Director, Rehab Nursing Services

Nursing Leadership Position

Under broad administrative direction, plans, organizes, directs, controls and evaluates the delivery of patient care services within areas of responsibility. Collaborates in setting short- and long-term strategy for clinical development and service delivery. Assumes responsibility for the design and implementation of patient care delivery systems which promote collaboration with other health care disciplines, facilitate the cost-effective utilization of available resources, and supports the achievement of quality and business objectives. Has 24-hour accountability for ensuring safe, effective and appropriate nursing services and support throughout the areas of responsibility.

Principal Responsibilities and Tasks

Leadership:

• Change Leadership: Accurately assesses the potential barriers and resources necessary for change. Challenges the status quo, and takes personal ownership for leading change that enhances the organization. Manages change effectively, including being flexible and adaptive.
• Coaching and Developing Others: Fosters professional and personal development. Nurtures individual strengths and abilities to develop employee skill sets. Regularly invests time in developing, coaching, and mentoring others while focusing on retaining high performance individuals.
• Collaboration and Teamwork: Builds teamwork and participation. Works together to bring out the best in everyone. Provides useful, caring feedback for growth to team. Works collaboratively and supports efforts of team members. Creates collaborative relationships and promotes effective communications between other departments.
• Innovation: Incorporates new methods or approaches to solving problems. Cultivates alternative viewpoints. Demonstrates exceptional customer service and interacts effectively with physicians, patients, residents, visitors, staff and the broader health care community.
• Problem Solving: Utilizes critical thinking to identify problems proactively, and independently generates solutions/resolutions as necessary.
• Professionalism: Consistently demonstrates UMMS Shared Values. Maintains confidentiality of patient, employee and hospital information. Maintains professional attitude and appearance. Assume responsibility and is accountable for own actions. Supports hospital decisions.

Finance/Budgeting:

• As a key member of the leadership team, designs clinical services to meet program goals and achieve quality, cost and volume objectives. Develops and implements operating/capital budgets and productivity systems.
• Develops sound and effective fiscal operating procedures which assure that the business goals of the division are met.
• Develops, justifies and monitors the annual operating budget for the areas of responsibility.
• Assures that managers have the financial management skills necessary to effectively manage unit performance to financial goals through guidance, education and development.

Strategic Planning:

• Articulates a compelling vision that promotes the goals that need to be attained and metrics for success.
• Ensures that department and unit objectives, goals, and processes are specific, measurable, action-oriented, and realistic, are aligned with UM Rehab & Ortho's mission and strategic vision and operating plan, and are effectively communicated to all stakeholders.
• Collaborates effectively with the executive team and medical staff in projecting program development needs, and in identifying immediate and future requirements for clinical services. Demonstrates a systems approach to program and facilities planning at the organizational level.
• Directs the design and development of clinical services which are responsive to customer requirements, reflect the input and participation of staff and maximize productivity and effectiveness of work processes.

Performance Improvement:

• Supports participation of staff and managers in institutional service quality improvement teams and projects.
• Creates an environment which is customer focused, supports staff participation in process improvement, and empowers staff to make decisions to improve patient care.
• Collaborates with clinical quality leadership to improve clinical utilization and create systems and processes which reduce cost and improve clinical outcomes.

Patient Experience:

• Monitors patient and stakeholder satisfaction and directs systems and services to improve satisfaction.
• Demonstrates exceptional customer service and interacts effectively with physicians, patients, residents, visitors, staff and the broader health care community.

Safety/Compliance:

• Ensures patient safety in the performance of job functions and through participation in hospital, department or unit patient safety initiatives.
• Acts to correct observed risks to patient safety.
• Reports adverse events and near misses. Assists in identification and resolution of possible risks in processes.
• Identifies potential areas of compliance vulnerability and risk; develops and implements corrective action plans for resolution of problematic issues and provides general guidance on how to avoid or deal with similar situations in the future.

Education:

• Assures the competence and effectiveness of professional and support staff that provides patient care.
• Maintains current knowledge in present areas of responsibility (i.e., self-education, attends ongoing educational programs).

Clinical and Professional Practice:

• Assures compliance with standards of professional practice for nursing and allied health professions.
• Represents nursing and patient care services in organizational committees/forums.
• Assures compliance with regulatory requirements within service lines and clinical areas.
• Develops and sustains an environment within the division and across divisions that supports excellence in clinical nursing practice and patient care through planning, implementation and evaluation of programs that support positive patient care outcomes. Delegates authority and accountability to the nurse manager for appropriate operation of the unit, consistent with professional, governmental, regulatory and unit-base standards.
• Establishes practices for recruitment, selection and development of employees which assures that the nursing leadership is in tune with institutional priorities and values, and have the skills and abilities to lead in the current environment.
• Collaborates with Training and Development to plan, design and implement programs needed for the orientation, competency assessment and professional development of staff.
• Ensures the performance management system within the division is effective and that performance evaluations are completed in a timely manner.

Technology:

• Effectively uses technology to improve own department, unit, and organizational performance.
• Encourages / Supports staff to update skills based on new technology utilized in job duties.
• Implements systems that facilitates communication and creates an environment that supports open sharing of knowledge and information.

Work Experience:

Education and Experience:

• Bachelors of Science in Nursing required. A Masters degree in Nursing or related field is required. Graduate preparation in management is preferred.
• Licensure as a Registered Nurse in the state of Maryland, or eligible to practice due to Compact State agreements outlined through the MD Board of Nursing, is required.
• Six years experience in nursing is required. Three years managerial experience is required.
• Experience in Acute Inpatient Rehabilitation preferred.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Demonstrates record of accomplishments in health care administration positions of increasing responsibility.
• Ability to think and function at an organizational systems level, and to move beyond the boundaries of discipline and clinical specialty.
• Ability to articulate the goals, philosophy and methods of service quality management.
• Demonstrated highly effective verbal and written communications skills.
• Ability to demonstrate knowledge and skills necessary to provide care appropriate to the patient populations(s) served. Ability to demonstrated knowledge of the principles of growth and development over the life span and ability to assess data reflective of the patient's requirements relative to his or her population-specific and age specific needs.

University of Maryland Medical Center