hospital-wide initiatives that represent evidence-based best practices such as Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS),the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI), and other current initiatives.
- Integrates organizational operating principles, values, mission and vision; quality improvement and patient experience standards into the day-to-day functioning within the organization. Promotes continuous quality improvement processes to enhance patient care delivery.
- Utilizes Rounding to Influence (RTI) as a method to improve patient experience , satisfaction, quality and safety.
- Demonstrates an understanding of personal motivation, values, strengths and developmental opportunities to promote positive self-change. Accepts and integrates constructive feedback. Displays self awareness of personal/professional strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, limitations, and impact of others.
- Maintains clinical competencies in the event that staffing support becomes necessary during critical situations.
- Demonstrates the knowledge and skills necessary to provide age-appropriate care appropriate on his or her assigned unit. Demonstrated knowledge of the principles of growth and development throughout the lifespan and possesses the ability to assess data reflective of the patient's status and interprets the appropriate information needed to identify each patient's requirements relative to his or her age specific needs and to provide the care needed as described in departmental policies and procedures.
- Demonstrates leadership competencies that facilitate an environment that fosters employee engagement, teamwork, and collaboration.
- Demonstrates stewardship in managing resources and programs/activities within the department/organizational budget.