Director of Nursing - Emergency Departments

Director of Nursing – Emergency Departments

Position Summary

An established healthcare organization in the Finger Lakes region is seeking an experienced and dynamic Director of Nursing – Emergency Departments to provide leadership and oversight for the Emergency Departments at two hospital locations.

The Director will be responsible for the overall leadership, operations, and performance of the Emergency Departments, ensuring the delivery of safe, high-quality, patient-centered care across both locations. This position will provide leadership to Emergency Department nursing and support staff, promote operational excellence, and collaborate closely with physicians, clinical leaders, and hospital administration.

The ideal candidate will be an accomplished healthcare leader with extensive Emergency Department experience, strong operational and people-management skills, and a demonstrated ability to lead teams in a fast-paced, high-acuity environment.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide strategic and operational leadership for the Emergency Departments at two hospitals in the Finger Lakes region.

• Oversee, direct, and support Emergency Department staff, including nursing and support personnel.

• Develop and maintain staffing plans that support safe, effective, and efficient patient care.

• Promote a culture of accountability, teamwork, professional development, and patient-centered care.

• Ensure compliance with applicable regulatory, accreditation, hospital, and clinical standards.

• Monitor departmental quality, safety, patient satisfaction, productivity, and performance metrics.

• Identify opportunities to improve Emergency Department workflows, patient throughput, and overall operational efficiency.

• Collaborate with physicians, nursing leadership, hospital administration, and other departments to address operational and patient-care needs.

• Participate in budget development, fiscal management, resource allocation, and workforce planning.

• Recruit, retain, coach, and develop Emergency Department employees and leaders.

• Address employee performance and departmental concerns in accordance with organizational policies.

• Support education, competency development, and ongoing professional growth of Emergency Department staff.

• Lead and participate in quality improvement and patient safety initiatives.

• Ensure appropriate communication and coordination between the two Emergency Departments.

• Respond effectively to changing patient volumes, staffing needs, and emergency situations.

• Serve as a visible and engaged leader within the Emergency Departments and throughout the organization.

Qualifications

Minimum Requirements

• Master's Degree in Nursing, Healthcare Administration, Business Administration, or a related healthcare field.

• Extensive healthcare leadership and management experience.

• Significant experience working in an Emergency Department or other high-acuity clinical environment.

• Demonstrated experience leading, supervising, and developing clinical teams.

• Strong knowledge of hospital operations, quality improvement, regulatory requirements, and patient safety.

• Excellent communication, organizational, problem-solving, and interpersonal skills.

• Demonstrated ability to work effectively with physicians, clinical staff, hospital leadership, patients, and families.

Preferred Qualifications

• Previous Emergency Department Director or senior Emergency Department leadership experience.

• Current Registered Nurse (RN) license, if applicable to professional background.

• Experience overseeing Emergency Departments across multiple hospital locations.

• Experience with budgeting, staffing optimization, performance improvement, and patient-flow initiatives.

• Familiarity with regulatory and accreditation standards applicable to Emergency Department operations.

Leadership Expectations

The Director will be expected to provide strong, visible, and collaborative leadership while maintaining a focus on patient safety, quality care, staff engagement, and operational performance. The successful candidate will have the ability to build trust with staff, hold teams accountable, manage competing priorities, and create a positive environment in a demanding Emergency Department setting.

Why Join?

Salary Range: $137,000 – $156,000

This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced healthcare leader to have a meaningful impact on Emergency Department operations and patient care across two hospitals in the Finger Lakes region . The Director will play a key role in supporting clinical excellence, strengthening staff engagement, and advancing the delivery of emergency services across both locations.

Living and Working in the Finger Lakes

The Finger Lakes region offers a great blend of career opportunity and quality of life. With beautiful lakes, charming communities, outdoor recreation, wineries, and a welcoming atmosphere, it’s an ideal place to live and work. The region also provides convenient access to Rochester, Syracuse, and Ithaca.