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Nurse Manager
POSITION DESCRIPTION-MANAGEMENT
POSITION TITLE: Nurse Manager
DEPARTMENT: EFFECTIVE DATE:
REPORTS TO:
(Department Director)
APPROVED BY:
(Department Head) (Administration)
POSITION SUMMARY
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Nurse Manager
The Nurse Manager is responsible for the development, implementation and evaluation of the care provided on the patient care unit(s), which is consistent with the established strategic plan, goals and objectives for Patient Care Services. The Nurse Manager is responsible for 24-hour management of the patient care unit. The Nurse Manager supports optimal care that requires specialized knowledge, critical thinking and skills based on principles of psychological, social physical and biological sciences that utilize the nursing process. The Nurse Manager demonstrates the attributes of Servant Leadership, communicates exceptionally, and motivates others to achieve outcomes through work with multidisciplinary teams. Serves as chief recruitment and retention officer for department. Works in collaboration with nursing leadership to identify areas of improvement regarding practice, policies and processes. Refer to attached addendum, Patient Care Leadership Standards of Excellence for Managers. The Nurse Manager is directly accountable to the Patient Care Director.
PERSONAL SPECIFICATIONS
A. Education
Must have successfully completed an accredited nursing program.
BSN required, Masters Degree in nursing preferred.
B. Qualifications/Experience
· Must possess current RN licensure in the State of Iowa.
· Three to five years of clinical leadership required, with recognized knowledge and expertise in caring for specific patient populations, with evidence of successful change management.
· Ability to direct others and to exercise judgment in problem-solving scenarios.
· Ability to lead and/or participate in multidisciplinary teams.
C. Special Skills/Knowledge
· Must possess a comprehensive knowledge of general nursing theory and practice and an expanded knowledge of current clinical and specialized patient care concepts.
· Must possess a broad and varied knowledge base that is continually enhanced and updated through self-directed study and participation in educational opportunities.
· Must possess knowledge of performance improvement and quality standards.
· Must possess knowledge of The Joint Commission and other regulatory standards.
· Must be able to successfully complete basic computer course through in-hospital training; develops and maintains necessary computer skills including Word and Excel.
· Must successfully complete in-hospital orientation and competencies.
· Specialty certification encouraged.
D. Mental and Cognitive Traits Required
· Respects patient confidentiality in all communication; fully adheres to the Standards of Excellence and Code of Conduct.
· Maintains friendly, courteous and responsible interpersonal communication patterns.
· Verbally presents factual, concise, and timely information to the healthcare team and physician, as appropriate.
· Exercises sound judgment, seeking advice when appropriate.
· Easily grasps new concepts and acquires new skills and procedures readily.
· Possesses creative thinking, analytical problem solving and decision making abilities; self-direction; theoretical implementation and evaluation.
· Able to handle multiple tasks, cope effectively with stressful situations and time constraints.
· Able to make cogent and persuasive oral and written presentations.
· Able to interpret scientific data in a logical and coherent manner.
· Able to effectively manage and direct others.
E. Behavior Demands
Nurse Managers embrace common qualities of effective leadership shared by all of the organization's leaders. The Nurse Manager assists in creating an environment that enables the organization to fulfill its mission, vision and values. These leaders are effective communicators who clearly convey the organization's mission, to give the healthcare we’d like our loved ones to receive, to all members of their departments, services and the healthcare team.
Nurse Managers support staff and encourage them to act with appropriate autonomy over and responsibility for the work processes and work environment in which they are involved. They also evoke in staff a sense of ownership of and accountability for their work. Nurse Managers stimulate staff to continuously improve their performance, thereby improving the organization's performance. The Nurse Manager supports a “spirit of inquiry” among the staff, encouraging continued personal and career development.
The Nurse Manager is delegated autonomous decision making authority and has the freedom to execute clinical unit operations within the hospital budgetary constraints and administrative policy and procedure. He/She meets regularly with the Division Director to apprise of decisions made and actions taken, collaborates in problem solving, reports plans and/or progress of programs within the clinical unit and advises regarding the status of patient care.
F. Physical Demands
· Sit, walk and stand: may spend at least twenty-five percent of working time standing/walking.
· Lift, carry, push, pull: must be able to lift, carry, push, pull objects weighing at least 50 pounds, utilizing good body mechanics.
· Bend, stoop, kneel: Occasional bending and kneeling may be required in troubleshooting equipment/assisting clients.
