Director of Nursing

Phillips County Health Systems (PCHS) is seeking an experienced, collaborative, and patient-centered Director of Nursing to lead our nursing services and help shape the future of healthcare in northwest Kansas.

As a Critical Access Hospital recognized nationally for quality performance, PCHS is committed to providing exceptional care close to home while fostering a culture of teamwork, innovation, and service. The Director of Nursing plays a vital leadership role in advancing patient care, supporting nursing staff, ensuring regulatory compliance, and partnering with organizational leaders to achieve strategic goals.

Position Summary

The Director of Nursing provides strategic and operational leadership for nursing services throughout the organization. This role is responsible for ensuring the delivery of safe, high-quality patient care while promoting employee engagement, professional development, regulatory compliance, and operational excellence.

The DON serves as a key member of the Senior Leadership Team and works closely with providers, department leaders, medical staff, and the Board of Trustees to support the mission and vision of PCHS.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide leadership and oversight for nursing operations across inpatient, emergency, outpatient, and ancillary care settings.
• Foster a culture of accountability, teamwork, patient safety, and service excellence.
• Recruit, retain, mentor, and develop nursing staff and future nursing leaders.
• Ensure compliance with CMS Conditions of Participation, KDHE regulations, accreditation standards, and organizational policies.
• Lead quality improvement, patient safety, and risk management initiatives.
• Monitor staffing plans, productivity, workforce development, and nursing budgets.
• Collaborate with medical staff and department leaders to improve patient outcomes and operational performance.
• Utilize data and performance metrics to drive decision-making and continuous improvement.
• Participate in strategic planning and organizational leadership initiatives.
• Serve as a champion for patient-centered care and employee engagement.

Qualifications

Required:

• Current Registered Nurse (RN) license in Kansas or ability to obtain.
• Bachelor's degree in Nursing (BSN).
• Minimum of five years of progressive nursing leadership experience.
• Strong knowledge of healthcare regulations, quality improvement, patient safety, and workforce management.
• Demonstrated leadership, communication, and team-building skills.

Preferred:

• Master's degree in Nursing, Healthcare Administration, Business Administration, or related field.
• Critical Access Hospital, rural health, or community hospital leadership experience.

What We Are Looking For

The ideal candidate will be:

• A visible and approachable leader.
• Passionate about rural healthcare and community service.
• Skilled at developing people and building strong teams.
• Comfortable balancing strategic leadership with day-to-day operational oversight.
• Adaptable, solution-oriented, and committed to continuous improvement.
• An advocate for both patients and staff.