About this role
POSITION SUMMARY: The NICU Nurse Manager under the direct supervision of the Perinatal Director, is assigned supervisory & clinical responsibilities of the nursing unit/department & staff related to the coordination & operation of the department/unit. Team member whose responsibilities include leading, supervising, & influencing the daily operational activities associated with the assigned team. Supports the overall business plan by monitoring team performance & outcomes relative to established goals/measurements.
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:
• Staffing
• Maintains a current awareness of staffing, coordination & evaluation of patient care needs. Contributes performance management information of assigned team to Perinatal Director. Oversees optimal daily staffing of unit & patient assignments in accordance with budgeted positions & staff skill sets.
• Departmental & Organizational Resource:
• Actively collaborates with management team to provide department/unit representation at departmental & hospital-wide council & committee meetings. Participates in & may lead productive unit staff meetings. Functions as a role model at the expert level of practice.
• Systems Thinking
• Participates in policy, procedure, guideline development and/or system redesign. Exhibits a comprehensive, intuitive grasp of clinical situations & is able to mobilize needed resources to achieve patient outcomes. Utilizes tools to ensure effective tracking & management of resources & enhancement of care practices. Recognizes system failures & participates in problem resolution, utilizing existing resources or developing new resources.
• Education
• Directs clinical nursing practice. Coordination & assessment of critical care educational development & clinical competency of the nursing staff. Ensuring continued neonatal critical care nursing competency through educational programs for both the newly-hired & experienced nursing staff. Consultation with staff on complex neonatal critical nursing issues. Oversight of comprehensive parent and or primary caretaker education activities. Ensuring the implementation of a coordinated and effective discharge planning program.
• Leadership
• Provides direction & leadership to team members as required & assist the team in identifying & securing necessary resources. Evaluates current practice & makes recommendations for improvement based on best practices, education & research. Mentors staff in professional development of new nurses, preceptor role & in-service education development.
• Quality Improvement
• Participates in the development & achievement of unit based goals & objectives. Oversees employee performance improvement activity, identifies opportunities for team improvement & recommends process to evaluate & implement approved changes.
• Clinical Nurse
• When needed to cover a clinical shift, responsible for independently applying the nursing process through the assessment, planning implementation, evaluation & documentation of neonatal patient care. Selects & administers the appropriate care and incorporating family centered care.
• Accountable for high standards of patient care provided in the unit.
• Demonstrates expertise in delivering quality patient care in the unit:
• Through Performance Improvement involving staff in the studies and promotion and evaluating compliance.
• Submits PI summaries in a timely manner as compiled by the nurse assigned.
• Participates in quarterly Nursing PI meetings to assist in problem solving throughout the hospital.
• Proactively identifies and addresses problems within the unit. Effectively manages conflict and change. Demonstrates expertise in coordinating complex clinical cases.
• Organizes and conducts monthly staff meetings. Submits minutes to the Nursing Office & Perinatal Director within four weeks of meeting. Responsible for timely:
• Educational Activities.
• Performance Appraisals.
• Maintains compliance with all regulations established by regulatory legislative and accrediting bodies and functions within the limits of the State Nursing Practice Act.
• Maintains unit's policy and procedure manual. Responsible for the development and updating of standards.
• Actively contributes to cost control by managing time, resources and supplies effectively.
• Maintains and demonstrates professional skills through self-development/continuing education. Attends at least one management class per year and pertinent classes for specific skills relevant to clinical area.
• Creates an atmosphere of motivation and praise and assists staff in reaching its full potential. Works with Education to develop competency assessment of staff.
OTHER RESPONSIBILITIES:
• Effective oral and written communication skills.
• Conducts one formal skills fair.
• Objectively counsels and documents personnel problems. Monitors and evaluates staff in a timely manner.
• Clearly and accurately communicates pertinent aspects of the patient's care for other members of the Health Care team.
• Maintains positive and caring interpersonal relationships with patients, families and co-workers.
• Maintains records, logs, patient records as required in department.
• Encourages team building and unit cohesiveness.
• Makes assignments objectively, taking into consideration the employee's expertise and skill level.
JOB RELATIONSHIPS:
• Reports directly to the Perinatal Services Director.
EDUCATION, EXPERIENCE & SKILLS REQUIRED:
• Current licensure to practice Registered Nursing in the State of California.
• Two years of management experience in an acute setting (preferred).
• Two years NICU clinical experience one of which shall have been in a facility with a NICU equivalent to a Regional, Community or Intermediate NICU (preferred).
• Current ACLS, BLS & NRP certification.
• Clinical experience as evidenced by specialty training specific to the nursing area of supervision.
• NCC certification preferred.
• Bachelor's Degree minimum (Master's Degree Preferred)
• Knowledge of JCAHO, Title 22 Standards, Hospital and Nursing Policies.
AGE OF THE POPULATION SERVED: New born.
PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:
• Manual dexterity with fine motor ability to operate and handle equipment used in the department.
• Ability to hear the spoken word, auscultate for physical assessment skills and monitor alarms.
• Ability to see written type.
• Ability to stand for up to several hours at a time.
• Ability to climb stairs.
• Must be able to lift 25 pounds and able to perform tasks of lifting, turning and transferring patients.
MENTAL REQUIREMENTS: Ability to follow written and oral instructions. Must have the ability and desire to learn job functions outlined in the job description, work as part of a team in order to achieve a common goal and maintain effective work relationships with those contacted in the course of work.
SCHEDULING AND AVAILABILITY:
• Scheduling is determined by patient care needs and includes 24 hours on-call responsibility for administrative assistance.
• This is a full time position requiring attendance at meetings, workshops and facility functions as determined by the Associate Administrator for Clinical Services.