Assistant Nurse Manager, E8 Med/Tele/PCU, West Penn Hospital

West Penn Hospital’s E8 unit is a 21-bed medical/observation/telemetry unit caring for patients with heart failure, digestive disorders, severe sepsis, strokes, and pulmonary edema. The Rapid Transfer Unit (RTU) is a specialized area of variable acuity designed to quickly evaluate and triage patients with acute medical conditions, expediting assessment, diagnosis, and treatment decisions.

West Penn Hospital holds four-time Magnet® recognition, offers private patient rooms, free employee parking, and a generous benefit package for full-time and part-time employees. It is nationally recognized for burn care, the only pediatric burn center in western Pennsylvania verified by the American Burn Association and the American College of Surgeons, and ranked in the nation’s top-50 hospitals for OB-GYN care by U.S. News & World Report.

Allegheny Health Network (AHN), part of Highmark Health, is a 9-hospital system transforming healthcare through highly effective services, inclusive values, and growth opportunities for employees.

About the role

This position manages, supervises, and coordinates the daily operations of a specific patient care department under the direction of the Nurse Manager, providing clinical and administrative leadership. The role contributes to the strategic planning process and attainment of departmental, organizational, and network goals.

Responsibilities

• Leadership
  • Role model mission, vision, and values within the defined area of responsibility.
  • Demonstrate and role model professional behavior in all staff interactions.
  • Serve as a change agent and role model to assist staff in accepting and embracing change.
  • Conduct monthly unit conferences with minutes, including discussions of unit and organizational activities and goals when delegated.
  • Complete annual performance appraisals on associates, including peer feedback, professional development plans, and employee self-appraisal for delegated associates.
  • Attend meetings at the direction of the nurse manager.
  • Promote unit-based shared governance, providing ongoing support through consultation and assistance in eliminating barriers in partnership with the nurse manager.
  • Promote professional development plans and conduct quarterly check-ins with staff.
  • Encourage nursing specialty certification in partnership with the nurse manager.
  • Promote employee engagement through leadership rounding.
• Quality and Patient Safety
  • Identify, plan, and implement activities in partnership with the nurse manager to ensure patient care is delivered in accordance with professional nursing standards, evidence-based practices, patient safety goals, and regulatory guidelines.
  • Monitor departmental performance in evidence-based practices, quality, and patient safety goals, meeting assigned targets.
  • Develop action plans with timelines for any unmet goals.
  • Participate in regulatory readiness activities.
  • Assist the nurse manager in developing a yearly unit-based quality plan with the unit’s clinical practice and performance improvement council.
  • Participate in operational excellence projects using performance improvement methodologies related to throughput and other quality initiatives.
• Customer Satisfaction
  • Collaborate with patients, families, peers, and other departments to meet organizational goals for patient experience.
  • Investigate and provide feedback for identified patient or departmental concerns.
  • Round daily to assess and address patient and family needs.
  • Collaborate with the nurse manager to develop departmental plans addressing improvement needs.
  • Assist the nurse manager in meeting or showing consistent progress toward patient experience goals and metrics.
• Finance
  • Ensure effective implementation of the financial plan in partnership with the nurse manager.
  • Demonstrate fiscal stewardship through efficient use of staff, facilities, equipment, and resources while maintaining patient care standards.
  • Maintain FTE and Goods/Services within the established budget, completing variance reports according to guidelines.
  • Utilize established tools to monitor monthly budget performance and explain variances as needed.
  • Complete daily productivity trackers.
  • Collaborate with the nurse manager to address overtime use with individuals, documenting discussions as needed.
• Professional Growth and Development
  • Foster staff development through coaching, mentoring, and creating an environment that encourages learning and research.
  • Ensure appropriate orientation, onboarding, education, credentialing, and professional development for personnel in collaboration with education development specialists.
  • Encourage and facilitate staff membership on councils and committees.
  • Encourage attendance at nursing grand rounds and other educational programs based on unit/department or network needs.
  • Foster peer review participation among staff and participate in peer review with other assistant nurse managers.
  • Conduct quarterly check-ins with assigned staff to review developmental goals.
  • Identify one area for self-improvement annually and develop a plan to address it.

Requirements

• Minimum Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing required within 3 years of hire or transfer.
• 1 year of demonstrated clinical leadership experience.
• Current State of PA RN licensure or current multi-state licensure through the enhanced Nurse Licensure Compact (eNLC).
• CPR certification.
• Act 34 Criminal Background Clearance Certificate.
• Act 33 Child Abuse Clearance Certificate.
• Act 73 FBI Fingerprinting Criminal Background Clearance Certificate.

Qualifications

• Preferred: 3 years of hospital RN experience in Med/Surg, Telemetry, or Progressive Care.
• Preferred: Master’s Degree in Nursing.
• Preferred: National Certification.
• Nurses will be required to obtain ACLS and NIHSS certifications before coming off orientation.
• Nurses will be cross-trained to work on Med/Obs/Tele.

Benefits

• Generous benefit package for full-time and part-time status employees.
• Free employee parking.