Location: Chicago, IL
Hospital: RUSH University Medical Center
Department: Med Surg Oncology (14 West Tower)
Work Type: Full Time (Total FTE between 0.9 and 1.0)
Shift: Shift 1
Work Schedule: 8 Hr (8:00:00 AM - 5:00:00 PM)
Summary
The Unit Director RN is the clinical and business manager of a specific patient care unit(s). The Unit Director provides direction and vision and creates human, operational and organizational systems that assure exemplary patient care. Exemplifies the Rush mission, vision and ICARE values and acts in accordance with Rush policies and procedures.
Other Information
Required Job Qualifications:
- Graduate degree.
- Current State of Illinois Registered Nurse licensure.
- Progressive leadership experience.
- Earned nursing degree at the baccalaureate level or higher.
- National certification.
- Demonstrates advanced analytical ability and problem solving skills.
- Ability to use electronic business programs and technology.
- Demonstrates the ability to work in complex organizational systems or programs.
- Communication skill to lead, teach and persuade others.
- Able to interact effectively with others in difficult situations that encompasses organizational and developmental issues.
- Work requires 24/7 accountability and the ability to supervise and manage staff across that time.
- Work requires the ability to assume the charge nurse role.
- Ability to check documents for errors, use a keyboard to enter or retrieve data, and closely examine specimen, images or reports.
Preferred Job Qualifications
- Graduate degree in nursing but related field will be considered (except UDs hired before 01/2013).
Physical Demands
- Ability to move throughout the Medical Center and unit.
- Lifting or carrying objects 30 lbs. and lifting and positioning patients, with appropriate lift devices.
- Work conditions include performing procedures where carelessness could result in injury or illness and contact with potentially infectious materials and/or strong chemical agents.
Responsibilities
EVIDENCE BASED PRACTICE
- Accountable for quality outcomes which incorporates established methodology to drive process improvement.
- Leads unit and or department quality initiatives, research and/or evidence based activities utilizing best current evidence.
- Develops effective strategies for changing clinician and team behavior to encourage adoption of evidence based practices.
- Provides leadership in the design, implementation and evaluation of process improvement initiatives at the unit, department and division level.
RELATIONSHIP AND CARING
- Creates an environment which establishes a caring, therapeutic relationship with patients and families through effective communication, acknowledgement of patient/family perceptions of health and illness and mutual goal setting.
- Establishes constructive and strategic partnerships with peers, professional nurses, the University, other disciplines and departments to achieve positive clinical and service outcomes.
- Uses leadership, team building, negotiation, and conflict resolution skills to build partnerships within and across units and departments.
- Establishes a climate that fosters open communication, values differing points of view and promotes shared governance.
- Creates and maintains a just culture for all constituents across disciplines.
- Develops a climate that optimizes the patient and family experience through supportive interactions and staff education.
CRITICAL THINKING
- Promotes the development of critical thinking skills of all unit personnel through appreciative inquiry.
- Critically reviews cases and events to determine the root causes and develop action plans for improvement
- Responds to societal and technological trends issues and new developments as they pertain to nursing and healthcare.
TECHNICAL EXPERTISE
- Creates and promotes a culture of safety and accountability.
- Articulates standards and monitors compliance with the State Nurse Practice Act, State Board of Nursing Regulations, regulatory agency standards and the policies of the organization.
- Demonstrates information literacy skills in complex decision-making.
- Utilizes clinical information systems to promote safety, quality and cost effective care.
- Strategically plans for ongoing education to acquire new knowledge and skills.
LEADERSHIP
- Translates the nursing and corporate vision and strategic plan into measurable unit goals and sustainable programs.
- Creates and maintains a supportive and healthy work environment.
- Advances practice through the development of innovations incorporating the principles of change.
- Assumes a leadership role in analytical problem solving of both clinical and system wide issues.
- Mentors and coaches delegation and management skills along with career development.
- Creates an environment in which professional growth is an expectation.
- Demonstrates accountability for own professional practice, including progress toward achievement of annual goals.
- Provides and invites ongoing performance feedback to peers, staff and other disciplines to achieve positive clinical and service outcomes.
SYSTEMS
- Analyzes fiscal and budgetary implications when modifying practice and operational systems.
- Creates a human resource strategy which includes the management of performance through recruitment, rewards, recognition, counseling and disciplinary action.
- Establishes procedures and processes to ensure administrative management of the unit.
- Demonstrates financial accountability by managing human and capital resources in accordance with the annual budget.
Rush is an equal opportunity employer. We evaluate qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status, and other legally protected characteristics.
