Nurse Manager, ICU and Stepdown Units, Full time Days, Clarksville

Located in Nashville, Tennessee, Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC) operates at a global crossroads of teaching, discovery, and patient care. VUMC is a community where expertise is valued, knowledge is expanded, and abilities are challenged. Vanderbilt Health fosters an environment where everyone has the chance to thrive, and uniqueness is celebrated. Employees are part of something bigger, contributing to a mission of advancing health and wellness through preeminent programs in patient care, education, and research.

About the Role

Reporting to the Clinical Director, this role directs unit personnel in care activities, monitors patient care and hospital services, and ensures compliance with accrediting, federal, state, and community requirements. The position collaborates with ancillary departments to achieve patient care goals, mentors new employees, assists with staff education, gathers and collates data, and coordinates schedules. The ideal candidate has previous clinical management experience in an acute care setting, preferably in critical care.

Unit Details

Vanderbilt Clarksville Intensive Care Unit (ICU)

• 21-bed mixed medical/surgical adult ICU specializing in close monitoring and treatment for a wide range of diagnoses, including:
• Cardiovascular conditions
• Acute Respiratory Failure and Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS)
• Multisystem Organ System Failure
• Sepsis
• Drug Overdoses
• Gastrointestinal Bleeds
• Diabetic Ketoacidosis
• Hypertensive Crisis
• Acute/Chronic Renal Failure
• STEMI, cardiogenic shock, and post heart catheterization
• Team-oriented, patient- and family-centered environment with opportunities for professional growth
• Multidisciplinary team includes intensivists, advanced practice nurses, critical care nurses, and respiratory therapists
• Daily multidisciplinary rounds with intensivist, advanced practice nurse, ICU nurse, case manager, respiratory therapy, pharmacy, infectious disease, and nurse leader
• SWAT team available for bedside consults (intensivist, advanced practice nurse, charge nurse)
• ICU charge nurse responds to codes and Rapid Response Teams (RRTs)
• Daily safety huddles to review safety and quality concerns
• Certifications required: BLS, ACLS, NIH, ECG interpretation
• 12-week orientation based on nursing experience (minimum one year of experience required)
• Patient-to-nurse ratio: 2:1
• Medical equipment used: cardiac monitors, mechanical ventilators, high flow oxygen, BiPAP, feeding tubes, IV lines, arterial lines, Swan-Ganz catheters, Foley catheters, chest tubes, Alaris pumps, PCA, epidural, Arctic Sun, Blanketrol, ultrasound, GlideScope, bladder scanner, Tele Neurobot, ventilator, EtCO2, wound vac
• Clinical skills: hemodynamic monitoring (invasive and noninvasive), tracheostomy care, ventilator management protocols, cardiac arrhythmias, drip titration, cardiac drips, oxygenation management, management of lines/tubes/drains, sheath pulls
• Professional competencies: critical thinking, collaboration, multidisciplinary rounding, bedside shift report, shared governance, certifications
• New services: neurosurgery, specialized drips (vasopressors, inotropes, paralytics, thrombolytics, sedation, insulin), blood products, TPN
• Bedside procedures: central lines, bronchoscopy, chest tube insertion, arterial lines, paracentesis, thoracentesis, sheath pulls, cardioversions
• Specialized competencies: Intra-Aortic Balloon Pump, Impella device, External Ventricular Drain (EVD), Swan-Ganz catheter, Arterial Line

Stepdown Unit

• 21-bed hardwired telemetry unit for acutely ill but stable patients requiring closer monitoring
• Patient conditions include cardiac, vascular, and medical diagnoses such as:
• Cardiac arrhythmias
• Bedside cardioversions
• Titrated medications
• Oxygenation management
• Withdrawal management
• Sepsis
• Stroke
• Post-operative care
• Challenging, fast-paced, team-oriented, and patient- and family-centered environment
• Staff engaged in problem-solving and continuous improvement of patient care
• Daily interdisciplinary rounds with provider, registered nurse, case manager, and nurse leader
• Daily safety huddles to review safety and quality concerns
• Patient-to-nurse ratio: 4:1
• Certifications required: BLS, ACLS, NIH
• 8-12 week orientation based on nursing experience
• Professional competencies: critical thinking, collaboration, multidisciplinary rounding, bedside shift report, shared governance, certifications
• Medical equipment: ECG hardwired monitors, Alaris pumps, PCA, epidural, EtCO2, bladder scanner, BiPAP, high flow oxygen therapy
• Drips: cardiac, IV fluids, blood products, sedation, TPN

Responsibilities

• Assist Director with scheduling, staffing, reporting, and communications
• Provide overall department management in the Director’s absence
• Deliver nursing care as needed
• Conduct chart audits and quality reviews
• Oversee departmental education initiatives

Skills & Qualifications

• Business Results: Implements measures to attain business results, tracks progress, delivers products/services on time and within budget, and maintains a focus on quality and customer needs.
• Quality Management: Analyzes and evaluates work processes for continuous improvement, establishes and monitors quality standards, and contributes creative solutions.
• Operations Planning: Anticipates resource needs, sets priorities, defines dependencies, schedules activities, meets deadlines, and organizes work. Handles multiple assignments and adapts to changes with minimal disruption.
• People Management: Conducts performance reviews, delegates tasks, coaches subordinates on technical and interpersonal topics, and demonstrates team-building and leadership through example.
• Clinical Expertise: Demonstrates mastery in patient care, including assessment, treatment, care planning, patient education, and evidence-based practice. Serves as a role model and coach for less experienced staff.
• Compliance: Applies statutory instructions, understands regulatory principles, and escalates compliance issues effectively.
• Leadership: Sets an example in challenging situations, adapts leadership styles as needed, communicates goals clearly, and shows initiative in unsupervised situations.

Nursing Philosophy

VUMC believes highly skilled and specialized nursing care is essential to its mission of quality in patient care, education, and research. Nursing is viewed as an applied art and science focused on helping people, families, and communities achieve excellent health and well-being.

Benefits

• Affordable, high-quality health plan options
• Dental and/or vision plans
• 403(b) retirement plan
• Paid Time Off (flex PTO)
• Tuition reimbursement and adoption assistance (with maximums applied)
• Short- and long-term disability coverage
• Subsidized backup childcare
• Inpatient nursing supplemental pay program

Core Accountabilities

• Organizational Impact: Executes responsibilities with awareness of how output impacts other areas of the organization.
• Problem Solving: Analyzes moderately complex problems using technical experience and judgment.
• Breadth of Knowledge: Expanded knowledge gained through experience in a professional area.
• Team Interaction: Provides informal guidance and support to team members.
• Supporting Colleagues:
  • Develops self and others through investment of time and energy.
  • Maintains relationships with key colleagues and stakeholders.
  • Adapts communication style to suit different situations and audiences.
• Delivering Excellent Services:
  • Understands and addresses current and future stakeholder needs.
  • Approaches problems from multiple angles to develop concrete solutions.
  • Provides ongoing support and coaching to increase employee effectiveness.
• Ensuring High Quality:
  • Engages in dialogue about quality and addresses issues promptly.
  • Applies learning experiences to uncover root causes of problems and improve processes.
  • Understands and fulfills safety and regulatory requirements.
• Managing Resources Effectively:
  • Demonstrates ability to anticipate resource needs and match them to task demands.
  • Achieves results within budget and handles multiple assignments simultaneously.
  • Adapts to changes in assignments with minimal disruption.