Unit Manager - Surgical Services

Overview

Full-time, exempt position working primarily Monday - Friday from 6:30 am - 4:30 pm. The Unit Manager is a registered nurse who provides 24 hour/7 days a week, leadership in nursing practice and directs patient care delivery within a specified nursing unit. Provides leadership by working cooperatively with ancillary nursing and health team members to promote continuity of care through the nursing process. Serves as a clinical resource person to all staff members on a specified nursing unit.

Responsibilities

• Maintains the standards of nursing care and implements the policies and procedures of the hospital and clinical services.
• Ensures that care is delivered to each patient in accordance with quality standards and is documented in clinical records.
• Assists VP of Clinical Services in planning programs that are integrated with patient care delivered on the nursing unit.
• Responsible for the recruiting, interviewing, and selection of staff. Utilizes hospitals peer interviewing process.
• Responsible for the planning and scheduling of nursing staff orientation. Is involved in the orientation process. Participates in staff development programs.
• Guides staff in the process of personal/professional growth through coaching, counseling, and mentoring.
• Evaluates the competence of staff within the unit through the use of established performance standards; communicates corrective action to VP of Clinical Services and ensures follow up is completed.
• Participates in Quarterly Leadership Development training.
• Responsible to make or provide input into making the employee schedule for department. Evaluates "staffing system" to insure unit needs are being met including implementation of scheduled call when applicable.
• Responsible for preparing or assisting the VP of Clinical Services in preparing the departmental budget.
• Assures the appropriate use of the nursing process in the delivery of care to all ages of patients including geriatric, adult, adolescent and pediatrics with the exception of Family BirthPlace where the patient population includes adults and neonates.
• Acts as liaison between patient, family and physician and other members of the health team.
• Provides for continuity of care and discharge planning which is integrated with other health disciplines.
• Participates in the development of organizational and departmental goals and implements processes to meet those goals.
• Participates in the establishment and review of unit standards of practice and unit policies and procedures that form the basis of safe patient care.
• Participates in an ongoing program to monitor, evaluate, and improve the quality and appropriateness of patient care delivered within the unit or other areas of the nursing and ancillary departments.
• Provides for communication of policy, procedure and other appropriate changes to staff and gathers feedback from staff within unit.
• Assesses discharge planning needs of patients and family and collaborates with patient care team in plan implementation.
• Reports pertinent observations and reactions regarding patients to the appropriate person (i.e., physicians and/or VP of Clinical Services) and documents those observations accurately and concisely.
• Initiates and/or assists in emergency measures for sudden adverse developments in patients, such as cardiac arrest.
• Assists physicians with special tests and procedures such as thoracentesis, lumbar tap, etc.
• Reports and follows-up on potential risk management, corporate compliance, HIPAA, and quality and safety issues on a timely basis and reports findings to VP of Clinical Services.
• Assists in coordinating the transfer of patients who are being directed to other healthcare facilities.
• Seeks assistance from appropriate resource person as necessary in solving clinical and management problems.
• Promotes an environment in which the patient care team can work cooperatively toward objectives.
• Delegates responsibilities to personnel within scope of their abilities and competencies.
• Serves on committees and attends meetings as assigned or requested by VP of Clinical Services.
• Performs other duties as assigned or requested.
• Assists with special projects.
• Performs the duties and responsibilities of staff RN.

Qualifications

PREPARATION AND TRAINING

1. Work requires a professional level of knowledge acquired by completing an accredited RN nursing education program. Candidate must hold RN licensure from the ND board of Nursing for the current year. Preference for a Baccalaureate Degree in Nursing.
2. Family BirthPlace position requires completion of a basic fetal monitoring course and neonatal resuscitation course.
3. ED position requires completion of ACLS courses and TNCC preferred.
4. Patient Care Unit/ICU position requires completion of a basic cardiac monitoring course and ACLS course.

EXPERIENCE

1. Minimum of three years of general nursing experience in hospital (health care field).
2. Preference for previous supervisory or management experience.
3. Preference for a minimum one year of staff experience in the individual unit.
4. Knowledge of Joint Commission Standards.
5. Knowledge of administrative nursing practice.

Time to reach competency on the job: 3 months to 6 months following orientation to the work area.