Assistant Director Nursing (Acute)

About the Role

Assists with the planning, organizing, directing, coordinating, and evaluating of nursing service within the Department of Nursing at Lincoln Medical and Mental Health Center. Ensures optimal utilization of resources, service delivery, safe patient care, and compliance with all applicable local, state, federal, and NYC Health + Hospitals rules and regulations, as well as nursing standards of care to improve outcomes and the patient experience.

Responsibilities

• Oversees daily nursing clinical operations and patient care delivery for one unit/department, including structured safety huddles and appropriate patient assignments.
• Assists in developing, reviewing, and revising unit-specific policies, procedures, and objectives of nursing service.
• Participates in planning, organizing, and evaluating nursing service and/or health programs, including delegation, care coordination, and escalation pathways.
• Assists in implementing organizational plans for nursing service that define relationships with other departments and ensure competent staffing.
• Oversees daily staffing, scheduling, and equipment coverage, making adjustments to manage overtime and achieve departmental goals.
• Collaborates with nursing leadership to develop strategies for identifying, retaining, and engaging nursing candidates to maintain staff and patient satisfaction.
• Ensures staff are properly oriented and assists in developing administrative procedures and programs of patient care.
• Identifies and investigates issues or variances in practice/operations, participates in Root Cause Analysis, and implements corrective action plans.
• Directs, supervises, and evaluates activities of nursing personnel, including conducting performance reviews and monitoring quality indicators.
• Supports performance management, competency validation, evidence-based practice, and professional development.
• Prepares reports on administrative matters relating to staff and patient management.
• Monitors and corrects gaps in clinical nurse documentation and reinforces policy adherence and documentation standards.
• Maintains readiness for regulatory surveys and audits.
• Leads staff participation in quality and safety initiatives and required compliance measures.
• Assesses nursing services through rounds, chart reviews, and observation/evaluation of patient care.
• Participates in departmental meetings, health care events, and relevant activities.
• Ensures adherence to established protocols during emergencies and declared disasters, maintaining staff preparedness.
• Applies ICARE values: Integrity, Compassion, Accountability, Respect, and Excellence.
• May plan, organize, direct, and evaluate nursing service for patient transfers to homes or off-tour shifts (weekend/evening/night).
• Provides guidance to nursing administrators to ensure continuity of patient care during off-tour shifts.

Requirements

• Valid New York State license and current registration to practice as a Registered Professional Nurse.
• Master’s Degree from an accredited college or university in Nursing Administration or a related nursing discipline; or Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing with additional experience.
• Three (3) years of satisfactory nursing experience, one (1) year of which must have been in an administrative or supervisory capacity; or four (4) years of satisfactory nursing experience, two (2) years of which must have been in a clinical supervisory capacity (e.g., Head Nurse, Supervisor).
• Demonstrated clinical competency in the relevant clinical area.
• Basic Life Support (BLS) certification through the American Heart Association (AHA) may be required, depending on assignment, and must be obtained within sixty (60) days of appointment if required.

Department Preferences

Clinical & Leadership Experience

• Minimum of 3–5 years of progressive nursing leadership experience (e.g., Nurse Manager, Supervisor of Nurses, or Clinical Care Coordinator) within a high-volume Emergency Department or Level 1 Trauma Center.
• Demonstrated expertise in managing complex trauma resuscitations, rapid triage protocols, disaster response, and surge capacity management.

Certifications & Advanced Training

• Active NYS Registered Nurse (RN) License.
• Master’s Degree in Nursing (MSN), Nursing Administration, or Healthcare Administration preferred.
• Certified Emergency Nurse (CEN) or Nurse Executive (NE-BC) strongly preferred.
• Active certifications in Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS), Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS), Trauma Nursing Core Course (TNCC), and Advanced Trauma Care for Nurses (ATCN).

Operations & Resource Optimization

• Proven track record in optimizing ED throughput, reducing Left Without Being Seen (LWBS) rates, managing Door-to-Provider times, and balancing bed utilization during high-acuity surges.
• Proficiency in dynamic staffing models, crisis scheduling, and overtime control within a unionized public healthcare system.

Regulatory & Quality Assurance

• Direct experience maintaining survey readiness for major regulatory and accreditation bodies (e.g., The Joint Commission, NYSDOH Trauma Center Designation, CMS).
• Demonstrated ability to lead Root Cause Analyses (RCA) for emergency care variances and drive quality improvement initiatives around time-sensitive conditions (e.g., STEMI, Stroke, Sepsis, and Mass Casualty events).