Chief Nursing Officer

Mille Lacs Health System•Onamia, MN

About The Position

The Chief Nursing Officer (CNO) leads nursing staff and oversees the quality of nursing care across all departments of an independent rural healthcare organization. The role combines clinical expertise with strategic leadership to ensure exceptional patient care and alignment with the facility’s mission, vision, and values. The CNO serves on the senior leadership team and contributes to organizational strategy and policy development. The CNO oversees compliance with healthcare regulations, accreditation standards, and nursing best practices; leads efforts to improve patient outcomes, safety, and satisfaction; and supports the recruitment, training, mentoring, evaluation, and professional development of nursing staff. The role also includes managing performance and conflict, participating in financial forecasting, and overseeing assigned service-line budgets and resources. The CNO collaborates with department heads to integrate nursing services with other medical services, oversees care-delivery models suited to rural community health needs, and represents nursing in community initiatives and partnerships. The position communicates with the board, staff, and community and ensures compliance with federal, state, and local regulations related to nursing practices. This is an exempt position, mainly Monday through Friday, with occasional evening or weekend work potentially required for urgent situations or community events. Work is primarily in an office, with time on the hospital floor engaging with staff and observing patient care. The position oversees clinics, inpatient services, the emergency department, surgery, infusion, ambulance, radiology, the senior behavioral health unit, quality, and homecare/hospice service lines. Duties and responsibilities may change, and the employee must comply with MLHS policies and report unsafe conditions to management.

Requirements

Master's degree in nursing, business, or a related field.
Minnesota Registered Nurse licensure.
7–10 years of progressively responsible nursing experience, including at least 3–5 years in a leadership or administrative role within a hospital setting.
Experience in financial planning and analysis, with prior oversight of human resources, information technology, and legal implications.
Skills in organizational development, personnel development, budget and resource development, and strategic planning.
Excellent people skills and ability to partner with a dynamic leadership team.
Integrity, credibility, and commitment to the organizational mission.
Flexibility and ability to work in an ambiguous, fast-moving environment while driving toward clarity and solutions.
Resourcefulness in setting priorities and guiding people and systems.
Executive-level written and verbal communication skills.
Patient care, quality, and safety focus.
Ethical conduct, personal effectiveness and credibility, stress management and composure, teamwork and collaboration orientation, and technological capacity.

Nice To Haves

Experience in a rural healthcare setting.
Certification in Nurse Leadership or Executive Nursing Practice, such as NE-BC or CENP.

Responsibilities

Develop and implement nursing strategies aligned with organizational goals.
Serve on the senior leadership team and contribute to organizational strategy and policy development.
Oversee compliance with healthcare regulations, accreditation standards, and nursing best practices.
Lead initiatives to improve patient outcomes, safety, and satisfaction.
Support recruitment, training, and mentoring of nursing staff.
Manage staff performance, including evaluations, professional development, and conflict resolution.
Participate in financial forecasting and manage assigned department service-line budgets.
Ensure efficient use of resources while maintaining high-quality care standards.
Coordinate with department heads to integrate nursing services with other medical services.
Implement and oversee care-delivery models suited to a rural setting and community health needs.
Represent nursing in community health initiatives and partnerships.
Communicate with the board, staff, and community to promote the organization’s nursing services.
Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local regulations related to nursing practices.
Comply with MLHS policies, including safety policies, procedures, and rules, and report unsafe conditions to management.