Chief Nurse Executive (AHN)

Company :

Job Description : 

JOB SUMMARY

Reporting to the President, Allegheny Health Network, the Chief Nurse Executive (CNE) provides senior leadership, effective management, and overall oversight of the strategic and operational aspects of nursing operations throughout the network including the acute care and ambulatory footprint. This executive will lead the development and implementation of system-wide standards and practices for the care of patient populations ensuring that patient care, clinical and staffing standards are met. This individual will be a key partner in the development of the organization’s strategy and will set the vision for nursing while programmatically innovating clinical care models for the network.  This executive will discern and implement new best practice in care delivery models and methods.

This individual will apply clinical practice knowledge in evidenced-based policy and practice to ensure consistency of care delivery, throughout the network, across the continuum of care.  This individual will partner with physician colleagues to articulate patient care issues and acquire the necessary support and resources to effectuate patient-centered decision making.  The incumbent will be highly focused in achieving and exceeding objectives in patient satisfaction and quality, operational and financial performance, nursing engagement and leading transformational change in support of workforce objectives.  This leader defines clinical requires and builds the workforce and education strategy for our nursing teams throughout the network.  The incumbent builds KPI’s around nursing practice, quality, workforce, education and ensures results against same are delivered year over year.

This senior leader will drive AHN's pacesetter role within the Living Health Strategy by creating a new health experience that seamlessly blends nursing clinical operations and practice which is customized to patients' needs and preferences, regardless of location.   Additionally, they will develop proof points that demonstrate a decrease in total cost of care while improving quality of care and nurse satisfaction that can be scaled nationally and with anchor partners.  The direct reports for this leader include the Network Chief Nursing Officers and the VP, Clinical Nursing Operations and Innovation.

This individual will be held accountable to implement a network strategy for the continuing development of harmonious professional relationships among medical staff, nursing, and other disciplines.  Works in collaboration with peers and leadership to innovate the future of work and to facilitate new care models, such as the integration of digital and virtual solutions into nursing.  In partnership with network leaders builds a comprehensive long-term workforce development plan. Leverages our schools of nursing and academic partners to meet the future needs of the network and its health care delivery model. Cultivates strategic partnerships with nursing academic organizations that align with the network’s workforce plan addressing near-term and future needs. Champions the delivery of equitable care, addressing social determinants of health and a diverse and inclusive nursing workforce. 

The incumbent provides leadership resulting in strong operational performance, outstanding teamwork, superior quality of care and continued expansion in clinical programs. This key leader will be highly focused on achievement of the quintuple aim through nursing operational components of access, programs, and total cost of care. 

The successful candidate will support and execute cultural transformation strategies inclusive of those relative to AHN intent and achievement of the quintuple aim; assess the existing talent within the nursing institute, and develop succession plans inclusive of structured development plans and replacement strategies. This individual must be a strong leader, with high emotional intelligence, who is able to work effectively across the organization serving as a key partner to the other executive leaders in a highly matrixed environment. She/He will be a critical influencer across leadership and must drive a culture of accountable and collaborative communication. This individual supports Executive, Hospital and Institute leadership and executes upon cultural transformation strategies while maintaining a laser focus on improvement, clinical excellence, and standardization. 

