Director of Nursing-Orthopedic Surgery Center

Director of Nursing | Outpatient Surgical Center | Santa Ana, CA | Direct Placement | Full-Time

This is a privately owned, specialty-focused outpatient surgical center in Santa Ana serving patients across the greater Orange County region. The organization has built a strong clinical reputation around a defined scope of surgical services — including joint replacement, arthroscopic procedures, spinal surgery, and interventional pain management — delivered in a setting that prioritizes efficiency, outcomes, and the patient experience above all else.

The culture here is deliberately lean and intentional. Leadership is hands-on, the clinical team is experienced and cohesive, and the pace reflects a high-volume, high-standard environment where every role carries real weight. This is not a hospital system with layers of bureaucracy — it is a focused surgical operation where the Director of Nursing is a visible, daily presence in both clinical and operational decisions.

The Role

The Director of Nursing will hold full clinical and operational accountability across the perioperative continuum — from pre-op through PACU discharge. Reporting to senior practice leadership, this role carries genuine authority over nursing standards, staffing, regulatory compliance, and quality performance. The right candidate will be someone who leads from the floor, not from behind a desk.

Key Responsibilities

• Oversee clinical operations across pre-operative, intraoperative, and post-anesthesia care settings
• Ensure continuous compliance with CMS, Joint Commission, AAAHC, and OSHA regulatory standards
• Lead all aspects of nursing workforce management including recruitment, onboarding, scheduling, training, and performance evaluation
• Champion quality improvement initiatives, infection prevention, patient safety protocols, and risk mitigation efforts
• Develop and administer clinical staffing and supply budgets
• Maintain sterilization integrity and manage medication and equipment inventory processes
• Oversee vendor relationships and support smooth day-to-day OR operations

What You Bring

• BSN required; MSN or MHA preferred
• Active California RN license in good standing
• Three to five years of OR and/or PACU experience in a surgical or ambulatory setting
• Proven supervisory or nursing leadership experience
• Strong organizational, communication, and analytical capabilities
• A collaborative, trust-building leadership style that works equally well with clinical staff and surgical physicians

Opportunities to lead nursing at a well-regarded, surgical center — with real authority and a tight, high-performing team — don't come around often. If you're a perioperative nurse leader who wants to make a direct impact in a focused environment rather than navigate a large system, this role is worth your attention.

Compensation is competitive and commensurate with experience.