Assistant Director Operating Room - Perioperative Services

Assistant Director Operating Room - Perioperative Services

Hiring Department: Surgical Services

Location: Chicago, IL USA

Requisition ID: 1030383

Posting Close Date: March 27, 2025

Salary: The budgeted salary range for the position is $140,000 - 190,000.

Final salary offered will be determined by a thorough assessment of available market data, internal salary equity, candidate experience and qualifications, and budget constraints. It is not typical for an individual to be offered a salary at or near the top of the full range for a position.

About UI Health

The University of Illinois Hospital & Health Sciences System (UI Health) provides comprehensive care, education, and research to the people of Illinois and beyond. A part of the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC), UI Health comprises a clinical enterprise that includes a Joint Commission-accredited tertiary care hospital and outpatient clinics, and the Mile Square Health Center network of federally qualified health centers. It also includes the seven UIC health science colleges: the College of Applied Health Sciences; the College of Dentistry; the School of Public Health; the Jane Addams College of Social Work; and the Colleges of Medicine, Pharmacy, and Nursing, including regional campuses in Peoria, Quad Cities, Rockford, Springfield, and Urbana. UI Health is dedicated to the pursuit of health equity. Learn more: https://hospital.uillinois.edu/about-ui-health

Benefits eligible positions include a comprehensive benefits package which offers: Health, Dental, Vision, Life, Disability & AD&D insurance; a defined benefit pension plan; paid leaves such as Vacation, Holiday and Sick; tuition waivers for employees and dependents. Click for a complete list of Employee Benefits.

Position Summary

The Assistant Director Operating Room (OR) assists, collaborates and works under the direction of the Director of the Operating Room for Perioperative Services. The Assistant OR Director is responsible for leading and management of daily OR operations, staff assignments and staff work and on-call schedules. The Assistant Director OR is responsible for supporting and monitoring implementation and compliance of departmental quality and efficiency initiatives. The Assistant Director OR is responsible for interviewing and hiring new staff. The Assistant Director OR assists in assessing, planning, implementing, and evaluation of OR specific process improvement projects. Responsible for effective staffing management of labor, OR productivity and management of OR budget. The Assistant Director OR leads and participates in Perioperative Departments efficiency projects such as block utilization, first case on time starts (FCOTS), turnover times, quality initiatives with a goal of excellence, best patients' outcomes, and zero harm. The Assistant Director OR focuses on meeting departmental metrics, manages, and prepares the OR for regulatory visits.

Duties & Responsibilities

Clinical Operations

• Assists and provides strategic leadership and planning regarding the oversight of Operating Room fiscal resources, finance functions, and human resource administration.
• Assist the Director in the overall surgical operation of the department and liaise with surgeons, anesthesiologists, and staff.
• Assist the Director in planning by compiling and analyzing data for various strategy-related projects and meetings.
• Build an environment for success founded on the mission and vision of the operating room department.
• Make day-to-day decisions in the absence of the Director and refine the strategic priorities of the department to execute and implement those decisions.
• Help to foster a strong trust and culture in the department amongst faculty and staff.
• Highly visible and serve as the lead in a variety of administrative matters.
• In collaboration with the administrative team, create and maintain standard operating procedures for departmental resources.
• Conduct performance evaluations, manage daily work operations and performance, etc. and provide office coverage as needed while supervising the operating room staff.
• Manage OR staff productivity and overtime rates.
• Monitor staff attendance and implement action plans.
• In collaboration with the Director of Perioperative Services manages OR staff vacancy rates, interviewing and hiring new staff members.
• Works closely with and collaborates daily with SPD leaders.
• Use professional collaborative verbal, electronic and written communication with OR teams, Perioperative leaders, surgeons, and anesthesiologists.
• Create a dynamic work setting that supports the opportunity for growth allowing employees to perform and the highest capacity.
• Oversee quality improvement projects including enhancements to existing processes, procedures, infrastructure, and EMAR to ensure compliance and efficiency.
• Align the OR with AORN recommended practices and evidence based best practices.
• Develop, implement, and measure OR operational efficiency performance metrics inclusive of FCOTS, set up times, and turnover rates.
• Prepare the OR department for regulatory visit(s).
• Manage corporate compliance program(s) as it applies to OR. Ensures all required elements of compliance are implemented and followed.
• Engage with customers, staff, physician partners and key stakeholders to build and to foster collaborative OR environment.
• Manage direct reports.
• Develop data driven action plans.
• Manages OR incident reports and conducts follow-up investigations as necessary.
• Collaborates with Associate Chief Clinical Operations Officer and OR Director in investigation of clinical events, including sentinel events, near misses, or violation of Red Rules.
• Recruit, lead, develop, engage, and mentor departmental talent.
• Participates in development of new, review and update of existing OR policies and procedures.
• Participates in OR budget planning.
• Other duties as assigned.

