SUPERVISOR, NURSING

About the Role

Assumes administrative responsibility and authority for hospital services during tour of duty, with access to administrative on-call staff for direction or assistance with complex problems. Responsible for coordinating and supervising activities of nursing personnel and ensuring appropriate staffing levels are maintained. Guides personnel in the provision of quality patient care for all age groups and provides direct care as needed.

Responsibilities

• Align department with strategy maps and implement drivers supporting Independence Health System’s mission and vision.
• Act as a catalyst for change by resolving problems and initiating better ways of doing things.
• Establish and maintain a safe working environment, ensuring staff compliance with safety, environmental, and infection control guidelines.
• Equitably apply policies and procedures, issuing corrective action fairly and consistently.
• Assess customer needs, exceed expectations, and incorporate customer considerations into decision-making to improve satisfaction.
• Prioritize urgent tasks, leverage resources, review workload, implement systems, and provide clear direction.
• Serve as a coach and mentor for department staff with direct supervisory responsibilities, including hiring, coaching, skills development, recognition, rewards, and performance management.
• Direct clinical practice activities of nursing staff to ensure compliance with the Nurse Practice Act, ANA Standards of Clinical Nursing Practice, and other professional standards.
• Hold staff accountable for all aspects of the assessment/reassessment process, including age-specific needs and pain management.
• Ensure care is delivered through an interdisciplinary effort fostering a continuum of patient care with desired outcomes by making proactive rounds to assess, identify, and resolve patient/staff needs.
• Investigate incidents and patient/staff complaints, taking action to resolve them.
• On 3-11, 11-7 shifts, weekends, and holidays, triage hospital employee injuries, provide first aid, complete associated documents, or direct employees to the ER as needed.
• Support staff in initiating and participating in collaborative discussions to achieve optimal patient outcomes.
• Maintain appropriate staffing patterns with qualified, competent staff according to the department/unit’s scope of service.
• Facilitate an educational process enhancing the provision and coordination of patient care activities to promote health, foster self-care, and improve outcomes.
• Assist with acquiring educational materials and applying resources to meet patient and staff needs.
• Collaborate with physicians and healthcare providers to achieve desired patient outcomes and ensure continuity of care.
• Maintain open communication with medical staff, serving as a liaison to resolve issues.
• Communicate pertinent information to the oncoming shift and appropriate managers when follow-up is required.
• Resolve conflicts involving Nursing Department staff and other disciplines.
• Coordinate the admission process with nursing units and other departments/disciplines.
• Coordinate preparation for emergency surgical procedures, including procurement of medication, equipment, and supplies for continuity of care.
• Manage patient throughput by providing timely bed assignments, staffing resources, and opening overflow units.
• Participate in a Performance Improvement Process to enhance the quality of patient care and customer services.
• Ensure incident reports/SORs are initiated with adequate information on unexpected outcomes.
• Oversee compliance with infection control policies and promote a safe environment of care as identified by regulatory agencies.
• Demonstrate knowledge of policies and regulations, ensuring staff compliance.
• Direct hospital activities in emergency situations until relieved and assume an appropriate code team role.
• Promote medication safety through a non-punitive reporting system and performance improvement activities.
• Adhere to infection control processes, including standard precautions.
• Monitor restraint usage to ensure compliance with hospital policy.
• Involve patients and/or families in safety processes.
• Support safety initiatives, including patient identification processes and use of approved abbreviations.
• Participate in continuous survey readiness for inspections and surveys.
• Manage and process information to ensure quality patient care and improve documentation efficiency and effectiveness.
• Ensure the security and integrity of patient information.
• Assist staff in achieving complete, accurate, and timely documentation.
• Facilitate access to information, charts, and scheduling when other departments are closed to ensure continuity of care.
• Ensure staff have the resources and ability to access communications.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Requirements

• Graduate of an accredited Nursing Program.
• Bachelor’s or Master’s Degree in Nursing or Healthcare-Related Specialty with two or more years of nursing experience.
• Zero to two years of supervisory/management experience in nursing.
• Strong leadership ability, organizational skills, independent and critical thinking, sound judgment, and knowledge of legal aspects and liability of nursing practice.
• Ability to communicate complex and/or controversial topics to a diverse audience.

Preferred Qualifications

• Supervisor experience in nursing.

Licenses, Certifications & Clearances

• Current licensure to practice as a Registered Nurse in the State of Pennsylvania.
• Current Basic Life Support (BLS) certification from the American Heart Association (CPR and AED).
• Act 33, Act 34, and Act 73 (FBI) clearances.
• Current ACLS certification or completion within one year of hire/transfer into the department.

Schedule

Incumbent will be scheduled based on operational need, including rotating shifts, standby, on-call, weekends, and holidays. Travel may be expected locally between System locations.

Work Environment & Physical Demands

Effective March 2020 or during a pandemic, goggles, face shield, and mask are required according to CDC guidelines. When lift requirements exceed 50 lbs, lift assistance (two-person) and/or transfer devices are required.

Environmental Exposure

• Constantly: Blood/body fluid exposure, hand protection.
• Frequently: Use of lifting/transfer devices, latex exposure, chemical exposure.
• Occasionally: Extreme noise (>85 dB), mechanical hazards, use of vibrating tools, respirator protective equipment, mist exposure.
• Rarely: Extreme heat, extreme cold, heights, confined spaces, operates vehicle (company), operates heavy equipment, ethylene oxide exposure, cytotoxic (chemo) exposure, ionizing radiation exposure, laser exposure.

Physical Conditions

• Constantly: Standing, hand/arm coordination, seeing near with acuity, feeling (sensation), hearing clearly.
• Frequently: Bending (stooping), walking, twisting/turning, keyboard/computer operation, gross grasp, fine finger manipulation, pushing/pulling (10-50 lbs of force), carrying (up to 25 lbs), transfer/push/pull patients, reaching forward, lifting floor to knuckle (up to 10 lbs), lifting knuckle to shoulder (up to 20 lbs).
• Occasionally: Sitting, climbing stairs, kneeling, squatting (crouching), reaching above shoulder level, lifting shoulder to overhead (up to 10 lbs).
• Rarely: Climbing ladders, pulling/pushing objects overhead.

Rotating shifts, 8-hour shifts, 10-12 hour shifts, on-call, overtime, and travel between sites may be required. Direct patient care is frequently involved.