Dialysis Nurse Manager

Ambulatory Dialysis Nurse Manager

The Ambulatory Dialysis Nurse Manager is responsible for the development, implementation, coordination, and management of the WCHS Ambulatory Dialysis Program. The position provides clinical and operational leadership to support safe, effective, evidence-based, and culturally centered dialysis services for patients receiving care through WCHS. The Nurse Manager oversees nursing practice, staffing, patient care coordination, regulatory readiness, quality improvement, infection prevention, equipment and water-treatment safety, and daily operations. The Nurse Manager works collaboratively with the Nephrology Medical Director, WCHS leadership, medical staff, interdisciplinary departments, and external partners to establish and maintain a safe, compliant, and sustainable outpatient dialysis service. During program development, the position will support operational readiness, policies and procedures, staff training and competency validation, equipment readiness, emergency preparedness, and preparation for applicable regulatory review. The role supports the WCHS mission, vision, and values by promoting accessible, compassionate, culturally centered care for Indigenous relatives and respecting patient dignity, self-determination, and individual needs.

Specific Job Duties/Responsibilities:

• Demonstrates WCHS's core Mission, Vision, and Values in all professional interactions and decisions.
• Provides clinical and operational leadership for daily ambulatory dialysis services and promotes safe, consistent, relative-centered care.
• Collaborates with the Nephrology Medical Director and interdisciplinary care team to implement treatment plans and respond to changes in patient condition.
• Oversees nursing assessments, treatment monitoring, medication administration, vascular access assessment and care, patient education, and clinical documentation.
• Ensures appropriate patient monitoring before, during, and after treatment and timely escalation of complications, including hypotension, fluid imbalance, access complications, and suspected infection.
• Supports patient and family education related to kidney disease, dialysis, medication management, fluid and nutrition recommendations, vascular access protection, and treatment adherence.
• Coordinates continuity of care and referrals with WCHS Primary Care Clinic, Winnebago Public Health Department, diabetes education, case management, social services, and other appropriate services.
• Leads nursing-related implementation and operational readiness activities for the WCHS Ambulatory Dialysis Program, including workflows, patient scheduling, staffing plans, supply needs, and treatment processes.
• Collaborates with Facilities, Biomedical Engineering, Infection Prevention, vendors, and water-treatment specialists regarding dialysis equipment, water systems, environmental readiness, and required documentation.
• Ensures equipment maintenance, preventive maintenance, water-quality monitoring, testing, disinfection, and corrective actions are completed and documented according to applicable standards, manufacturer instructions, and approved procedures.
• Develops, reviews, and maintains departmental policies, procedures, protocols, checklists, and documentation tools.
• Ensures services are delivered in accordance with applicable CMS ESRD Conditions for Coverage, including 42 CFR Part 494, and other applicable federal, Tribal, and organizational requirements.
• Coordinates preparation for applicable regulatory surveys, certification, accreditation, and other compliance reviews.
• Participates in the WCHS quality assurance and performance improvement program and monitors clinical outcomes, treatment complications, infection trends, incidents, patient concerns, and documentation audits.
• Develops and monitors corrective action plans and evaluates whether improvement activities achieve and sustain intended results.
• Recruits, supervises, schedules, evaluates, and supports assigned dialysis personnel in accordance with WCHS policies and applicable staffing requirements.
• Ensures staff orientation, education, and competency validation are completed for dialysis procedures, equipment, vascular access care, medication safety, infection prevention, emergency response, and documentation.
• Promotes staff engagement, professional development, accountability, respectful communication, and a safe and supportive work environment.
• Maintains dialysis-specific emergency procedures and ensures staff readiness for medical emergencies, equipment malfunction, water-system failure, utility interruption, and other service disruptions.
• Ensures required emergency equipment and supplies are available and maintained and that drills, incident reporting, and follow-up activities are completed as required.
• Monitors patient volumes, treatment capacity, staffing needs, supply utilization, and operational barriers; provides updates and recommendations to WCHS leadership.
• Participates in budget planning, resource allocation, purchasing, and evaluation of operational needs in collaboration with WCHS leadership.
• Maintains professional relationships with the Nephrology Medical Director, external consultants, equipment manufacturers, service vendors, and other partners supporting dialysis operations.
• Promotes culturally centered care that respects Tribal community values, patient preferences, autonomy, and shared decision-making.
• Performs other related duties as assigned. Duties listed illustrate the types of work performed; omission of a specific duty does not exclude when the work is similar, related, or a logical assignment to the position.

