Kern Medical Center is a 222 bed acute care teaching hospital. The Medical Center serves a community of approximately 650,000, and the hospital is owned and operated by the County of Kern.
Under direction, to be responsible for the supervision of nursing services for an inpatient unit or outpatient clinic at Kern Medical Center or Kern County Mental Health including the day-to-day operational and program activities.Distinguishing Characteristics:Incumbents in this classification are distinguished by being assigned to the supervision and direction of staff assigned to an outpatient service, inpatient units, a special unit or an assigned area of responsibility.Essential Functions:* Coordinates, supervises, and directs the clinical, operational and program activities, inclusive of unit personnel, on a day-to-day basis to meet unit objectives.* Collaborates with charge nurse to provide appropriate staff placement based on the clinical needs of the patients and ensure delivery of quality patient care.* Monitors, maintains and adjusts staffing levels according to units productivity, staffing goals and patient acuity with rationale for any variances; participates in data collection for unit based on quality assurance indicators.* Assures staff compliance with regulatory standards, governmental regulations and hospital standards and rules.* Assists with maintaining fiscal control of assigned hospital cost centers.* Supervises, trains, evaluates and participates in the selection of staff and initiates and participates in personnel actions in accordance with the departments human resources practices and procedures and organizational philosophy.* Plans, coordinates, directs and provides patient care orientation and on-going education to staff utilizing preceptors, staff development and existing staff members to ensure orientation to patient care philosophy, systems, policies, procedures,established standards of care and practice and to ensure professional development.* Performs unit specific projects as assigned by the Clinical Director or Mental Health System Administrator; prepares and maintains reports and records.* Establishes and maintains an effective working relationship with the medical staff, healthcare teams, patients and their family members and the public.* Acts in the absence of the Clinical Director or Mental Health System Administrator as assigned.* Supports and participates in performance improvement and risk management programs; represents the division on interdepartmental and interdisciplinary committees and task forces as assigned.* Serves as liaison during shift between assigned unit and hospital divisions.* Provides direct patient care as required based on staffing levels, patient loads and unit necessity.Other Functions:* Provides coverage as a Nursing Shift manager as required.* Performs other job related duties as assigned.Employment Standards:Possession of a valid licensure to practice as a Registered Nurse (RN) in the State of California and a bachelors degree in nursing.ORPossession of a valid licensure to practice as a Registered Nurse in the State of California,an Associates Degree in Nursing, and a national certification in an area of expertise.ANDThree (3) years (within the last five (5) years) of progressively responsible clinical experience as an RN in an acute care facility at a level equivalent to Hospital Staff Nurse II in the Kern County classification system.ORPossession of a valid licensure to practice as a Registered Nurse in the State of California.ANDThree (3) years (within the last five (5) years) of progressively responsible experience as an RN at a level equivalent to Hospital Staff Nurse II in the Kern County classification system and one (1) year of nursing experience in a supervisory or leadcapacity.Option III - Mental Health Department: Qualifying experience at a level equivalent to Mental Health Nurse II in the Kern County classification system may be substituted on a year for year basis for experience at a level equivalent to Hospital Staff Nurse II.Possession and maintenance of a current American Heart Association Healthcare Provider Basic Life Support (BLS) card.Dependent upon assignment specific certificates or specialized education in nursing speciality areas may be required.Knowledge of: principles of nursing and personnel management and supervision; modern principles, methods and practices of nursing and hospital organization; healthcare and nursing trends; quality improvement; principles and techniques of effective supervision and staff utilization; applicable Federal, State, Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) and Title 22 standards and regulations.Ability to: coordinate administrative, operational and program activities; supervise, train and evaluate professional and non-professional employees; work independently; communicate effectively verbally and in writing; prepare and maintain concise and comprehensive written reports, and establish and maintain effective working relationships with staff and other hospital employees, patients and their families.