This position provides leadership for all Associates in the Emergency Department. Leadership includes strategic planning, ensuring evidence based care delivery, benchmarked quality patient service and outcomes, impetus for change when necessary, and fiscal stewardship. This position works collaboratively with the Senior Director of Nursing and all Nursing Leaders as well as Hospital Administrators, Medical Leadership and physicians. This position role models Nemours Standards of Behavior and actively supports Nemours Mission Vision and Values.

This position is responsible for:

Facilitates, coordinates and directs patient care services and provides leadership for designated area(s) of responsibility. Responsible for planning, development and utilization of human and material resources to meet departmental needs. Mentors and develops staff. Manages the environment of practice. Demonstrates a commitment to leading in adherence with the principles of the American Nurses Credentialing Center's Magnet model, exemplifying the transformational nursing leadership component of this model.

• Participates in nursing and organizational policy formulation and decision-making.
  • Advocates on behalf of patients/families and personnel, promoting adherence to the ANA Code of Ethics for Nurses.
  • Fosters a non-discriminatory climate, recognizing, supporting and including cultural diversity in organizational & nursing policy development.
  • Integrates policy and procedure development, evaluation and revisions with regulations, standards and clinical guidelines.
• Facilitates participation of staff in nursing and organizational policy formation & decision-making.
  • Assists and supports staff in developing and maintaining competency in the planning and change process
  • Facilitates staff participation in decision-making in the development, implementation, and evaluation of organizational systems, policies and procedures.
  • Facilitates staff participation in formal and informal organizational committees, teams and task forces.
  • Facilitates staff participation in the systematic, interdisciplinary, and on-going evaluation of policies, processes and & desired patient/family outcomes.
  • Assists and supports staff in research utilization techniques.
  • Advocates for staff participation in educational opportunities to enhance the delivery of quality health care outcomes
• Accepts organizational accountability for services provided to patients and families within defined areas of accountability.
  • Initiates, amends, and maintains established staffing patterns to meet patient care needs.
  • Identifies and advocates for adequate resources for the delivery of patient care.
  • Supports commitment to customer service in meeting the needs of patients, families and colleagues.
  • Analyzes workflow to ascertain the effectiveness and efficiency of the delivery of patient care.
  • Directs, supervises and evaluates the delivery of patient care for assigned area(s) of responsibility.
  • Plan, directs, coordinates and evaluates the systems of nursing for assigned area(s) of responsibility.
  • Identifies short and long term goals for assigned area(s) of responsibility.
  • Assumes 24-hour responsibility for assigned area(s) of responsibility.
• Evaluates the quality and appropriateness of care.
  • Identifies departmental and organizational quality indicators; monitors and evaluates performance in achievement of outcomes.
  • Identifies departmental and organizational issues related to patient and clinician safety; takes action to rectify and improve areas of concern.
  • Evaluates the quality and effectiveness of clinical practice utilizing internal & external data.
  • Participates in interdisciplinary performance improvement teams.

• Provides guidance for and supervision of personnel accountable to the nurse manager.

  • Contributes to an environment of mutual respect, trust, and understanding.
  • Maintains privacy, confidentiality, and security of patient, staff, and organizational data.
  • Addresses ethical issues within nursing and the organization utilizing appropriate processes.
  • Creates a climate of effective communication; provides the opportunity for ongoing communication between self & staff. Coordinates nursing services with the services of other health care disciplines.
    • Develops, supports and maintains an integrated, interdisciplinary patient care process.
    • Collaborates with other health care providers to provide seamless delivery of patient care services.
    • Collaborates in the design and improvement of systems and in the identification of resources required.
    • Provide appropriate care.

• Participates in recruitment, selection, and retention of personnel.

• Collaborates with Human Resources/Nurse Recruitment to develop, implement and evaluate recruitment and retention programs.
• Monitors and evaluates staff performance
• Provides guidance and counseling in reference to employee work performance.
• Interviews & selects staff for assigned area(s) of responsibility.

• Assumes responsibility for staffing and scheduling personnel. Assignments reflect appropriate utilization of personnel.
  • Delegates responsibilities appropriately based on licensure, education and experience of staff.
  • Initiates, amends and maintains established staffing patterns to meet required standards of patient care.
  • Monitors and explains variances from established staffing parameters.
• Assures appropriate orientation, education, credentialing and continuing professional development for personnel.
  • Evaluates, maintains and improves level of clinical practice.
  • Collaborates with unit nursing leadership to provide a departmental/unit-specific orientation.
  • Collaborates with unit Certified Nurse Specialist (CNS) to identify, and provide educational opportunities for professional growth and development.
  • Collaborates with the Clinical Informatics Nurses to provide educational opportunities with bedside technologies and the nursing documentation in the EMR.
• Evaluates the performance of personnel.
  • Designs and implements appropriate roles for utilization of all staff.
  • Supervises patient care activities to assure appropriate staff utilization in accordance with the DE Nurse Practice Act and in accordance established standards of care.
  • Utilizes written performance criteria as basis for performance appraisal; gathers fair and objective data for evaluation of performance.
  • Conducts performance evaluations at designated intervals.
  • Utilizes progressive performance improvement process to address performance deficiencies.
  • Provides frequent, informal feedback on staff performance.
• Participates in planning and monitoring the budget for defined areas of responsibility.
  • Prepares the budget for professional and technical staff, equipment, and supplies for assigned areas of responsibility.
  • Monitors and explains budgetary variances.
• Participates in and involves the staff in evaluative research activities.
  1. Facilitates staff participation in the systematic, interdisciplinary and ongoing evaluation of policies, procedures, and the attainment of desired patient outcomes.
  2. Utilizes current research findings and practice guidelines to develop and revise organizational practices, standards and policies.
  3. Facilitates the conduct of and utilization of research.
  4. Advocates for resources necessary to support research/research utilization.
  5. Integrates nursing, management, and organizational theory into the development of practice standards, policies and guidelines.
• Fosters a climate conducive to educational experiences for nursing and other students.
  • Contributes to nursing and management education and the professional development of staff, students and colleagues.
  • Shares knowledge and skills with colleagues; acts as role model and mentor to unit staff.
• Fosters peer review.
  • Networks with peers and supports mutual problem solving.
• Advocates nurses' participation in development of organizational policies and appropriate competency standards for professional practice. Fosters own professional growth.
  • Seeks additional knowledge and skills through participation in programs, activities, conferences and self-directed learning.
  • Engages in annual self-performance, identifying area of strength & areas in need of professional development. Takes action to achieve goals identified during performance appraisal.

Position Requirements

• Bachelor's Degree in Nursing required, Masters in Nursing or related field preferred.
• Five years clinical experience required, preferably at least one year in pediatrics.
• Knowledge of professional nursing theory & practice; knowledge of management theory and change process.
• Previous management experience required.
• Active registered nurse licensure for Delaware
• Registered Nurse Licensure Required Certification in nursing administration and/or certification in a clinical specialty desired.
• Current AHA Healthcare Provider (HCP) Certification required