· Manual dexterity/wrist and hand repetitions: good manual and finger dexterity is needed; up to fifty percent of working time may be spent using a computer keyboard.
· Vision, hearing, speaking: must have good visual acuity and depth perception to operate the computer system; speaking and hearing are essential to the communication needs of the position.
· Demonstrates the ability to consistently meet the department work schedule.
G. Environmental Conditions
· May be subjected to noise and disagreeable odors.
· Moving mechanical parts are found in the work environment.
· Universal precautions must be followed when working in any clinical area; workers are exposed to biologic and chemical hazards and must use appropriate personal protective equipment as trained.
· Work is performed in a well-lighted, temperature-controlled, and humidity-controlled environment.
· May be requested to travel to conferences and meetings as a representative. Must be able to make arrangements to attend these as required.
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Nurse Manager
H. OSHA Risk Factor (Check One)
Category I - Normal job related task involve an inherent potential for membrane or skin contact with blood, body fluids or tissues. Use of protective measures should be used under normal conditions.
Category II - Normal work routine does not involve exposure, but exposure may be required as a condition of employment. Protective measures should be readily available.
Category III - No exposure to blood, bodily fluids or tissues is expected in the work routine.
I. Age Specific Requirements
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Nurse Manager
Considers the special needs and behaviors of specific patient age groups served when performing his/her job duties (See addendum and/or competency assessment for specific age group served). Normal work will involve providing leadership for staff caring for infants, children, adolescents, adult and geriatrics.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
· Is aware of hospital and department compliance requirements for federally funded healthcare programs (e.g. Medicare and Medicaid) regarding fraud, waste and abuse. Brings any questions or concerns regarding compliance to the immediate attention of department management team or hospital compliance officer.
· Purposefully conducts all aspects of the job in an ethical manner in support of the hospital’s commitment to ethical behavior in all areas of personal and professional activity.
· Professional Practice /Leadership
? Embraces Servant Leadership principles.
? Knows what brings personal joy in work and looks for it daily.
? Commits to the hours needed to achieve outcomes and develop others to assure round-the-clock leadership. Requires flexibility with hours worked and shifting priorities as the environment changes, without losing sight of goals/outcomes.
? Accountable for deadlines, assignments or projects. Discusses barriers with Director prior to deadline. Accountability leads to trust. Trust leads to increased freedom and creativity.
? Influences Behaviors
· Inspires a shared vision for department. Passionate about the mission, vision and values and incorporates as own.
· Celebrates successes and accomplishments that strengthen the core services agenda. Provides timely feedback when goals are not being met.
· Conducts purposeful counseling/coaching sessions with direct reports to support professional development. Support “Rounding for Outcomes.”
· Supports organizational values by recognizing associates.
? Facilitates and supports coordination of care delivery, C.A.R.E. (Continuity, Accountability, Relationship-based, Evidence-based), on the clinical unit.
? Serves as a resource and support person in the assessment, planning, implementation and evaluation of nursing care on the clinical unit. Is clinically proficient enough to practice safely and maintain credibility with unit staff and physicians.
? Promotes and supports independent, autonomous nursing judgment, priority setting and critical thinking skills.
? Maintains current knowledge of trends and advances in nursing practice and professional leadership.
? Supports use of advanced concepts in the application of the nursing process in the clinical setting.
? Implements and evaluates new methods of care delivery.
? Recognizes and responds to bioethical and legal issues that influence patient care.
? Participates in appropriate professional organizations.
? Participates in community programming, as appropriate
· Quality
? Patients First.
? Hardwires patient rounding to assure consistent contact with patients.
? Follows-up on patient concerns as soon as possible if patient in hospital, and within 48 hours, if already discharged. Commit to Sense of Ownership.
? Notifies Director and/or Administration of concerns that have the potential to escalate or lead to Risk Management concerns.
? Embraces the philosophy that performance improvement is an essential element of our work, not an add-on. It is what defines a professional – evaluating our outcomes and looking for ways to improve.
? Organizational, Patient Care Services, and departmental strategic goals and outcomes are reflected in unit Performance Improvement Plan. Targets outcomes that are evidence-based. Analyzes the root causes of variation from quality standards.
? Creates the roadmap for department, based on patient population served, recent outcomes, and the organization’s performance improvement strategy.
? Accountable for steady improvement in publicly reported quality metrics. Engages Unit Practice Councils.