Principal Accountabilities

• Provide visible senior leadership, effective management, and overall oversight of nursing operations throughout the network including the acute care and ambulatory footprint. Standardize policy, practice through evidence-based decisions.
• Provide vision, establish a nursing governance structure, ensure quality, provide strategic nursing management, and foster staff development.  Also responsible for workforce strategies, nurse credentialing and providing fiscal oversight in budgetary formation and compliance.
• Ensure care is delivered in a consistent, scientific framework throughout the network, through the development and of a governance structure which includes nursing staff, managers, educators, and senior nursing leadership.  This ensures the “voice of the nurse” is heard through open forums to discuss challenges, issues and concerns that affect patient care. 
• Drive engagement of all levels of nursing leadership in joint planning of activities designed to enhance professional nursing practice, set annual strategic goals and initiatives, and provide final approval of policies and procedures.
• Ensure delivery of quality care through the identification and standardization of network quality indicators.  Participate in NDNQI to analyze and benchmark quality data to determine and improve the overall level of nursing’s clinical performance. 
• Develop and refresh nursing strategic plan that targets quality performance, implementing innovative care models, monitoring effectiveness while developing structures and processes that track and trend outcome measures.  Leverages regulatory requirements established by CMS, JCAHO, and Magnet as a blueprint for effective quality processes.
• Engage participation of nurses networkwide in the development of best-practices and promotion of new knowledge and innovation at the point of care.
• Evaluate network-wide clinical and administrative processes to identify best practices.  Adopt best practices as network wide through facilitated learning among practitioners and with the outcome of improving care delivery.
• Manage and have deep knowledge of nurse-sensitive indicators, such as hospital-acquired-infections, pressure ulcers, patient falls, vacancy rates and hours of care be patient day, to analyze and determine high performing areas. 
• Foster staff development and ensure the availability of a well-educated nursing workforce to meet the needs of an increasingly complex patient populations.  Create partnerships to support the pipeline for new nurses, builds new mutually beneficial programs, works on key safety issues, and promotes clinical scholarship through research to facilitate an effective nursing education model.
• Foster effective communication among the nursing staff to mitigate challenges within those covered by a collective bargaining agreement.  Maximize network wide collaboration and promote a network wide nursing approach for clinical practice.  Improve nurse communication and patient experience measures.
• Assess all members of the nursing executive management team and develop a strong relationship with the medical staff and AHN leadership to build confidence, trust, and credibility. It is critical that this individual be viewed as an action-oriented, performance focused leader, adept at navigating within a fast-paced, highly matrixed environment that is undergoing rapid transformation.
• Provide financial oversight through the development of an infrastructure to uniformly determine nursing staff workload throughout the system.  Leverage trended data to formulate the staffing plan and acquire necessary resources to ensure consistent application of the care delivery system.  Develop an effective agency transition to influence the financial turnaround of the organization and ensure the highest level of care is delivered.
• Ensure that there is a strong management team in place, within all entities of care, that can work effectively across the both the region and the Network in moving the organization forward.  Evaluate the current management team and structure, making appropriate changes that will drive teamwork and high performance. Align operations with the Living Health Strategy and assess the current, traditional structure relative to its ability to effectively leverage resources and performance within the evolving, regional network structure.
• Enhance a culture of accountability at all levels of the organization.  Establish a disciplined approach to decision making with critical metrics to continuously measure performance.  Foster a culture of teamwork and collaboration and instill a sense of enthusiasm and pride.
• Be highly visible and “hands on” to communicate the “pulse” of the organization at all levels to support the AHN President.
• Other duties as assigned.

Required:

• 15 years of progressive experience in Healthcare/Nursing Leadership with at least 5 years in a senior executive nursing position, the current/most recent position must be one in charge of or responsible for nursing operations in complex, integrated operating environment
• Extensive experience as a chief nurse executive in a hospital setting
• Experience in a turnaround situation with a focus on the long-term success of the institution; a track record of implementing significant change and a history of staying on after change has been undertaken
• Experience in a multi-institutional healthcare system; while experience in an academic/teaching hospital setting would be helpful, candidates must have demonstrated experience of serving as a results-oriented, engaged operational leader capable of driving standardization of clinical practice at the network level
• Excellent financial skills with a strong business, quality, mission, and results-focused orientation; has a successful record of growing programs, services, market share, and profitability
• Strong, positive track record in physician/medical staff relationships; experience in joint ventures with physicians and building/expanding key service lines

Preferred:

• Comfortable with an organized labor presence; prior leadership experience in unionized environment(s) is a significant advantage
• Quality-oriented, focused on improvements in patient care services; has successful record in improving patient, physician, and employee satisfaction scores
• Has worked in competitive environments and competed successfully against strong market competition in immediate service area and regionally

Skills:

• Engender a results-oriented, focused yet collaborative management style
• Be a visible leader
• Ability to clearly articulate a vision, be innovative, inspire others and set high expectations for achievement
• Ability to build a comprehensive nursing strategy relative to process enhancements and financial improvements currently underway within the healthcare setting
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Team player committed to developing and working within a collaborative environment and to ensuring the highest customer service orientation
• Ability to relate well and work effectively with multiple constituencies and audiences
• Known for open and inclusive management style, yet also holds people accountable
• A reputation for proactive identification of issues and finding solutions to them

EDUCATION

Required

• BSN or Bachelor's degree in Healthcare Administration, Management or other related specialty

• Master’s degree in Nursing Administration or MBA

Preferred

• Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Administration

LICENSES AND CERTIFICATIONS

Required

• RN with active State Nursing License or ability to obtain one

Preferred

• Advanced Nursing Certification in Nursing Specialty including Nurse Leadership preferred
• Six Sigma Black Belt or similar certification in Quality Improvement

Given the critical importance of this key position, a competitive compensation and comprehensive relocation package will be developed to attract the best candidates.

Disclaimer: The job description has been designed to indicate the general nature and essential duties and responsibilities of work performed by employees within this job title. It may not contain a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities, and qualifications required of employees to do this job.

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Furthermore, it is every employee’s responsibility to comply with the company’s Code of Business Conduct. This includes but is not limited to adherence to applicable federal and state laws, rules, and regulations as well as company policies and training requirements.

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