Professional/Leadership

• Demonstrates a commitment to UI Health's values through teamwork and effective communication to achieve quality outcomes, patient safety, customer satisfaction and a clean, safe, and therapeutic environment.
• Contribute to staff retention by providing supportive and mentoring relationships.
• Promote a result-oriented environment, ensures effective communication regarding departmental success and opportunity for improvement.
• Support OR culture that recognizes and fosters a system for reporting unsafe practices.
• Aligns Perioperative Departments with UI Health strategic goals. Lead and develop tactics to achieve UI Health strategic vision for education.
• Stays current with the latest OR health care trends and incorporates current research and recommended evidence-based practices into departmental education plan(s).
• Recognizes and supports Shared Leadership as the selected method of nursing governance.
• Demonstrates accountability for job performance by: (1) seeking opportunities to enhance job skills and knowledge; (2) maintaining conditions of employment (RN licensure, BLS, and other required unit-specific certifications).
• Receive and provide feedback to members of the health care team regarding performance or best practice standards.
• Remain in contact with OR Leadership throughout the day regarding any system concerns, problems, and promptly escalating issues using an established departmental escalation process.
• Based on audits evaluation develops action plan(s) and monitors compliance.
• Other duties as required.

Organizational

• Adheres to the UI Health Code of Conduct.
• Treats patients/families, physicians, staff, students and visitors with respect and dignity.
• Adheres to Nursing's time, overtime, and attendance policies.
• Completes electronic learning modules system (LMS) and related programs as assigned by Medical Center Learning by established date.
• Complies with University Health Services TB and fit-testing requirements.
• Utilizes established communication channels and the chain of command to escalate or resolve patient care problems.
• Identifies recurring clinical practice and/or related unit problems and participates in problem solving and resolution.
• Collaborates with, supports, and participates in departmental and organizational education and initiatives through Clinical Practice and Professional Development.

Minimum Qualifications

• Graduate of an accredited nursing program. Current license as a Professional Registered Nurse from the State of Illinois.
• Current AHA BLS/CPR and other required unit-specific certifications.
• BSN required.
• Three (3) years of OR leadership experience as a manager, operating room educator, or operating room clinical coordinator.
• Leadership experience with staff engagement, recruitment, and retention.
• Experience with navigating employee relations.
• Demonstrated experience managing operating room fiscal operations at an administrative level.
• Proficiency in EPIC required.
• Effective communication skills (oral and written) that facilitate therapeutic relationships between patients, families, peers, and health care providers.
• Intermediate computer skills with the ability to become proficient in on-the-job training. Data entry skills, ability to collect, input and interpret data, maintain records, run, and present monthly reports.
• Work on site schedule: Monday - Friday 07:00-15:00.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master of Science in Nursing (MSN), or Master Healthcare Administration (MHA) or Master Business Administration (MBA) preferred.
• Certified Nurse Operating Room (CNOR).
• Previous experience working within multidisciplinary teams or nursing leadership committees.
• Attention to details, interpersonal, and team-oriented skills.
• Previous experience with payroll and timecard management.
• Demonstrated project management experience.

The University of Illinois System is an equal opportunity employer, including but not limited to disability and/or veteran status, and complies with all applicable state and federal employment mandates. Please visit Required Employment Notices and Posters to view our non-discrimination statement and find additional information about required background checks, sexual harassment/misconduct disclosures, and employment eligibility review through E-Verify.

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