Nurse Manager-EmPATH-Full Time

The Nurse Manager – EmPATH – Full Time at MLK Community Hospital is a key clinical and operational leader responsible for the day‑to‑day management of the EmPATH (Emergency Psychiatric Assessment, Treatment, and Healing) unit, ensuring safe, high‑quality, trauma‑informed care for patients experiencing behavioral health crises. Working within MLK Community Hospital’s mission‑driven, patient‑first culture, this role oversees a multidisciplinary nursing team dedicated to delivering compassionate, culturally competent care to historically underserved communities in South Los Angeles. The Nurse Manager provides direct leadership and accountability for nursing practice within the EmPATH unit, including oversight of clinical standards, patient flow, and coordination with the Emergency Department, inpatient units, social work, psychiatry, and community partners. This leader ensures that all care is consistent with evidence‑based guidelines, hospital policies, and regulatory and accreditation requirements while maintaining a strong focus on patient safety, de‑escalation, and recovery‑oriented care. In this position, the Nurse Manager hires, trains, schedules, and evaluates nursing staff, creating a supportive environment that promotes professional growth, teamwork, and shared accountability. The role includes coaching and mentoring charge nurses and frontline staff, fostering a culture of respect, continuous learning, and open communication. The Nurse Manager actively participates in performance improvement initiatives, analyzing key quality metrics such as safety events, length of stay, readmissions, and patient experience, and leads unit‑based projects to improve outcomes and efficiency. The Nurse Manager collaborates closely with physicians, advanced practice providers, behavioral health specialists, and ancillary departments to optimize care plans, streamline processes, and ensure timely assessments, interventions, and safe dispositions. They play a central role in crisis response and escalation, supporting staff in the application of de‑escalation techniques, minimizing the use of restraints, and promoting trauma‑informed and culturally sensitive approaches to care. This role requires strong organizational and analytical skills, with responsibility for managing staffing patterns, workload acuity, and resource allocation within the unit. The Nurse Manager partners with hospital leadership to develop and monitor the unit budget, manage supplies and equipment, and ensure that the physical environment supports healing and safety for patients and staff. They contribute to policy and protocol development specific to behavioral emergency care and EmPATH operations, integrating best practices and current evidence. As part of MLK Community Hospital’s commitment to equity and community impact, the Nurse Manager – EmPATH champions initiatives that address social determinants of health, stigma reduction, and improved access to behavioral health services. They engage with internal and external stakeholders to strengthen care transitions, enhance community linkages, and support patients and families with education and resources. The Nurse Manager models MLK Community Hospital’s core values of compassion, accountability, respect, and innovation, serving as a visible leader on the unit and within the broader organization. This full‑time position offers the opportunity to shape an evolving, contemporary EmPATH model of care, contribute directly to the well‑being of a vulnerable population, and grow professionally in a modern, collaborative environment dedicated to high‑quality outcomes and health equity. #J-18808-Ljbffr MLK Community Hospital