Chief Nursing Officer Job Opening in Washington State

Job opening for a Chief Nursing Officer located in North Central Washington State.
 
Critical Access Hospital
 

SUMMARY:
This position description and performance evaluation defines the tasks and responsibilities normally expected of the Chief Nursing Officer (CNO), but it should be understood that it is not all inclusive and is subject to change by the CEO.

PURPOSE:

The CNO plans, organizes and directs the functions and activities of the Nursing Department and other assigned patient care departments. This includes responsibility for professional, managerial and financial development of the department. The CNO is further responsible for the coordination of departmental role with that of the Hospital. The Nursing Department includes the following areas: Emergency Department, Surgical Services Department (includes PACU), ICU, Obstetrics, Acute Care, Med-Surgical, Infection Control, Case Management, Nurse Informatics and Pharmacy.

NATURE AND SCOPE:

The CNO is directly responsible to the CEO. He/she is an integral part of the management team of the hospital. The CNO assists in defining, planning and implementation of Hospital’s mission statement and goals. The CNO assists departmental managers including affiliated clinics, in developing and maintaining the philosophy and professional standards of patient care departments, as well as approving goals of nursing managers have written.

• The CNO must maintain a positive and productive a working relationship with medical staff members.
• The CNO formulates and defines departmental organization, policy and procedure and interprets hospital policy as it relates to the patient care departments.
• He/she assures that departmental policies are consistent with Board, Administrative policies and that they fall in the scope of law under WAC codes and under Washington Nurse Practice Law. Such policies shall be written to improve customer service and support physicians’ needs as well as meet afore stated assurances.
• He/she identifies trends, or changes in patient care requirements and applies these to future organization plans. He/She analyzes data collection and implements planning to provide cost effective quality care.
• Serves as Infection Control nurse.
• Rotates call with other nurse managers

SUBORDINATE ACTIVITIES:

This position directly supervises the Acute Care Manager, OB Manager, Surgical Services Manager, E.D. Manager, Education Coordinator, Case Management, Informatics Nurse, and Pharmacy

CHALLENGE:

The major challenge of this position is to be able to plan and adapt to ongoing changes of nursing professionals under health care reform so he/she may enable patient care departments to expand with different horizons utilizing nursing at its fullest potential. It is imperative to the survival of the Hospital that the CNO keep informed of ongoing legislative action that affects health care, especially areas of CMS compliance regulations. Directs infection control activities for the hospital and clinic

CONTACTS:

The CNO is in frequent contact with administration, directors, department managers, staff level personnel, physicians, public, vendor representatives and State and Federal Inspectors. This position, when required, will make presentations to the Board of Commissioners and may represent the hospital at other public gatherings. The individual in this position will make every effort to project a professional, positive image of the Hospital when communicating with these contacts.

ENVIRONMENT:

25 bed critical access hospital in the mid-Okanogan Valley. Patient care departments consist of the Surgery department, which includes Outpatient, Ambulatory Surgery, Inpatient Surgery, Post Anesthesia, Recovery, the Emergency Department, the O.B. Department which includes Nursery, Post Partum, the Acute Care, Education, Case Management, Informatics Nursing, and Pharmacy.

LATITUDE:

The duties and accountabilities of the Chief Nursing Officer are clearly defined in this position description. The individual in this position is given the latitude to perform their job duties in a thorough manner, while remaining within the scope of their authority. Questions or concerns regarding the latitude of this position should be directed to the CEO.

GENERAL ACCOUNTABILITIES

Greets all patients, visitors, physicians, and other staff members in a courteous, respectful and professional manner at all time. Responds to all patients with empathy and positive interpersonal skills at all times.

• Reports for scheduled shift on time and prepared to assume responsibilities.
• Reports to work in proper uniform/attire.
• Leaves for meal break on time and returns on time.
• Varies work schedule to meet the needs of the department.
• Ensures the department manager has approved all scheduled overtime.

