Unit Director-CardioThoracic Post-Surgical and Intervention Care, UPMC Harrisburg

Are you a passionate healthcare leader ready to make a lasting impact? As the Unit Director, you will provide leadership and oversight for the Cardiothoracic Post-Surgical & Interventional Care Unit, driving exceptional patient outcomes, operational excellence, and staff engagement. This day-shift role carries 24-hour accountability for unit operations, clinical performance, and team success.

About the Unit

Main 6 is a 31-bed Cardiac-Thoracic Interventional Unit. We care for cardiac, thoracic, and vascular patients. We provide care to patients who underwent open heart surgery—bypass, valve, vascular, and thoracic surgery. We work with the research team and care for patients involved in many cardiac research studies. We receive patients from the operating room, cardiac processing unit, and cardiac intensive care unit. We are a high-energy, fast-paced unit that works with multiple disciplines to coordinate individualized patient care. We care for many different surgical populations, offering a great opportunity for new nurses to refine their skills and integrate their academic learning into practice. The experience gained here will expand your knowledge, improve time management, and make you proficient in admissions, discharges, and all aspects of patient care. The foundations learned on Main 6 will set you up for long-term success as a nurse. We foster a team approach, shared governance, and offer multiple educational opportunities for career growth.

Responsibilities

• Collaborates with medical staff to monitor patient outcomes; sets clinical quality priorities, recommends and implements professional improvements and initiatives, and implements unit-based patient safety initiatives.
• Monitors dashboard indicators and quality in unit/department to meet organizational goals; develops action plans to address specific concerns and improve quality.
• Utilizes research and evidence-based practice to support improvement in clinical care; shares learning from improvements with other units and/or spreads across the business unit or system.
• Analyzes nurse and patient satisfaction outcome data and develops action plans to address as needed.
• Supports and encourages involvement of staff nurses in the development and implementation of evidence-based practice and quality improvement initiatives.
• Develops and maintains productive working relationships internally and externally by building teams and relationships through mentoring and modeling uplifting and positive communication.
• Resolves and manages conflict effectively and in a timely manner.
• Extends trust by acknowledging the contributions of others; listens first, creates transparency in communications, confronts reality, and clarifies expectations.
• Plans a department work schedule in collaboration with team members that supports safety, appropriate worked hours, and a healthy lifestyle.
• Conveys information and ideas clearly through a variety of media to individuals or groups in a manner that engages the audience and helps them understand and retain the message.
• Coaches staff on cultural diversity and addresses workplace horizontal violence and impairment.
• Creates an environment that recognizes and values differences in staff, physicians, patients, and communities.
• Demonstrates the ability to create a shared vision; applies critical thinking skills and utilizes financial and quality data and conceptual knowledge in the development of the department vision and operational plan.
• Involves staff and key stakeholders in the development of a vision for the unit/department within a shared governance model of practice.
• Orchestrates complex change and acknowledges the psychological transition on self and others; involves stakeholders and experts in planning, designing, and redesigning change.
• Uses appropriate interpersonal styles and techniques to gain acceptance of ideas or plans; modifies one’s own behavior to accommodate tasks, situations, and individuals involved.
• Supports staff during times of difficult transitions.
• Demonstrates ability to influence the external environment through participation in professional and advocacy organizations.
• Establishes a culture of caring by promoting decisions that are patient-centered and within the framework of Relationship Based Care, using the nursing process that meets the clinical, psychological, and spiritual needs of the patient, family, and staff.
• Ensures that nurses practice in accordance with established Clinical Standards of Performance as defined by the organization, system, professional, and regulatory organizations.
• Applies national best practices and uses evidence-based practice to build a culture of excellence in patient care.
• Promotes interdisciplinary partnership and consultation of hospital staff and health care team through participation in committees and related activities to ensure appropriate care and services for patients and families.
• Sets clinical, financial, and human resources priorities for improvement in concert with organizational goals.
• Demonstrates sound fiscal responsibility in the development and management of the department budget; holds staff accountable for the efficient use of resources, including managing flexible staffing patterns to meet patient care needs.
• Sets high standards of performance for self and others by imposing standards of excellence and development of inquiry skills that are innovative, optimistic, and supportive of professional growth.
• Creates developmental paths and plans for staff to increase the expertise and caliber of staff; initiates innovation in staff development, clinical orientation, continuing education, and supports specialty certification.
• Develops a best-practice climate for the growth and development of students as well as new nurses; actively recruits nursing students through the establishment of exceptional clinical experiences.
• Supports shared governance through a unit-based professional practice council and utilization of staff feedback to make changes to improve care, nursing practice, and/or the work environment.
• Leads and develops all Clinician(s) that report directly to them to build strong leadership and communication skills, as well as mentorship in daily leadership responsibilities.
• Supports Clinician(s) in their role of oversight of direct reports, including difficult conversations, performance reviews, and recruitment.
• Assists with planning, implementing, and verifying that all direct care providers and direct care staff have the required knowledge and skills/attitude-based competencies assessed to address gaps and verified.
• Demonstrates the knowledge and skills necessary to provide care and/or interact appropriately with patients of all ages; demonstrates knowledge of the principles of growth and development over the life span and possesses the ability to assess data reflective of the patient's status and interpret the appropriate information needed to identify each patient's requirements relative to their age-specific needs.

Requirements

• Minimum of 4 years of progressive leadership experience required; relevant clinical experience preferred.
• Analytical ability necessary to evaluate staff, address and improve clinical issues, and devise solutions to complex problems.
• Leadership ability to develop staff, establish and maintain standards of performance within a national context for professional nursing practice, and comply with administrative requirements.
• Superior interpersonal and communication skills sufficient to effectively create relationships to support a healing environment with patients, families, staff, physicians, and hospital personnel, including senior management, in both written and verbal communication.
• BS/BSN required at time of hire; master's degree/MSN required. If BS degree is not in nursing, a Master's or higher degree in Nursing is required. If Master’s degree is not in nursing, a BSN is required. If the master’s degree/MSN is not present at time of hire, must be enrolled in a Master’s or MSN program within one year of hire/transfer date and completed within three years of enrollment.

Qualifications

• Current licensure as a Registered Professional Nurse in practicing state.
• Registered Nurse (RN) Act 34.
• Current licensure either in the state where the facility is located or, if the facility is in a state covered by the multistate Nursing Licensure Compact (NLC) agreement, a multistate license issued by a participating NLC state. Hires and current employees working on an out-of-state NLC license who later change their residency to the state where the facility is located will have 60 days upon changing their residency to apply for licensure within that state.

Benefits

• Generous Sign-On Bonus (amount and eligibility based on type of nursing role and candidate experience).
• Up to five and a half weeks of Paid Time Off annually, plus seven paid holidays each year.
• Dedicated career ladders, including a brand-new nursing career ladder added this year, allowing you to achieve your highest potential while rewarding you for your experience and advanced education.
• Tuition reimbursement of up to $6,000 per academic year at any accredited institution, available to employees and their dependents (plus discounts for UPMC employees, including no-cost RN-BSN/MSN options).