Responsible for directing and coordinating daily departmental function and planning for delivery of the highest quality of safe patient care. Collaborates with the Nurse Manager and/or designee to manage and direct the implementation of professional nursing practice on a daily basis.

I. Major Responsibilities:

1. Coordinates age-appropriate patient care activities for a defined staff and makes immediate decisions for those areas within the scope of his/her responsibility using knowledge of standards, policies and procedures as they apply to the given area.
2. Conducts daily patient care rounds, assessing patient care requirements and monitoring nursing staff performance. Reviews documentation and addresses non-compliant standards with staff.
3. Assists with the coordination of patient satisfaction initiatives on the unit. Evaluates performance through patient and family interviews and review of HCAPS (Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems) reports. Communicates with staff recognizing achievements and identifying opportunities for improvement.
4. Coordinates daily operations to assure appropriate staffing, optimal patient flow, bed management, and productivity to meet or exceed budget. Keeps nurse manager informed of nursing workload, changes in patient and/or employee needs.
5. Collaborates with the nursing leadership team in the strategic planning, implementation, evaluation, and revision of systems to support and enhance the competence, autonomy, and accountability of the nursing staff.
6. Assists Manager and/or designee to ensure the department complies with hospital established policies, quality assurance programs, safety, and infection control policies and procedures.
7. Participates in the development of goals, objectives, policies and procedures for efficient departmental operations.
8. Identifies issues and seeks resolution to problems. Utilizes analytical and critical thinking in decision making and judgment that is aligned with organizational objectives.
9. Participates in monitoring resources. Notifies nurse manager of risk management issues and follows up with appropriate staff as necessary.
10. Provides input to the preparation of the annual budget and capital equipment budget.
11. Serves as a role model, coach and facilitator. Inspires and encourages teamwork.
12. Fosters a collaborative professional relationship with other hospital departments/staff, physicians, and managers to ensure best practice is the focus for all patient-centered quality care.
13. Assists the Nurse Manager with personnel responsibilities including, but not limited to, interviewing, hiring, performance evaluations, scheduling, orientation, annual regulatory and clinical competency requirements. Provides immediate disciplining and counseling to staff as necessary. Makes recommendations to Nurse Manager regarding need for further disciplinary action as necessary.
14. Assists manager in ensuring compliance with regulatory agencies such as Joint Commission, DPH, etc. Assists in development and maintenance of procedures and processes necessary to meet regulatory requirements.
15. Participates in staff meetings, sharing system wide goals and objectives with front line staff and links their daily work to the mission and vision and strategic goals of the organization.
16. Attends nursing leadership and manager meetings. Participates in committees and taskforce teams as a representative of the Department of Nursing. Attends conferences and seminars as required or directed for facilitation of professional development.

Standard Management Level Responsibilities:

1. Directs and supervises assigned personnel including performance evaluations, scheduling, orientation, and training. Makes recommendations on employee hires, transfers, promotions, salary changes, discipline, terminations, and similar actions. Resolves grievances and other personnel problems within position responsibilities.
2. Develops and recommends the budgets for the areas managed. Manages activities to assure financial goals are met.
3. Coordinates the assignment of tasks and helps resolve technical and operational problems. Evaluates the impact of solutions to ensure goals are achieved.
4. Provides effective direction, guidance, and leadership over the staff for effective teamwork and motivation, and fosters the effective integration of efforts with system-wide initiatives.
5. Encourages and supports diverse views and approaches, demonstrates Standards of Respect, and contributes to creating and maintaining an environment of professionalism, respect, tolerance, civility and acceptance toward all employees, patients and visitors.
6. Integrates diversity into departmental objectives, such as hiring, promotions, training, vendor selections, etc.
7. Participates in performance improvement initiatives and demonstrates the use of quality improvement in daily operations.
8. Ensures compliance with regulatory agencies such as Joint Commission, DPH, etc. Develops and maintains procedures necessary to meet regulatory requirements.
9. Ensures that department complies with hospital established policies, quality assurance programs, safety, and infection control policies and procedures.
10. Ensures adequate equipment and supplies for department.
11. Develops and maintains established departmental policies, procedures, and objectives.
12. Ensures compliance to all health and safety regulations and requirements.
13. Maintains, regular, reliable, and predictable attendance.
14. Performs similar or related duties as required or directed.

All responsibilities are essential job functions.

II. Position Qualifications:

License/Certification/Education:
Required:
1. Current Massachusetts Registered Nurse licensure and registration.
2. Bachelor's degree in nursing or management experience.

Experience/Skill:
Required:
1. Minimum of two years related clinical experience and at least one year experience in the clinical preceptor and/or resource role.
2. Demonstrates leadership experience.
3. Excellent verbal and written communication skills.

Unless certification, licensure or registration is required, an equivalent combination of education and experience which provides proficiency in the areas of responsibility listed in this description may be substituted for the above requirements.

Department-specific competencies and their measurements will be developed and maintained in the individual departments. The competencies will be maintained and attached to the departmental job description. Responsible managers will review competencies with position incumbents.

III. Physical Demands and Environmental Conditions:

Work is considered moderate, frequent walking, standing and potential exposure to hazardous materials including blood and bodily fluids. Position requires work indoors in a patient care environment.