Director of Nursing, Women & Infants Center

Washington Regional Medical System•Fayetteville, AR

1d•Onsite

About The Position

The Director of Nursing, Women & Infants Center provides clinical, operational, and administrative leadership for Labor & Delivery, Postpartum, the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), obstetric emergency/triage, lactation, and community education. Reporting to the Vice President/Chief Nursing Officer, the Director plans, directs, and evaluates nursing services across these areas and is accountable for quality and safety, nursing practice, workforce development, financial stewardship, and patient and family experience. In collaboration with nursing leaders, medical staff, and interdisciplinary partners, the Director promotes coordinated maternal and neonatal care, effective patient flow, and data-driven improvements in service, productivity, and clinical operations. The role develops operational plans and budgets; oversees quality, safety, policies, procedures, education, and competency validation; supports regulatory and accreditation readiness; manages staffing and departmental resources; and uses clinical, operational, financial, and patient experience data to guide improvements. It also provides operational oversight of obstetric emergency evaluation and triage, coordinating staffing, assessment, escalation, disposition, and collaboration with Labor & Delivery and the hospital emergency department. Washington Regional Medical System is a community-owned, locally governed, nonprofit health care system in Northwest Arkansas. Its 425-bed medical center employs more than 3,200 team members and serves the region through over 40 clinic locations, a Level II trauma center, and five Centers of Excellence.

Requirements

Arkansas Registered Nurse license.
CPR certification.
Valid Arkansas driver’s license.
At least seven years of directly related healthcare leadership experience, including relevant experience in maternal, neonatal, or women and infants services.
Experience with data analysis, team leadership, implementation of systematic improvements, and development of policies and procedures supporting patient- and family-centered care.
Approximately seven to ten years of progressively responsible related experience, including five to seven years of supervisory and managerial experience.
Ability to direct nursing operations across Labor & Delivery, Postpartum, NICU, and obstetric emergency/triage services.
Advanced interpersonal skills for leading subordinate personnel and communicating with hospital personnel, community residents, and outside agencies.
Advanced analytical skills for developing policies, techniques, and procedures; determining capital equipment, staffing, expense, and revenue needs; and preparing reports and analyses.

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree in business, healthcare administration, or a related field.

Responsibilities

Develop objectives and operational plans for Labor & Delivery, Postpartum, NICU, and obstetric emergency/triage services, and partner with the Vice President/Chief Nursing Officer on priorities, implementation plans, and budgets.
Evaluate service delivery, capacity, and patient flow and implement improvements that support timely access, coordinated transitions, and effective resource use.
Oversee maternal and neonatal quality and safety initiatives, including review of outcomes, safety events, and improvement opportunities.
Oversee procedures, staff education, and competency validation for safe use of maternal and neonatal equipment.
Develop, implement, and maintain nursing policies and procedures; coordinate workflows for assessment, escalation, admission, transfer, and discharge.
Coordinate readiness for audits, accreditation surveys, and regulatory reviews, and partner with Quality, Compliance, and medical leadership to address applicable requirements.
Manage operating and capital budgets, staffing resources, productivity, supplies, and equipment needs.
Interview, hire, train, evaluate, and, when necessary, discipline and discharge personnel.
Review subordinate supervisors’ and managers’ employee-relations recommendations and provide guidance on complex matters.
Use clinical, operational, and patient experience data to set priorities, monitor improvement plans, and strengthen communication, education, and family-centered care.
Maintain policies and practices consistent with accreditation standards, applicable laws and regulations, and organizational policies; collaborate with Compliance regarding requirements affecting obstetric emergency evaluation and triage.
Prepare and review departmental reports and analyses on volumes, acuity, staffing, productivity, financial performance, quality outcomes, patient experience, and obstetric triage throughput.
Maintain collaborative relationships with obstetric, neonatal, anesthesia, emergency, and other clinical and support teams to coordinate care, resolve barriers, and support service development.
Ensure proper equipment use, repair, and replacement to support departmental operations.
Maintain current knowledge of maternal and neonatal nursing practice, nursing leadership, and service delivery trends, and apply relevant evidence to improvement efforts.
Support nursing research and evidence-based practice initiatives with medical staff and clinical educators, including evaluating new practices and maintaining project records.
Provide operational oversight of obstetric emergency evaluation and triage, coordinating staffing, timely assessment, escalation, disposition, and collaboration with Labor & Delivery and the hospital emergency department.
Integrate the department into the Medical Center’s primary function, respond to changing needs and urgent events, and participate in cross-organizational performance improvement activities as appropriate.
Coordinate and integrate interdepartmental and intradepartmental services.
Develop, obtain administrative approval for, and implement policies and procedures supporting departmental services.
Recommend sufficient qualified and competent staffing and assist with recruitment and retention efforts.
Determine the qualifications and competence of department personnel.
Assess service needs and continually work to improve care performance and service quality; maintain appropriate quality-control and quality-improvement programs.
Provide or arrange orientation and continuing education for department personnel.
Recommend space and other departmental resources as needed and participate in selecting off-site resources for related services not provided by the department.
Conduct regular staff meetings about the Medical Center’s mission, values, operational plans, safety, quality, and relevant departmental issues.
Provide timely feedback to those coordinating organizational performance improvement and participate in improvement activities at individual and departmental levels, as appropriate.