Unit Director, Neurological Intensive Care Unit

Job Description

Job Description:

The Unit Director (Nurse Manager) is responsible for the 24-hour planning, organizing, directing and controlling all operations of the Neuro ICU and participates actively in decision making related to departmental functions. Reporting to the Patient Care Director, the Unit Director provides consistent clinical leadership and nursing practice oversight for the unit.

Functional areas of oversight include the 8/11 Neurological Intensive Care Unit (Neuro ICU) and its support of the Rapid Transfer Unit (RTU). Ensures the quality, safety and cost-effectiveness of patient care. Serves as a role model for professional nursing practice. Responsible for the administration of personnel, fiscal and material resources on a 24-hour basis, including approximately 140 staff and a $20M operating budget. Assists with the development and implementation of new programs and policies. Direct reports include Assistant Unit Directors, clinical nurses and support staff.

Regulatory Accreditation Standards: Ensures that compliance and accreditation standards are met in all areas of responsibility. Develops and maintains departmental policies and procedures and complies with all applicable regulatory standards. Ensures adherence to The Joint Commission Comprehensive Stroke Center requirements and builds a solid auditing process to sustain certification.

Leadership: Fosters a work environment that supports teamwork, open communication and engagement across the organization. Promotes shared governance and a shared voice in nursing practice. Leads recruitment, performance management and staff development, and mentors Assistant Unit Directors and nurse leaders with succession planning in mind. Partners with Labor Relations and Human Resources on employee and contract issues. Manages staffing, patient flow, productivity and supplies within budgetary specifications. Other duties as assigned.

Strategic Performance Improvement: Maintains the Neuro ICU's reputation for high-quality, service-oriented care through evidence-based practice that aligns with UCSF values. Leads quality improvement in patient outcomes, patient experience and cost savings, and partners with IT on patient care information systems.

Strategic Growth: Collaborates with physician leadership and inter-professional teams to expand and enhance neuroscience critical care services, including rapid transfer capacity and research in patient care areas. Partners with leaders across services to coordinate care for all patient populations.

Department Overview :

The Neurological Intensive Care unit (Neuro ICU / NICU) is one of the largest and most sophisticated neurological intensive care units in the nation. It is a fast-paced, highly specialized unit providing exceptional quality care to critically ill adults with a wide array of neurological disorders, including those who undergo a variety of complex surgical procedures, interventional treatments and advance research treatment modalities.

The Neuro ICU cares for the most complex patients with neurological disorders including patients with subarachnoid hemorrhages, intracerebral hemorrhages, simple aneurysms and complicated multiple aneurysms, arteriovenous malformations, acute ischemic strokes, brain tumors, seizure disorders and spinal disorders. The unit offers a variety of advanced neurological monitoring techniques and innovative interventions that allow for the best possible outcome for the patients. Patient care is driven by a multifaceted approach geared towards the highest quality of individualized care.

UCSF is a designated Comprehensive Stroke Center accredited by The Joint Commission recognizing the neurological teams' exceptional efforts in the care of stroke patients.

The Neuro ICU is composed of dedicated, astute critical care nurses committed to the pursuit of excellence in the neurosciences utilizing an evidence-based approach that encompasses patient and family participation.

The Neuro ICU also supports the Rapid Transfer Unit (RTU) for the University Hospital. This allows for time sensitive transfer center patients to rapidly be admitted to UCSF for immediate medical intervention.

Professional growth and development is the foundation of the unit culture and philosophy. Neuro ICU strongly supports nurses by providing them with the necessary resources and skills to be successful in this extraordinary environment. Nurses keep abreast with the current neurological trends in care through participation in advanced Neuro classes and conferences.

The Neuro ICU staff also actively participate in many quality improvement projects, innovative research, and community collaborative efforts.

Qualifications

Minimum Requirements: - Bachelor's Degree or Master's Degree in Nursing required - Progressive and recent nursing administration and leadership experience in an Intensive Care Unit in an academic medical center at the assistant nurse manager or above level (within the last 5 years) - Registered Nurse in the State of California - BLS by American Heart Association - ACLS by American Heart Association - Strong hospital management experience, with progressive and in-depth expertise in patient care services - Knowledge of hospital / clinic operations in a hospital or medical center setting; knowledge of appropriate professional standards for the department and team - Strong knowledge of relevant regulatory requirements, as well as related legislative, accreditation, licensing and compliance environments - Strong knowledge of relevant healthcare information technology and patient care workflows and processes - Flexibility to work at all UCSF locations as needed - Excellent communications and interpersonal skills to foster and promote an environment for effective communication and collaborative decision making across multiple units and disciplines - Excellent leadership, fiscal and operations management skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively with physicians, management and staff from all disciplines. Ability to create and maintain a goal-oriented climate of teamwork, and collaboration Preferred Qualifications: - Master's Degree in Nursing or relevant area preferred - ANCC RN specialty certification in Nurse Executive or Nurse Executive-Advanced - AACN RN Specialty Certification in Critical Care Nursing (CCRN)

License / Certification

Registered Nurse