Nurse Manager, Ambulatory Dialysis

The Department of Ambulatory Dialysis at SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University is seeking a full-time Assistant Director of Nursing / Nurse Manager. The successful candidate will be accountable for the following areas of responsibility:

Foundational Thinking Skills:

• Develops and implements Innovative strategies to promote support of patient/family.
• Responsible for planning, implementation and evaluation of long- and short-range goals and objectives related to patient care services.
• Responds to the needs of the work environment creating a safe and efficient workplace.
• Analyzes relationships among several parts of a problem or situation to determine a solution.
• Anticipates obstacles and thinks ahead about the next step.
• Encourages and demonstrates creative and innovative thinking.

Strategic Management:

• Encourages collaborative relationships at all levels and participates in team projects.
• Solicits ideas and opinions from other individuals and units.
• Frequently exchanges information and resources with others throughout the organization.
• Promotes the strategic plans of the hospital and department of nursing.
• Creates a culture of safety throughout the department.

Human Resource Leadership Skills:

• Directs and monitors the personnel management and supervision in the service/line area.
• Acts as a resource to other members of the health care team and assists with staff teaching and development.
• Promotes education and professional development for staff and students.
• Recruits and retains high performing staff.
• Ensures challenging assignments and opportunity for staff growth.
• Provides timely and specific feedback with the intent of Improving performance.
• Applies human resource policies fairly and consistently.
• When necessary, works with DHR to apply the progressive discipline policy.
• Is well versed in the union contracts and abides by their requirements.

Financial Management:

• Responsible for managing human and material resources of the department within budget/targets.
• Uses innovation and creativity to explore ways to reduce costs while maintaining or Improving quality patient outcomes.
• In collaboration with Finance, develops an annual expense and revenue budget in order to ensure the ability to monitor overall financial performance of the department and make timely adjustments to achieve operating financial targets.

Relationship Management:

• Represents UHB in a positive manner by demonstrating respect and courtesy to all internal and external customers.
• Practices the Principles of Service Excellence in all interactions with patients, families and colleagues.
• Creates an environment that is supportive of the healthcare related cultural practices of the hospital's primary patient populations.
• Communicates effectively with customers, visitors, patients, staff, faculty and students.
• Establishes goals and objectives and implement plans to achieve the vision and mission and values of UHB.
• Works collaboratively with other members of the healthcare team and establishes appropriate lines of communication for problem solving.
• Builds a partnership with physicians and other healthcare professionals as champions for patient care, quality and professional practice.

Personal and Professional Accountability:

• Accepts responsibility and is outcomes driven.
• Inspires and motivates staff to perform at their highest level and to continuously improve their practice.
• Utilizes ANA Code of Ethics as a guide to support staff in addressing ethical issues that impact patients and staff in the work environment.
• Maintains confidentiality of information, adheres to HIPAA regulations.
• Collaborates with the Education Department In the development and implementation of effective educational programs and teaching to enhance staff knowledge and confidence.
• Participates in cross-divisional and Interdepartmental activities to improve organizational performance.

Career Planning:

• Assures personal and professional growth through self-study/attendance/participation in seminars/workshops.
• Demonstrates knowledge of job responsibilities.
• Evaluates own performance based on professional practice standards.

Fostering Professional Environment:

• Encourages staff to advance their own professional career.
• Utilizes research findings and observational data to promote unit-based research and integrates evidenced-based practice and knowledge into the delivery of nursing care. 
• Encourages professionalism, mutual respect and understanding amongst colleagues to create a healthy work environment.
• Recommends staff for promotions and awards.
• Develops and implements innovative strategies to promote and foster team spirit.

Optimizing the Leader Within/Reflective Practice Behavior:

• Demonstrates integrity, truthfulness and fairness when working with others.
• Creates an environment of acceptance and respect in the work place.
• Promotes a culture of resource efficiency.
• Communicates important organizational information to staff and encourages open communication from staff and actively listens.
• Demonstrates strong verbal and written communication skills that promote effective communication with all "customers" and staff.
• Takes ownership and responds appropriately to mistakes, (i.e. investigates complaints to improve quality of service).
• Demonstrates flexibility to adapt to new challenges.

Cultural Competence:

• Integrates knowledge of cultural competence and inclusion in all dally practices such as assessment, documentation, communication, etc.
• Ensures culturally and linguistically appropriate healthcare services across the healthcare continuum of care.
• Participates within the community performing nursing health related activities, which contribute to the positive Image of nursing service.

Shared Decision Making:

• Facilitates the shared decision-making process by encouraging staff participation in unit-based councils.
• Takes a strategic approach to identify problems and opportunities in setting priorities.
• Empowers and engages staff to actively participate in unit and departmental decision making and performance improvement.        .
• Interacts with and contributes to the professional development of peers and others practicing in a shared governance model of nursing practice.
• Actively works to develop positive group interaction interdepartmentally and intradepartmental.
• Empowers staff at all levels to impact the patient care experience positively.

Performance Improvement:

• Contributes to organizational, departmental and unit-based process Improvement activities.
• Maintains a safe and efficient work environment.
• Demonstrates working knowledge of legal, regulatory and union requirements for service; monitors these to maintain full compliance.
• Leads/delegates group activities to solve problems or accomplish a specific task.
• Participates in the development of nursing service policies; supports and assists in the implementation of these policies.
• Utilizes objective data to assess outcomes to plan and Improve patient care.

Technology:

• Demonstrates knowledge of basic computer skills Including capability with Microsoft Office applications.
• Is capable in navigating the electronic medical record.
• Demonstrates ability to integrate technology into patient care processes in order to improve patient outcomes and work efficiency.  
• Uses technology to improve intra and inter-unit communications.

Clinical Practice Knowledge and Skill:

• Ensures that care delivered is individualized, consistent with the plan of care and consistent with evidenced-based standards of practice.
• Demonstrates knowledge of normal growth and development in the delivery of care to patient.
• Demonstrates expertise in the development and implementation of evidence-based nursing standards for the management of specific patient populations.
• Evaluates health care delivery by identifying problems, seeking resolutions, implementing change, assessing progress and evaluating outcomes in collaboration with appropriate personnel.
• Uses appropriate policies and procedures to deliver quality services and assists in revising policies and procedures to adapt practice to evidence as it emerges.
• Maintains clinical expertise, role-model clinical excellence and supports staff through direct patient care at scheduled intervals and at periods of high acuity as necessary to maintain safe patient care.

Required Qualifications

• New York State Registered Nurse Licensure.
• Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing.
• Master's Degree in Nursing or enrolled in a Master's program.
• 3 to 5 years of active relevant clinical experience.
• Progressive leadership accomplishment in nursing.
• Or, a satisfactory equivalent combination of experience, education and training. 

Preferred Qualifications

• Prior management or leadership experience preferred.