• Seek supervisor approval before working beyond scheduled hours that will result in overtime.
• Schedules all time off with supervisor’s approval.
• Strictly adheres to hospital attendance/tardiness policies 100% of the time.
• Performs all duties as assigned.
• Wears I.D. badge in a visible location at all times on hospital property.
• Protects I.D. and access badge and reports any issues or loss immediately to supervisor or to the Human Resource Department.
• Attends and participates in meetings and is responsible for information communicated at meetings and in email.
• Attends all mandatory in service on a timely basis as scheduled.
• Participates as an active team member at staff meetings.
• Reads communications and acts upon in a positive and informative manner.
• Identifies own educational needs and maintains appropriate skill level through educational opportunities.
• Exercise a commitment to practicing behaviors that are in agreement with the spirit of cooperation and reflect the values described in the Code of Mutual Respect and Professionalism.
• Assists all patients, family members, physicians, visitors, and employees in a professional and courteous manner.
• Extends special attention and sensitivity to all patients, visitors, physicians, and fellow employees.
• Actively promote diversity and inclusion across organization for both patients and coworkers while avoiding any language or actions considered to be discriminatory or derogatory regarding race, creed, color, ethnicity, national origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender expression, age, height, weight, physical or mental ability, veteran status, military obligations, and marital status.
• Assists in maintaining an atmosphere of cooperation and teamwork with other departments and community partners.
• Demonstrates a genuine willingness to prevent or resolve inter-personal conflicts.
• Demonstrates the ability to participate in and/or implement team decisions.
• Adheres to HIPAA and all applicable privacy laws at all times, only sharing information on a “need to know” basis.
• Follows Infection Control procedures at all times.
• Clinical Personnel: Strictly adheres to standard precautions by adhering to the usage of personal protective equipment when handling blood or body fluids.
• Non-Clinical Personnel: Washes hands and other skin surfaces with soap and water thoroughly and often in an effort to control spreading of germs within the department and facility.
• Adheres to isolation procedures at all times as applicable.
• Adheres to the following environmental care standards.
• Demonstrates adequate knowledge of safety policies and procedures, the use of MSDS sheets, hazardous material procedures, and safety codes.

• Code Blue, Code Gray, Code Silver, Code Amber, Code Red, Code Orange, Rapid Response Team
• Demonstrates adequate knowledge of security issues, i.e. personal protection, protection of personal and hospital property.
• Be familiar with and comply with the Mid-Valley Hospital & Clinic Personnel Handbook and Policies.
• Be familiar with the collective bargaining agreement (Union Contract) of the UFCW 21 and the Hospital.
• Demonstrates the ability to adapt to varied age-specific patient populations.
• Non-Clinical Personnel: This position has no responsibility for the assessment, treatment, or care of patients. However, the ability to communicate and interact with patients of all ages is required.

Requirements:

• The Chief Nursing Officer must be a registered nurse in the State of Washington.
• A BSN at minimum is required with an MSN preferred.
• Ten years clinical experience is required and 1 year management experience is required in providing quality patient care.
• Additional expertise/ training (i.e., ACLS, Neonatal Resuscitation, TNCC) will be given consideration.
• This individual must be familiar with departmental financial statements, able to use word processing and spread sheet programs and operate a variety of standard office equipment. This position must deal courteously and tactfully with contacts; be able to establish and maintain departmental policies and procedures; be able to perform work with attention to detail; be able to maintain accurate records; and be able to contribute to a pleasant, positive working environment.

PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTABILITIES:

DEPARTMENT OPERATIONS:

