Job Description

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Plans, organizes, directs, and evaluates the operations of the Medical/Surgical/Pediatrics and Critical Care Units.
• Maintains compliance with all applicable federal, state, and local regulations, including Critical Access Hospital Conditions of Participation.
• Provides managerial leadership and maintains 24-hour accountability for assigned departments.
• Promotes a culture of safety, quality, accountability, and patient-centered care.
• Serves as a clinical and professional role model for staff and demonstrates leadership consistent with the organization's mission, vision, and values.
• Collaborates with physicians, nursing leadership, and interdisciplinary teams to achieve organizational and departmental goals.
• Oversees staffing plans to ensure appropriate coverage based on patient volume, acuity, and organizational productivity expectations.
• Monitors productivity metrics and develops action plans when targets are not achieved.
• Identifies opportunities to improve operational efficiency, optimize staffing resources, and reduce premium labor utilization.
• Develops, implements, and evaluates departmental goals, quality initiatives, and performance improvement activities.
• Oversees quality indicators including falls, hospital-acquired conditions, readmissions, patient satisfaction, nursing-sensitive indicators, and patient safety events.
• Investigates patient safety concerns and implements corrective action plans as appropriate.
• Maintains survey readiness and ensures compliance with CMS, state, and organizational requirements.
• Develops annual operating, capital, and FTE budgets and manages departmental resources within approved budget parameters.
• Monitors departmental financial performance and implements strategies to improve efficiency and responsible resource utilization.
• Participates in organizational initiatives related to revenue cycle, patient throughput, and operational performance.
• Secures and maintains equipment, supplies, and physical resources necessary to support patient care.
• Develops, reviews, and updates departmental policies, procedures, and standards of practice.
• Recruits, retains, mentors, and develops nursing staff and future leaders.
• Provides education, training, coaching, and professional development opportunities to ensure staff competency and engagement.
• Conducts performance evaluations and addresses employee performance concerns in accordance with organizational policies.
• Promotes employee engagement and supports a positive work environment.
• Serves as a resource to staff regarding policies, procedures, standards, and clinical practice.
• Participates in leadership meetings, committees, and organizational initiatives as assigned.
• Serves in administrative on-call responsibilities as assigned.
• Maintains confidentiality of patient, employee, and organizational information.
• Practices and behaves in a professional, safe, ethical, and respectful manner at all times.
• Completes all required education, licensure, certification, and competency requirements.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Supervisory Responsibilities

Responsible for the overall direction, coordination, supervision, and evaluation of the Medical/Surgical/Pediatrics and Critical Care Units. Responsibilities include interviewing, hiring, onboarding, scheduling, coaching, performance management, employee development, disciplinary action, conflict resolution, and succession planning in accordance with organizational policies and applicable laws.

Qualifications

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Education and/or Experience

• Graduate of an accredited school for professional nursing.
• Current Registered Nurse licensure in the State of Iowa.
• Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) required. Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) preferred.
• Minimum of five (5) years of acute care nursing experience, including medical-surgical and/or critical care nursing.
• Previous leadership, supervisory, charge nurse, or management experience preferred.
• Experience with budgeting, productivity management, quality improvement, and regulatory compliance preferred.

Position Requirements, Certificates, Licenses, Registrations

• Graduate of an accredited school for professional nursing.
• Currently licensed to practice professional nursing in the State of Iowa.
• BLS (Basic Life Support) certification through the American Heart Association required. New hires may obtain certification during onboarding with organizational support.
• MOAB training and ACLS within six months of employment.
• NIHSS certification preferred.
• PCCN, CCRN, or other relevant specialty certification preferred.
• Strong leadership skills.
• Experience with successfully managing budgets.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Demonstrated performance excellence and leadership qualities.
• Excellent organization, interpersonal, and customer service skills.
• Ability to work independently, make decisions, meet deadlines, and solve problems; working under a moderate to high degree of pressure.
• Experience with hospital-based computer system.

Language Skills
Ability to read, analyze, and interpret general business periodicals, professional journals, technical procedures, or governmental regulations. Ability to write reports, business correspondence, and procedure manuals. Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from managers, customers, patients, families and the general public.

Physical Demands

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand; talk and hear; and use hands to finger, handle or feel. The employee is frequently required to stoop, kneel, crouch, and reach with hands and arms. The employee is frequently required to walk and sit. The employee must frequently lift and/or move up to 20 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, peripheral vision, color vision, depth perception and ability to adjust focus. Computer work is frequent.

May be exposed to infectious diseases and occupational dangers like accidental needle pricks. Must be able to withstand physical and emotional stress.

Work Environment
The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee may be exposed to moving mechanical parts, fumes or airborne particles, risk of electrical shock, and blood borne pathogens. The employee may be exposed to unpleasant sights, odors, and materials. The employee may be exposed to toxic or caustic chemicals and risk of radiation. The employee may occasionally be exposed to high, precarious places and vibration.

The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.