This senior leadership position is accountable for ensuring that nursing care is provided according to current policy, standard of care, regulatory and budgetary guidelines. This position is accountable for achieving quality patient care through appropriate leadership and utilization of human and fiscal resources. The position is accountable for the development, effective operations and evaluation of the nursing units. This is accomplished through visionary leadership, knowledge of present and future trends, strategic bench markings and innovative interventions.The Director, Nursing Operations will also participate in activities for the development and implementation of the clinical design initiatives and other interventions to improve processes and outcomes of care. The incumbent will represent the Vice President of Patient Care Services on nursing matters in her absence.

Responsibilities:
 

• Effectively communicate and model in the mission, vision and philosophy of Patient Care Services, Nursing and the UPMC. Responsible for driving accountability to UPMC Experience initiatives, outcomes and action planning. Conduct an analysis of nursing division areas of responsibilities, strengths, opportunities, weaknesses and threats to define proactive processes and feeds this information to the Vice President of Patient Care Services for development of organizational strategic plans. Demonstrate responsiveness to the changing healthcare demands and services. Define nursing operational and financial goals consistent with the short and long-term goals of UPMC. Oversee capacity management and develop tactics to influence budgeted outcomes for average length of stay.Collaborate with stakeholders across departments to address business unit environment of care to ensure it meets patient safety and regulatory standards.Effectively lead change management through shared leadership. Evaluate the outcomes of nursing care in relation to the needs and goals of UPMC and the system as a basis for ongoing growth and development. Demonstrate initiative to address complex, high-risk problems and translates them into opportunities and challenges. Demonstrate resilient behaviors. Recognize the need for a varied leadership style based on the situation and developmental stage of an individual or group. Direct divisional activities, which are congruent to and assist in achieving organization operational imperatives. Create a structure and necessary supports, which promote and allow for director and staff input and consideration. Make decisions and evaluates outcomes with adequate knowledge, information and consideration of stakeholders and members of the department.
• Achieve patient, caregiver and physician satisfaction. Establish professional nursing standards for quality, legal and ethical professional practice. Oversee the preparation of the nursing division annual man-hours, expense and capital budget based on an analysis of needs of patients, clinical programs, staff and physician. Identify factors, internal and external to UPMC, which will affect the viability of the nursing division and intervenes appropriately to optimize desired outcomes. Ensure budgetary standards/expectations are met by monitoring and maintaining expenses and man-hour utilization. Ensure all performance reviews are completed within thirty days of due date. Collaborate with peer nursing leaders across UPMC to identify and support joint educational opportunities. Develop educational interventions to resolve nursing issues that affect the care of the patient. Responsible for providing relevant knowledge related to the program as organizational changes are proposed and implemented. Utilize cost effective and efficient efforts to support the educational needs. Participate in professional organizations to enhance personal growth and facilitate collaborate relationships at a regional, national and international level. Apply innovative and creative skills to ensure that the related educational opportunities meet the needs of nursing services. Evaluate the effectiveness of current educational programming to ensure that it meets the changing needs of the nursing division. Identify research activities and participate as appropriate. Coach and advise directors in the formulation of their professional development plan.
• Responsible for daily operational oversight of throughput and capacity management at designated hospital(s). Oversees business unit nursing resources, including supplemental staff and local Shift Select processes, to ensure appropriate planning and scheduling of resources to provide patient care.Implement nursing care of process improvements in the division, which promote the achievement of optimal quality outcomes. Develop and evaluate nursing systems and process that facilitate delivery of comprehensive patient/family care across the continuum. Establish the provision of quality nursing care as a core value, guiding principal and primary accountability in all aspects of nursing operations.
• Establish the provision of quality care as a core value, guiding principle and primary accountability in all aspects of Patient Care operations. Promote patient safety initiatives. Conduct an analysis of clinical variance trends, recommends and implements clinical practices changes. Maintain NDNQI data, as well as all other nursing related quality data. Lead a multidisciplinary team in ensuring patient satisfaction.
• Establish norms, baseline data in collaboration with fiscal or other departments. Implement changes in nursing care or process improvement based on clinical findings, team recommendations and research literature to promote cost/quality outcomes. Develop relationships and integrates all team members including physicians into the team’s work. Report program findings, results and changes at various meetings. Oversee analysis of clinical variance trends, recommend and implement nursing practice changes. Investigate and implement creative methods for reducing costs of care while improving nursing performance and productivity. Seek opportunity to adopt best practice, eliminate duplication and maximize efficiency. Ensure all nursing units councils are effective and working toward shared governance demonstrated by consistent and regular visibility and engagement with representatives. Acts as a coach or mentor to other leaders as needed within the hospital. Develop peer-to-peer accountability. Assume a leadership role in the establishment of liaisons, networks and/or acquisition of resources to facilitate the growth and development of the nursing division within the system and the community.
• *Performs in accordance with system-wide competencies/behaviors. *Performs other duties as assigned.