? Provides leadership for evidence-based practice. Incorporates evidence-based practice in policy and protocol development.
? Facilitates multidisciplinary performance improvement activities.
? Serves as the Safety Officer for department. Leads efforts to reduce identified risks, i.e., falls, medication reconciliation, infection prevention, etc. Creates and sustains a non-punitive environment.
? Ensures that unit associates comply with established policies and procedures related to safety goals, infection prevention and risk management.
? Ensures that unit associates maintain competency and skill to respond to anticipated and unanticipated emergency situations and/or crisis management.
? Promotes a “Speak Up” culture.
? Reviews risk management reports, as appropriate. Initiates and documents appropriate corrective actions. Participates in root cause analysis, as appropriate.
? Provides appropriate follow-up with associates surrounding potential risk situations.
? Ensures compliance with federal, state and local laws and regulations.
· Partnership with Associates
? Is visible and accessible to staff. Utilizes multiple communication strategies.
? Effective Communication
· Communicates in an open, clear respectful and consistent manner.
· Provides for two-way conversation between associates and management.
· Models behavior that invites colleague interaction and demonstrates mutuality.
· Honors diversity.
? Relationship Management
· Builds trusting, collaborative relationships with staff, peers, physicians and administration to advance the core patient business strategy.
· Creates an environment that enables the department to fulfill its mission, to give the healthcare we’d like our loved ones to receive, and exceed its goals.
· Achieves low turnover and vacancy rates.
· Fosters development of unit leadership team.
· Creates department schedules built first on patient need and second, around staff flexibility. Every effort is made to be flexible with individual staff requests without negatively impacting others or the department.
· Applies HR practices fairly and consistently.
· Ensures a thorough and adequate orientation program for new staff and student interns.
· Ensures the adequate competency training and continuing education programming is done to meet identified staff development needs.
· Supports department and hospital shared governance infrastructure and staff engagement.
· Supports continuous staff development and career goal achievement
? Shared Decision Making
· Engages staff in shared decision making by facilitating unit practice committees, and supporting similar shared governance committees. Promotes decisions that are patient/family-centered. Supports infrastructure for shared decision making.
· Develops own coaching skill and ability to give timely feedback. Shares decision making, but does not abdicate responsibility.
· Deals with performance issues in a timely manner, with philosophy of “Tough on performance, soft on the person.”
· Conducts regular department meetings; participates in divisional meetings.
· Serves on and/or chairs inter- and intradepartmental committees and medical staff committees.
· Workshop of Choice
? Builds credibility with physicians as a champion for patient care, quality and professional practice.
? Collaborates with medical staff to implement evidenced-based practice and process improvement (protocols, policies, and procedures).
? Collaborates with physicians to determine health process improvement needs (clinical management committee) to advance the workshop of choice.
? Prioritizes building physician relationships with key strategic partners. Consistently interacts with physician customers. Identifies work efficiency concerns and strives to address them.
? Assures that when physicians arrive on the unit, they are greeted and have the information they need to make clinical decisions. Assures that rounds are done with physicians whenever possible to enhance communications regarding plan of care. Adjusts morning staff schedules to provide for earlier charge nurse presence, if needed.
· Strengthen the Core
? Assures that unit policies and procedures are current and consistent with regulatory guidelines.
? Monitors for adherence to policies and procedures by use of audits, observations and timely feedback. Engages staff in auditing process. Continually communicates the “why” to processes and ties multiple, seemingly disparate changes to the bigger picture for staff and patient care.
? Holds staff accountable for adherence to standards. If standards are ignored, unintended standards are developed. If failure to comply, 1) respond with 1 – 2 verbal reminders, 2) request an action plan, 3) disciplinary action, 4) reflected in performance appraisal if an on-going issue.
? Collaborates with Director, Patient Care Services leadership, physicians, patient/families and other providers and customers to facilitate planning, implementation and evaluation of department/service line goals and objectives. Evaluates patient care outcomes.
? Develops annual capital, expense and FTE budget in concert with Director. Facilitates development of unit staffing plans to meet Patient Care Services strategic and operational goals.
? Maintains established productivity targets. Achieves productivity targets by year-end. If consistently unable to meet targets, establishes an action plan with Director.
? Evaluates daily staffing needs; collaborates with leadership team to facilitate adjustments that meet unit needs, per C.A.R.E. delivery model.