Operating Room Flow Manager

Job Summary

As manager of the Operating Room Schedule, the Operating Room Flow Manager has direct responsibility for maximizing the efficiency of patient flow, controlling the transfer of patients for surgery. This position is key to the management team, working in collaboration with the anesthesia floor leader, nursing management, surgeons, and co-leaders to determine optimum utilization and maintain it with minimal overtime and additional staff.

Responsibilities

• Directs the efficient flow and movement of perioperative patients from pre-op, ED, or inpatient unit, to the operating room, and then to PACU or inpatient unit
• Establishes effective communications with nursing management, clinical support, anesthesia floor leader, surgeon, and hospital administration to ensure efficient utilization of the Operating Room
• Ensures optimum utilization is maintained with minimum use of overtime and additional staff
• Track and communicate any actual or potential delays and trends to support institutional goals
• Align nursing staffing numbers and skill set with surgical cases and volume at all times, paying particular notice to 3:00pm, 5:00pm, 7:00pm, and 9:00pm
• Utilize clinical knowledge and judgement to adhere to OR schedule and minimize delays which can result in loss of revenue, increase personnel expenses, and impact patient outcomes
• Establishes and sustains successful external relationships with ancillary departments including but not limited to Pre-Op, PACU, and ICU, to assure smooth and efficient functioning of the Operating Room Schedule
• Develops and maintains a plan of organization which facilitates congruency with organizational goals
• Makes decisions regarding patient flow and Operating Room utilization
• Maintains an environment conducive to high morale and job satisfaction, fulfillment of staff goals, and delivery of optimum performance
• Abide by organizational structure escalation pathways for support as needed

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing degree required
• Previous Operating Room Charge Nurse experience required
• Master’s Degree in related healthcare, Operations, engineering preferred
• Knowledge of patient care and operational flow activities, as described

Skills And Abilities

• Strong interpersonal communication and negotiation skills to provide effective leadership for promoting interdisciplinary collaborative team work
• Strong analytical and organizational abilities in order to make effective decisions in an expedient manner while maintaining high quality care standards
• Ability to prioritize room and staffing resources based upon patient needs and established protocols
• Uses clinical knowledge and judgement to prioritize patients in collaboration with anesthesia and surgery, as routine, urgent, and emergent
• Demonstrates ability to effectively communicate, negotiate, and problem solve with physician staff over scheduling and room assignments
• Demonstrates fair and equitable practice in assigning staff, determining overtime, and providing input into performance evaluations
• Promotes a customer-oriented philosophy among all staff within the area
• Independent judgment within the scope of this position, while maintaining effective relations with outside referring organizations, internal physicians, and departmental staff
• Able to work under extremely stressful conditions
• Utilizes computer applications programs such as EPIC