Position Summary

The Assistant Chief Nursing Officer is responsible for coordinating, developing, implementing and evaluating nursing care. The Assistant Chief Nursing Officer demonstrates leadership skills in decision making, problem solving, and interpersonal relations. Knowledgeable and understands psychiatric nursing care, standards of practice, medical, surgical assessments, interventions, crisis interventions, emergency services and the care required of the critically ill patient as well as programmatic components.

Assistant Chief Nursing Officer: Professional registered nurse whose activities include planning, organizing, directing, staffing and, in collaboration with the Chief Nursing Officer, controlling nursing services. Functions include ensuring compliance with all hospital policies and procedures and all regulatory agencies' standards. Coordinates nursing care with other departments and promotes good public relations within the institution and the community. The candidate is expected to be knowledgeable of nursing practices, standards and principles of nursing management, and the care of the patient. This position supervises and manages the nursing department, which includes the Surgery department, Intensive Care Unit, Emergency Room, GI Department, Infection Control, and Medical Surgical Department. The Assistant Chief Nursing Officer reports directly to the CNO and maintains constant open lines of communication with the CNO.

Essential Responsibilities

1. Develops, plans, implements and maintains standards of care, nursing philosophy, goals and objectives for the nursing department.

2. Develops and establishes departmental operating policies consistent with the organization’s broad policies and objectives and ensures their adequate execution.

3. Appraises and evaluates the results of overall nursing operations regularly and systematically reports these results to the Vice President of Administration.

4. Directs and supervises the preparation of the budget for the nursing department.

5. Together with the CNO, the Assistant Chief Nursing Officer establishes short-term and long-range nursing department plans and budgets based on broad corporate goals and growth objectives.

6. Develops and implements an effective performance improvement program and environment of care program, develops effective monitors for critical aspects of nursing care and takes appropriate action on those problems identified.

7. Delegates and seeks assistance from nursing supervisors and nursing management team with regards to policies, procedures, budgets or other issues that may arise.

8. Acts as a liaison between the nursing department and medical staff.

9. Ensures that the responsibilities, authorities, and accountability of all direct nursing subordinates are defined and understood.

10. Participates in the marketing activities for the hospital, as requested.

Skills and Abilities

• Able to speak in public and conduct meetings, seminars, training sessions, etc.

• Knowledgeable of principles of management, leadership skills and problem-solving theories.

• Think logically and apply technical knowledge when making investigations and inspections.

• Establish facts and draw conclusions based on information collected.

• Read and understand the laws and regulations to be enforced.

• Make decisions based on laws, regulations, and standards.

• Able to effectively supervise subordinates within all levels of organization.

• Quickly assess and make determination of situation to be handled within a moment’s notice.

Physical Demands

Light Work: Exerting up to 20 pounds of force occasionally, and/or up to of force frequently, and/or a negligible amount of force constantly to move objects. Requires walking or standing to a significant degree of time.

Environmental Conditions

Inside: Protection from weather conditions but not necessarily from temperature changes.

Reasoning Development

Apply principles of logical thinking to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions.

Mathematical Development

Add, subtract, multiply and divide all units of measure including measurements utilized in clinical settings.

Language Development

Reading: Read and understand instructions, safety rules, medical terminology and other written materials such as policies, procedures, etc.

Writing: Write letters, correspondence and other reports with proper format, punctuation, spelling and grammar, using all parts of speech.

Speaking: Speak with poise, voice control, and confidence using correct English and well-modulated voice.

Relationships to Data, People and Things

Data: Compiling: Gathering, collating, or classifying information about data, people or things. Reporting and/or carrying out a prescribed action in relation to information is frequently involved.

People: Speaking-Signaling: Talking with and/or signaling people to convey or exchange information. Includes giving assignments, instructions and/or directions to helpers, subordinates or assistants.

Things: Operating-Controlling: Starting, stopping, controlling and adjusting the progress or machines or equipment.

Qualifications

Education:

Licensed Registered Nurse with a minimum of three years’ experience in an acute care nursing environment with demonstration of experience in different areas of nursing within the acute care setting. Bachelor’s degree in nursing required or experience commensurate to position. Bilingual, English and Spanish, a plus.