Assistant Unit Director - Pediatric Cardiac ICU (Evenings)

University of California, San Francisco•San Francisco, CA

11d

About The Position

The Assistant Unit Director supervises staff providing clinical patient care and helps ensure high-quality care in a specific patient care area, serving as a role model for professional nursing practice. The role assists with managing personnel, fiscal, and material resources and may assume full responsibility for the unit in delegated areas or when the manager is absent. The position is in UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital’s 18-bed Pediatric Cardiac Intensive Care Unit (PCICU), a tertiary and quaternary cardiac surgical intensive care unit caring for critically ill neonates through adults with congenital heart defects. Patients arrive through the in-house, nurse-managed Transport Team and Access Center or by direct referral for specialized surgical care. The unit treats a variety of life-threatening medical and surgical conditions. Nurses maintain vital functions for fragile children while supporting their families. The Assistant Unit Director must cross-train to the Pediatric Cardiac Transitional Care Unit as needed.

Requirements

Two years of RN clinical experience.
Two years of progressive leadership experience in patient care services.
Bachelor of Science in Nursing.
Strong interpersonal and problem-solving skills, including effective communication and collaborative decision-making.
Knowledge of relevant healthcare information technology and patient-care workflows and processes.
Demonstrated knowledge of relevant regulatory requirements and related legislative, accreditation, licensing, and compliance environments.
Registered Nurse license in the state of California.
American Heart Association CPR certification, to be obtained within six months of hire.
American Heart Association PALS certification, to be obtained within six months of hire.
Cross-training to the Pediatric Cardiac Transitional Care Unit as needed.

Nice To Haves

Two years of Pediatric Cardiac ICU RN leadership or supervisory experience.
Master’s degree in Nursing or a relevant area.
CCRN Leadership Certification.

Responsibilities

Supervise and coordinate department operations, resolve system issues, advise on work methods, manage scheduling according to patient census and acuity, and ensure compliance with internal procedures and external regulations.
Serve as a resource to nursing staff on clinical patient-care issues, new policies, and technology.
Keep staff informed of changes in policies, procedures, and external regulations.
Monitor support-department services and collaborate to improve utilization and efficiency.
Evaluate subordinate staff and participate in hiring, salary actions, terminations, performance ratings, and other human resources decisions.
Orient new employees to nursing responsibilities within the practice.
Promote effective teamwork, communication, and collaboration.
Encourage and assist staff in meeting professional goals.
Use standard practice evaluation tools to identify areas for growth.
Consult with nurse leaders and educators on performance-improvement strategies.
Understand unit financial goals and educate staff about cost-containment strategies.
Maintain unit expenses within budget.
Communicate regularly with management about unit activities and pertinent operational or human resources issues.
Respond to community or health system partners to facilitate patient-care services.
Involve physicians, staff, and other healthcare team members in plans for patient admissions, transfers, and discharges.
Promote a positive patient experience and provide service recovery as needed across the nursing unit.