Chief Nursing Officer (CNO) – New 80‑Bed Acute Care Hospital

East Houston Medical Center•Baytown, TX

5d•Onsite

About The Position

East Houston Medical Center is seeking an accomplished and visionary Chief Nursing Officer (CNO) to lead the nursing enterprise for our newly constructed 80-bed acute care facility in East Houston. This pre-opening executive role offers a unique opportunity to be deeply involved in facility planning, clinical design, and activation, shaping the hospital’s nursing culture and care model from day one. Our new 80-bed acute care hospital is currently in development to serve the East Houston, Channelview, and Baytown communities with safe, compassionate, and evidence-based care. The CNO will join the organization in advance of opening to help ensure that clinical operations, nursing workflows, and patient care environments are designed for quality, safety, and efficiency. The Chief Nursing Officer will serve as the senior nursing executive and a core member of the pre-opening leadership team. This leader will guide nursing strategy, participate in facility and workflow design, and lead the transition from construction to go-live operations, ultimately overseeing all nursing and patient care services once the hospital opens.

Requirements

Current, unrestricted Registered Nurse (RN) license (or eligibility) in the State of Texas.
Master’s degree in Nursing or a related field required.
Significant leadership experience in acute care nursing, including senior-level responsibility (e.g., Director of Nursing, Associate CNO or CNO).
Demonstrated success in quality improvement, patient safety, regulatory compliance, and nursing operations.
Proven ability to collaborate effectively with interdisciplinary teams, architects, and operations leaders during facility design and activation.

Nice To Haves

Doctoral preparation in nursing or a healthcare-related discipline preferred.
Experience in new hospital openings, expansions, or major redesign projects.
Strategic, forward-thinking nurse executive who brings both operational discipline and creativity to a greenfield hospital project.
Exceptional communicator and relationship-builder, able to align diverse stakeholders around a shared vision for nursing and patient care.
Committed to cultivating a high-engagement, professional practice environment where nurses can thrive and deliver outstanding care.

Responsibilities

Collaborate with executive leadership, architects, constructors, and clinical leaders to ensure nursing input is integrated into unit layout, patient room design, nurse workstations, and support spaces.
Lead the development of the nursing care delivery model, including staffing plans, scope of services, and patient flow for all inpatient and procedural areas prior to opening.
Establish clinical policies, procedures, and standards of nursing practice that will govern care on day one and support regulatory readiness.
Participate in equipment planning and selection for nursing and patient care areas, ensuring alignment with evidence-based practice, safety, and efficiency.
Drive pre-opening project plans for nursing, including hiring timelines, orientation pathways, competency programs, and go-live readiness activities (mock surveys, simulations, and drills).
Serve as a visible and trusted liaison between front-line nursing perspectives and the design/construction team, advocating for practical, patient-centered solutions.
Provide strategic and operational leadership for all nursing and patient care services, aligning nursing practice with the hospital’s mission, vision, and goals.
Ensure high standards of clinical quality, patient safety, and patient experience through evidence-based practice, performance improvement, and a strong culture of safety.
Oversee nursing workforce planning, including recruitment, retention, scheduling, and productivity management for the 80-bed acute care environment.
Partner closely with the CEO, CMO, COO, and medical staff to integrate nursing perspectives into strategy, service line development, and operational decision-making.
Maintain compliance with all applicable regulatory and accreditation standards and lead nursing’s participation in surveys and continuous readiness activities.