RN Lead Surgery (OR) - La Jolla Green

This is a Full time, benefited position as a Lead OR RN over the ENT, plastic, oral &maxillofacial and head & neck procedure service lines. The shift is a 10 hour day shift.  It is located at Scripps Green in Torrey Pines La Jolla. Call and some weekends are required.

We offer a $4,000 hiring incentive and  $3,000 in relocation assistance for eligible new hires.

Why join Scripps Health? 

At Scripps Health, your ambition is empowered and your abilities are appreciated:

• Nearly a quarter of our employees have been with Scripps Health for over 10 years.
• Scripps is a Great Place to Work Certified company for 2026.
• Scripps Health has been consistently ranked as a top employer for women, millennials, diversity, and as an overall workplace by various national publications.
• Becker's Healthcare ranked Scripps Health on its 2026 list of 165 top places to work in health care.
• We have transitional and professional development programs to create a learning environment that enables you to thrive in your specific field as well as in your overall career.
• Our specialties have been nationally recognized for quality in areas such as cardiovascular care, oncology, orthopedics, geriatrics, obstetrics and gynecology, and gastroenterology.

The Lead OR RN role is responsible for the following:

Clinical Leadership

1. Serves as the clinical expert and primary nursing resource for ENT, Plastic Surgery, Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery, and Head & Neck procedures.
2. Promotes evidence-based practice and ensures adherence to organizational policies, professional standards, and regulatory requirements.
3. Assists with complex surgical procedures and provides clinical guidance to perioperative team members.
4. Partners with surgeons to support safe, efficient, and high-quality patient care.

Service Line Coordination

1. Coordinates daily operational needs, ensuring appropriate equipment, instrumentation, implants, and supplies are available and functioning.
2. Collaborates with Sterile Processing, Supply Chain, Biomedical Engineering, and vendor representatives to maintain service readiness.
3. Identifies and addresses operational barriers impacting patient flow, case progression, and room utilization.
4. Supports implementation of new technologies, equipment, procedures, and product evaluations.

Physician Partnership

1. Builds strong working relationships with surgeons and physician office staff.
2. Serves as a liaison between physicians and perioperative leadership, & ancillary departments to address concerns, improve communication, and enhance service delivery.
3. Anticipates physician needs and proactively develops solutions to support clinical excellence and patient care.

Staff Development & Education

1. Participates with Clinical Mentors in orientation, onboarding, mentoring, and competency validation of nursing and surgical services staff.
2. Assists Clinical Mentors with developing and facilitating specialty-specific education and training programs.
3. Identifies learning opportunities and promotes continuing professional development.
4. Serves as a resource and coach for clinical best practices.

Quality & Performance Improvement

1. Monitors service line performance metrics, quality indicators, and patient safety outcomes.
2. Leads and participates in quality improvement initiatives focused on patient safety, efficiency, and regulatory compliance.
3. Assists with root cause analysis, corrective action plans, and process improvement efforts.

Program Development

1. Identifies opportunities for growth, standardization, and optimization within assigned specialties.
2. Collaborates with leadership on strategic planning, budgeting, equipment planning, and capital requests.

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