Required Qualifications/Skills:

• Graduation from an accredited nursing program and current, unrestricted Registered Nurse (RN) license in Nebraska or a license recognized under applicable law required.
• Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) preferred; additional education in nursing leadership, healthcare administration, quality improvement, or nephrology nursing preferred.
• Minimum of three years of nursing experience preferred, including dialysis, nephrology, acute care, or another relevant clinical setting.
• Previous nursing leadership, supervisory, or management experience preferred.
• Must meet applicable CMS ESRD personnel qualifications and requirements for the nursing leadership responsibilities assigned to the position.
• Knowledge of clinical nursing practice, patient safety, infection prevention, quality improvement, clinical documentation, and regulatory compliance.
• Ability to develop policies, procedures, workflows, staff education, competency plans, and quality improvement initiatives.
• Ability to evaluate clinical data and performance indicators to identify risks and improve patient outcomes.
• Strong organizational, communication, problem-solving, decision-making, and time-management skills.
• Ability to supervise, educate, and develop nursing personnel and work collaboratively with providers, departments, vendors, and organizational leaders.
• Ability to manage competing priorities, maintain confidentiality, exercise sound judgment, and respond appropriately to clinical and operational concerns.
• Demonstrates professionalism, integrity, accountability, and commitment to culturally centered care for Indigenous relatives and families.
• Proficiency with electronic health records and other applicable clinical and operational information systems.

Training Requirements:

• Current Basic Life Support (BLS) certification required.
• Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS) certification required or obtained within a timeframe established by WCHS, if applicable to the role and facility policy.
• Dialysis-specific orientation, equipment training, water-treatment safety training, emergency preparedness, infection prevention, and competency validation must be completed before independent performance of applicable duties.
• Ongoing education and competency assessment will be completed as required by WCHS policy and applicable regulatory standards.

Physical Requirements:

• Must be able to function in a clinical healthcare environment and safely perform the essential functions of the position, with or without reasonable accommodation.
• May be required to stand or walk for extended periods, assist with patient care activities as appropriate, handle clinical equipment and supplies, and respond to clinical emergencies.
• Must meet applicable WCHS occupational health requirements.

Cognitive Requirements:

• Ability to read, write, calculate, analyze clinical information, and interpret policies, procedures, and regulatory requirements.
• Ability to apply critical thinking and sound judgment to clinical, staffing, quality, and operational issues.
• Ability to organize multiple priorities, analyze performance data, develop action plans, and follow issues through to resolution.
• Ability to communicate effectively and work independently as well as collaboratively with an interdisciplinary team.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and respond professionally to sensitive or urgent situations.

Language Requirements:

• Must possess the ability to read, write, and speak the English language fluently.
• Must be able to continually and effectively employ professional verbal and written communications skills.

Certificates, Licenses & Registrations:

• Current, unrestricted Registered Nurse (RN) license as required for practice in Nebraska.
• Current BLS certification; ACLS as required by WCHS policy and role expectations.
• Certified Nephrology Nurse (CNN), Certified Dialysis Nurse (CDN), or another relevant nephrology certification preferred.
• All applicants will comply with 45 CFR 1301, Subpart D, Section 1301.31, C and D, which require all prospective employees to sign a declaration prior to employment regarding all arrests and convictions of child abuse or violent felonies and to comply with PL 101-630 and PL 101-637 regarding criminal records check.