• Must be of impeccable character with high integrity and accountable for behavior when dealing with subordinates, peers and supervisors.
• Works with assigned patient care services departmental managers to develop, write and maintain departmental policies and procedure manuals to ensure efficient and professional departmental operation and guidance. Policy and procedure manuals must be kept current and conform with applicable administrative, regulatory, licensing and risk management standards.
• Actively participates in the planning, development and coordination of systems for accessibility, retrieval and development of departmental statistics to attain the institutional goals and meet the standards of licensing agencies. Must be able to adapt to computerization of departmental systems.
• Effectively coordinates activities of the patient care services with other departments such as but not limited to: Admitting, Patient Accounting, Quality Assurance/Utilization Review, Clinical Services departments and physicians’ offices to insure an accurate, timely, efficient flow of information to and from those areas.
• Participates in the design and flow of patient services to assure the most efficient care delivery possible.
• Oversees the different patient care departments. Intervenes on patient-physician-nurse conflicts with appropriate resolutions.
• Makes rounds to all patient care areas as needed and not less than weekly. Makes rounds periodically to evenings and nights.
• Attends or serves on hospital or physician committees as assigned, gives appropriate input/suggestions.
• Investigates alternatives to traditional nursing, develops electronic charting programs
• Works with other DNS’s in alliance (Tonasket, Brewster, Chelan) and develop working rapport with other DNS’s throughout the state, consults with problem solving, budgeting ideas.
• Represents patient care departments within the local community and promote continuity of care between institution and other health care providers, i.e., Home Health, Behavioral Health IHS, others.
• Develop and maintain working cooperation with the local college and various schools. Works to promote health education in the community.
• Review and maintain detailed and accurate records for federal and state survey inspections. Complies with correcting deficiencies in a timely manner and according to hospital policy and procedure. Compiles Critical Access Hospital information to submit on an annual basis the required evaluation to the State of Washington Department of Health.
• Keep hospital administration informed on all pertinent matters affecting facility operations or service.
• Assists the patient care services departmental managers with developing, planning and implementing a cost effective budget. Ensures operational revenue and expenses within each department.
• Assists department managers with the development of internal controls to ensure that properly established standards are being met, and, in particular, that all services being performed are being charged for in a consistent, timely and professional manner using current charging mechanisms.
• Reviews monthly work schedules for the patient care services departments. Works with the departmental managers to assure the work schedules are in accordance with bargaining unit guidelines and in accordance with hospital staffing ratios and guidelines and to ensure adequate 24 hour coverage for the department and to maintain overtime labor costs to a minimal level.
• Responsible for accurate completion of employee time records, timely and according to established policy and procedure. Insures accuracy of hours presented for payment.
• Approves or denies employee requests for paid time off and responds to such requests in a timely manner.
• Develop and maintain current job descriptions and conduct annual employee evaluations to insure that each employee fully understands the performance expectations of their position; encourages performance within designated standards; counsels employees demonstrating unsatisfactory performance as necessary. Job descriptions and employee evaluations must be completed timely, accurate and in accordance with hospital policy and procedure.
• Appropriately counsels employees demonstrating unsatisfactory performance.
• Attends and participates in hospital board meetings at the direction of the Hospital CEO.
• Attends scheduled hospital managers/supervisors meetings and communicates information to departmental staff regarding new developments and trends; conducts departmental meetings on a regular basis to keep staff abreast of policy/procedure changes and upcoming events. Maintains minutes of meetings for future reference. Copies of meeting to be given to Hospital CEO. Nursing Management, policy and procedure.
• Identifies own educational needs and maintains appropriate skill level through educational opportunities.
• Incorporate, utilize and promote the PI process, Quality Assurance Program, Safety, Disaster and Fire Protection Regulations as part of your daily management style. Assist patient care services managers with maintaining, participating and keeping their departments in compliance with infection control program and practices according to hospital policy and procedure. Respond to complaints in a timely manner and assist in resolving those complaints that are directly related to patient care.
• Identifies and directs orientation and training needs of the patient care services departments’ personnel to ensure the most effective utilization of individual skills and employee development.
• Directs the Infection control program
• Follows established hospital policies and procedures to preserve the patient’s right to privacy and confidentiality.
• Attends required inservice education to insure hospital compliance with state/federal licensing regulations.
• Conducts department meetings and staff training as required to maintain current practices.
• Attends department meetings as required. Makes suggestions; offers constructive criticism and personal requests in a non-abrasive manner.
• Adheres to departmental policy including dress standards.
• Maintains good personal hygiene.
• Interacts cooperatively with others to contribute and maintain a positive work environment and team building effort.
• Follows the normal chain of command.
• Protects the confidentiality of hospital business.
• Plans and organizes work activity to complete scheduled assignments on time.
• Comes to work on time and when scheduled; rarely has need to leave early for personal reasons.
• Participates with scheduled on call
• May be required to work any shift in emergencies.
• May be required to work any day of the week.

Competitive Salary Range!

How to apply for the Chief Nursing Officer Job: contact tinaroberts@contactjc.com or tinaroberts@toprecruiterweb.onmicrosoft.com 

Tina Roberts

Executive & Management Recruitment Services

(415) 770-1200