Responsibilities

The Clinical Nurse Associate provides 24/7 operational and clinical leadership to ensure safe, efficient, and patient-centered care delivery across assigned units. The Clinical Nurse Associate is directly accountable for the execution, validation, and reliability of care processes impacting patient experience, quality outcomes, safety, staffing effectiveness, throughput, regulatory compliance, and staff readiness.

This role maintains a visible, hands-on leadership presence across all shifts and serves as an operational authority during assigned coverage. The Clinical Nurse Associate partners closely with Nurse Leaders, Nursing Professional Development, Quality, Risk/Performance Improvement, and interdepartmental leaders to translate organizational priorities into consistent frontline practice. The role supports the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) principles through staff engagement, accountability, shared governance, and continuous improvement.

Scope of Accountability

Accountable for unit operations and performance across all shifts

Responsible for execution, validation, follow-through, and escalation of operational, quality, and patient experience standards

Serves as clinical and operational leader during assigned shifts

The position has supervisory authority including responsibility to assist the Nurse Manager to hire, assign, direct, evaluate, discipline, and recommend termination of employees, using independent judgment and discretion. Recommendations regarding personnel actions are given significant weight by senior leadership.

Works closely with direct report to review operation, patient experience, and quality outcomes and adjusts to the needs of the unit accordingly

Builds strong working relationships across all service lines, including but not limited to Critical Care, Medical Surgical, Telemetry, Maternal Child, and Surgical Services

Does not independently perform hiring, termination, or formal disciplinary duties

Staffing Coordination & Assignment Support

Collaborates with Nursing Leadership to ensure safe staffing, skill mix, and equitable assignments

Manages real-time staffing challenges including unplanned absences

Ensures appropriate coverage for high-risk patients, including constant observation (1:1)

Communicates staffing updates and escalates trends using data-supported recommendations

Responds timely to Protests of Assignment (POA) utilizing the Management Response form as outlined per policy

Patient Experience & Service Recovery

Conducts patient experience rounds during assigned coverage

Assesses responsiveness, communication, comfort, pain management, and understanding of care

Initiates real-time service recovery and documents interventions

Reviews patient experience data and addresses unit-level trends

Validates patient experience tactics (i.e. Bedside Shift Report, Hourly Rounding) through direct observation

Provides real-time coaching and reinforcement of best practices

Escalates repeated non-compliance patterns through appropriate channels

Throughput, Patient Flow & Length of Stay

Supports real-time patient flow from admission through discharge or transfer

Identifies and removes barriers related to diagnostics, bed availability, transport, and discharge readiness

Collaborates with physicians, case management, ancillary services, and receiving units to reduce delays

Balances throughput decisions with patient safety, staffing capacity, and patient experience

Responds to patient surges, emergencies, staffing shortages, and system disruptions

Participates in and supports Multidisciplinary Rounds (MDRs)

Ensures clarity of daily care plans, discharge goals, and barriers

For critical care service lines, ensure timely downgrades and proper utilization of critical care services

Tracks unresolved issues and escalates delays impacting safety or length of stay

Quality, Patient Safety & Performance Improvement

Monitors key performance indicators including medication scanning, hand hygiene, restraints, falls, and observation compliance

Collaborates with Risk/PI on occurrence reviews and follow-up actions

Identifies trends, near misses, and opportunities for improvement

Conduct real-time Root Cause Analysis in response to unexpected patient safety events as needed

Hospital Acquired Conditions & Harm Prevention

Supports prevention strategies for all Hospital Acquired Conditions and patient safety outcomes

Validates prevention practices and timely interventions related to patient quality and safety outcomes

Partners with Infection Prevention, Wound Care, Pharmacy, and Quality teams

Environment of Care & Regulatory Readiness

Conducts routine environment of care and safety rounds and documents accordingly

Maintains continuous readiness for regulatory and accreditation standards

Works with Emergency Management and Environment of Care team to develop attainable action plans for environmental risks

Identifies and escalates environmental, equipment, and safety risks

Staff Engagement

Conducts employee rounding across all shifts

Provides real-time coaching, feedback, and support

Facilitates safety huddles and reinforces quality and safety priorities

Escalates recurring performance or operational concerns

Leads or supports pre-shift huddles and unit communication

Encourages staff participation in shared governance councils

Supports ANCC initiatives

Collaboration with NPD, HR & Employee Health

Supports compliance with mandatory education, competencies, and certifications

Collaborates with Nursing Professional Development, Human Resources, and Employee Health on annual employee requirements

Tracks compliance and escalates gaps for remediation

Qualifications

Minimum of 3–5 years of acute care clinical experience

Prior charge nurse, coordinator, or leadership experience preferred

Strong communication, critical thinking, and operational leadership skills

Registered Nurse (RN), active and in good standing

Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) required; Master’s degree preferred

National Certification in Nursing Leadership or clinical specialty preferred