Director RN, Emergency Department

Emergency Department Director

The Director of the Emergency Department, reporting to the CNO, organizes, plans, and administers the day-to-day operations of the Emergency Room at Valencia County Hospital. This role is responsible for ensuring the delivery of high-quality, cost-effective, and timely emergency clinical services within established productivity and budget standards. The Director manages departmental personnel, capital and operating budgets, regulatory compliance, and serves as a visionary leader to develop and grow the service line. This position acts as a vital liaison between the Emergency Department, administration, physicians, EMS agencies, patients, families, and the local community.

Major Responsibilities

Clinical & Departmental Operations

• Ensure delivery of safe, evidence-based emergency nursing care.
• Monitor patient flow to reduce wait times and improve throughput.
• Oversee triage processes and Emergency Severity Index (ESI) compliance.
• Coordinate care with inpatient units, ICU, surgery, laboratory, radiology, respiratory therapy, and ancillary departments.
• Develop staffing plans based on patient census and acuity.
• Ensure emergency preparedness and disaster response readiness.
• Monitor emergency department capacity and diversion status.
• Plan, organize, and administer work in the Emergency Department by establishing services, policies, and procedures in accordance with hospital goals.
• Ensure continuous, accurate, timely, and cost-effective emergency services are provided to all patients.
• Interpret organizational and departmental policies for staff, analyze and resolve conflicts, and maintain a cohesive work environment.
• Assure that the work environment is safe and that staff have the necessary, functional equipment and supplies to achieve high-quality clinical outcomes.
• Conduct routine clinical rounding on newly admitted or presenting patients in the Emergency Department to directly address patient and family concerns.

Financial Management & Budgeting

• Develop, implement, and monitor the Emergency Department's annual operating, personnel, and capital budgets.
• Perform ongoing analyses to evaluate and recommend equipment and supplies for purchase, lease, or rental within budget and group purchasing contracts.
• Control overtime and agency staffing costs.
• Collaborate closely with the Chief Nursing Officer (CNO) and Chief Financial Officer (CFO) to review major expenditures and complete appropriate capital justification forms.
• Manage department staffing grids to optimize productivity standards while maintaining patient safety and high-quality care.
• Monitor revenue cycle opportunities affecting emergency services.

Leadership & Staff Management

• Direct and oversee all Emergency Department operations.
• Develop departmental strategic goals aligned with the hospital's mission.
• Foster a culture of safety, accountability, teamwork, and excellence.
• Lead department managers, charge nurses, educators, and clinical staff.
• Participate in hospital leadership committees.
• Collaborate with the Chief Nursing Officer and medical leadership on organizational initiatives.
• Lead departmental meetings and communicate organizational priorities.
• Complete annual performance evaluations and conduct individual review sessions semi-annually to foster professional growth and improve work performance.

Quality & Performance Improvement

• Lead quality improvement initiatives.
• Monitor department performance indicators including:
• Door-to-provider time
• Left Without Being Seen (LWBS)
• Length of stay
• Patient satisfaction
• Sepsis compliance
• Stroke metrics
• STEMI metrics
• Trauma response times
• Medication safety
• Infection prevention
• Analyze quality data and implement corrective action plans.
• Participate in Root Cause Analyses (RCA).
• Lead Performance Improvement (PI) projects.
• Identify opportunities for workflow efficiencies, departmental cost savings, and enhanced patient safety.
• Review chart audit results regularly to identify compliance gaps and training opportunities.
• Educate staff on National Patient Safety Goals (NPSGs) and Core Measure metrics, ensuring full compliance in daily practice.
• Actively engage staff in the decision-making process to drive employee satisfaction and engagement.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

• Patient Satisfaction: Achieves and maintains department patient satisfaction targets.
• Throughput Metrics: Minimizes Front-End times (Door-to-Provider) and optimizes Total Length of Stay (LOS) for discharged and admitted patients.
• Left Without Being Seen (LWBS): Maintains LWBS rates below the national/organizational benchmark.
• Patient satisfaction (HCAHPS/Press Ganey or equivalent)
• Nurse turnover and vacancy rates
• Overtime and labor productivity
• Staff engagement scores
• Falls and medication errors
• Hospital-acquired infection rates
• Sepsis bundle compliance
• Stroke and STEMI response times
• Trauma quality indicators
• Budget Compliance: Manages department operational, labor, and capital expenses within approved limits.
• Staff Retention: Meets or exceeds annual nursing and support staff retention targets.
• Regulatory & Quality Standards: Achieves 100% compliance with Core Measures, chart audit requirements, and CIHQ/CMS surveys.

Salary range: $100,000 - 115,000.00

Valencia County Hospital is a new 15-bed acute care facility currently under construction in Los Lunas, NM. Owned by Valencia County and operated through a joint venture between Community Hospital Corporation (CHC) and Lovelace Health System, this startup represents a vital investment in rural healthcare and a unique opportunity to build clinical excellence from the ground up.