DIRECTOR, NURSING EDUCATION AND CLINICAL PROGRAMS

POSITION SUMMARY:

The Director of Nursing Education and Clinical Programs (Clinical Excellence) oversees the planning, designing, administration, and implementation of clinical education and academic partnerships for Northwest Hospital. Collaborates with Patient Care Services leadership to accomplish organizational objectives.

Essential Functions:

Administrative Direction: Responsible for the overall operations of each department and service areas.

• Develops departmental goals and objectives consistent with hospital mission and nursing legal and ethical requirements for health care delivery systems.
• Leads development of policies and procedures to ensure effective interpretation and compliance with standards of the facility and standards set forth by credentialing and regulatory bodies.
• Directs clinical education activities, including establishing performance objectives.
• Directs, implements, and evaluates activities related to staffing, hiring, orienting, clinical education, and continuing education initiatives.
• Utilizes research to incorporate best practices into and in support of educational programs and partnerships.
• May serve as a systemwide resource on clinical education and components for meeting regulatory requirements, if necessary.
• Collaborates with inter-professional team, including unit-based leadership and management to support ongoing education, competencies and skill development for Northwest Hospital.
• Liaisons with external academic facilities and partners to advance nursing education at Northwest Hospital.
• Prepares statistical and narrative reports concerning the activities and evaluation of programs and services offered.

Strategic Planning: Develops and implements departmental plans in alignment with nursing and the facility's strategic goals.

• Engages in strategic planning processes for assigned department with accountability to goals that supports the facility's strategic plan.
• Leads staff in identifying customer needs, ensures integration of customer service into strategic plans and daily operation, and directs development of excellent customer service relations.
• Designs, implements, and monitors systems necessary for sustainable excellence in clinical outcomes and services.
• Coordinates, collaborates, and communicates with other healthcare organizations to keep current on trends in healthcare in order to provide new programs and integrate new concepts into practice.
• Establishes departmental annual and long term goals; develops and revises supporting programs, plans and services.
• Conducts ongoing evaluation of services and implements plans to address changing needs and priorities. May serve as faculty/adjunct faculty for academic partnership colleges and universities.

Relationship Management: Develops collegial relationships with all disciplines and service lines, including medical faculty and attending physicians.

• Ensures the establishment of employee work groups, providing a framework for employee participation in decision-making.
• Develops and maintains collaborative relationships with medical staff and other disciplines to foster dynamic communication, enhance lateral integration, and provide quality patient care.
• Seeks feedback from unit and department leaders, including physicians, about services provided in their area; engages them in performance improvement activities.
• Encourages and advocates for the development of a healthy work environment.
• Mentors and coaches staff in leadership skills and critical thinking abilities to ensure professional growth.
• Communicates timely and effectively with internal and external customers using appropriate modes of communication and the proper forum.
• Acts as a liaison between various departments and/or external partnerships through participation in inter-departmental workgroups or meetings.
• Displays a commitment to the value of teamwork by building strong relationships with patients, families, co-workers, and the surrounding community, and by being cooperative and collaborative in the performance of responsibilities.

Fiscal Management: Actively participates in the budgeting process and in budget monitoring/corrective action process to meet respective targets.

• Recommends or develops business plans for proposed and existing programs in collaboration with others. Identifies major budget variances and financial trends; recommends potential areas of savings and revenue enhancement.
• Develops financial projections; prepares and manages budgets, analyzes and addresses budget variances.
• Leads department in a cost effective manner, continuously managing performance against plan.
• Assesses long term capital and operational needs and aligns future training opportunities to meet the needs of future clinical workplace.

Performance Improvement: Establishes and implements systems to monitor key clinical and financial metrics.

• Promotes a culture of accountability that supports our drive for high reliability and an outcomes focus.
• Ensures that required goal/metric monitoring is completed based on targeted departmental focus areas.
• Analyzes information and implements appropriate improvements.
• Ensures indicators are outcome-oriented and evidence-based, with the necessary changes in practice implemented based on results.
• Reviews department programs and monitors outcomes, data analysis and dissemination through PI and research processes.

QUALIFICATIONS AND REQUIREMENTS:

• Seasoned professional knowledge; equivalent to a Master's degree; knowledge in more than one discipline.
• Master's degree in Nursing required (MSN); direct experience and working knowledge of theory and practice in nursing education.
• 3-5 years of relevant experience.
• Maryland Registered Nurse License (RN) and American Heart Association CPR (BLS) required.
• Professional organization participation is encouraged.