Chief Nursing Officer (CNO) - Post Acute Services - Abilene, TX

This Full-Time Chief Nursing Officer position is located at our ContinueCARE Hospital at Hendrick Medical Center in Abilene, TX. ContinueCARE Hospital at Hendrick Medical Center is a 23-bed long term acute care hospital (LTACH) located on the seventh floor of the Jones Building at Hendrick Medical Center. A typical LTACH patient may require care for: ventilator weaning, complex wounds, infections requiring IV antibiotics, complications from extensive surgery, multi-system failures, TPN, neurological / traumatic injuries, and those not yet able to participate in acute rehabilitation due to medical complexity.

Under the direct supervision of the LTACH CEO, the CNO is responsible for providing, managing and supervising the clinical staff, ensuring that the competency, numbers, and staff levels are appropriate to meet the immediate and complex needs of patients.  The CNO is responsible for promoting the overall quality of nursing care while operating under the ANA Standards of Practice.  In conjunction with the professional staff the CNO plans, coordinates, manages, and evaluates clinical programs and services of the LTACH promoting a team approach to the delivery of patient care provided by the LTACH.

As a key member of our leadership team the CNO will play a crucial role in shaping the future of our organization by overseeing nursing operations, driving quality initiatives, and fostering a positive work environment. Along with the CEO, sets clear, consistent goals and expectations. Holds self and others accountable for decisions and actions. Demands high performance. Is reliable, keeps commitments, and delivers results. Creates an ownership culture.

Major Responsibilities

CHC Values: Conveys CHC/hospital’s values and acceptable behavior to all stakeholders through own actions.  Creates an organizational climate that encourages teamwork, builds employee engagement, collaborates, accepts accountability, and produces quality results.  Inspires individual and organizational excellence.

• Operations Management: Defines and implements operational standards, policies and procedures that address how nursing care needs of the patient population are assessed, met and evaluated.   Collects and analyzes data from internal and external sources regarding current way of doing business and clinical processes.  Conducts needs analysis, identifies and prioritizes needs, applies good problem solving skills to improve operations. Responsible for establishing a single organized nursing service with administrative structure, chain of command, assuring that all nursing services are provided or supervised by a registered nurse, and that there is at least one registered nurse on duty at all times.
• Customer Satisfaction: Demonstrates an active commitment to providing excellent customer service.  Strives to meet or exceed patient expectations/satisfaction in the performance of job functions.
• Safety and Quality of Care: Promotes quality by incorporating current nationally recognized professional standards and other expert literature into policies and procedures governing the provision of nursing care, treatment and services.  Encourages the identification of alternate processes and potential solutions and acts to implement changes to resolve identified problems, improve safety and quality of care and maintain patient rights. Responsible for the integration of nursing services into the organization’s quality assessment and performance improvement program.
• Financial Management: Oversees the preparation and management of sound operating, special project and capital budgets for nursing.  Ensures the utilization of appropriate productivity measures and nursing support of revenue cycle needs.  Meets budget-critical financial metrics.  Provides stewardship of all financial resources.
• Human Resources:  Determines staffing requirements and ensures the availability of adequate numbers of competent staff (including contract labor) that are properly credentialed, educated, trained, motivated and engaged.  Directs performance management systems including policies/practices for providing timely feedback, recognizing excellence and dealing with problem behavior and poor performance. 
• Physician Satisfaction:  Collaborates with the Medical Staff to identify and resolve issues affecting the provision of nursing care and overall patient care in the Hospital.  Fosters open and effective communication between patients, nursing and medical staff to resolve problems. Promotes harmonious relationships among nursing, medical staff, patients and the public.
• Internal Communication and Relationship:  Demonstrates effective interpersonal relations including influencing/persuading at all levels inside the hospital and corporation. Builds rapport and trust with team through frequent/timely communication. Develops and maintains effective medical staff relationships.  Seeks input from stakeholders.  Anticipates and addresses concerns.  Contributes to the creation of a culture of communication.
• External Communication and Relationship:  Works with community leaders as appropriate to assess community healthcare needs, build a positive hospital image and market hospital services.  Actively participates in his/her community through civic and other service.  Demonstrates appropriate political savvy, tact and diplomacy.
• Talent Development:  Wants people to develop.  Accurately assesses developmental needs and provides frequent feedback, coaching, and personal development opportunities.  Faces up to performance and behavior problems quickly and directly.  Does not shy from providing timely corrective feedback.  Takes action promptly to remove talent that is non-responsive to coaching and developmental activity.
• Accountability:  Sets clear, consistent goals and expectations.  Holds self and others accountable for decisions and actions.  Demands high performance.  Is reliable, keeps commitments, and delivers results.  Creates an ownership culture.
• Champion for Change:  Speaks out for change and helps staff understand reasons for, and benefits from, change.  Makes change real for individuals.  Links change to work processes and involves stakeholders in the change process.  Follows through on change initiatives.  Communicates constantly with all affected by change.
• Retains all nursing related hospital accreditations, licensures and designations in good standing.  Maintains compliance with all laws and applicable regulatory requirements.  Acts promptly to comply with required changes.

Education And Experience

• Bachelor’s Degree of Nursing from an accredited university program.  MSN preferred: or enrolled and progressing toward a MSN. 
• Must possess and maintain current licensure as a Registered Nurse in the State of assigned hospital’s location.
• A minimum of three years of direct patient care experience in a LTAC or acute care setting is required.  LTACH  experience highly desirable.  Critical care experience is preferred.  
• Must show evidence of competency in supervising patient care services through a minimum of two years nursing management experience. Nursing management experience will consider roles as nursing manager, nursing director or CNO or other equivalent experience.

Skills and Knowledge

Ability to define realistic, specific goals and objectives and to prioritize objectives

Ability to organize and manage multiple priorities

Ability to manage people and work with them in such a manner as to build high morale and group commitments to goals and objectives

Ability to work with all levels of management and respecting all differences

Ability to communicate and relate well with others

●     Communicates openly, respectfully, and in timely way

●     Shares information appropriately

●     Keeps others well informed 

●     Encourages others to share contrary views

●     Responds in a timely manner to messages/requests

Ability to be trustworthy

Ability to identify and resolve operational and administrative problems

Ability to work with Medicare system and be adaptable to changes

Ability to work independently

Proficient PC skills, including Microsoft Word and Excel

Proficient knowledge to understand and apply the concepts and terminology unique to the healthcare industry

Possess a strong customer orientation

Possess critical thinking skills

Possess sound and accurate judgment and timely decision making

 Physical/Mental Stress Factors

Ability to speak English, hear, sit, walk, stand, bend, and lift up to 50 pounds

Ability to operate all equipment necessary to perform the job

Mental stress possible due to high volume of workload and tight deadlines

At ContinueCARE Hospital at Hendrick Medical Center, we enjoy an outstanding work environment, comprehensive health and welfare benefits including a generous PTO allowance, and a great company culture. Comprehensive health and welfare benefits package is offered as part of total compensation.

• Health Care Plan (Medical, Dental & Vision)
• Retirement Plan
• Life Insurance
• Paid Time Off
• Wellness Resources and other benefits

ContinueCARE Hospital at Hendrick Medical Center is a tobacco and drug free workplace. We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status.

ContinueCARE hospitals are part of Community Hospital Corporation (CHC) which owns and manages long-term acute care hospitals through its not-for-profit structure, CHC ContinueCARE.