Hospital Nurse Shift Manager - Per Diem - Shift

Kern Medical•Bakersfield, CA

20d

About The Position

Kern Medical is an acute care teaching center with 222 beds, providing advanced trauma care and a range of primary, specialty, and multi-specialty services. Per diem employees supplement department staffing needs, with no guarantee of minimum hours; the minimum scheduling expectation is four shifts per month. The Nursing Shift Manager interprets hospital policies and procedures, monitors compliance, supports nursing staff with clinical guidance, and advises Nursing Unit Managers about significant unit issues. The role coordinates with medical staff to support interdepartmental communication and problem-solving, evaluates staffing needs across units each shift, adjusts assignments as needed, and may assist with staff evaluations and recommend disciplinary action. Patient care may be provided in emergencies. The position also oversees incoming transfers and direct admissions, including triage, communication with accepting physicians, bed placement, insurance preauthorization for non-emergent transfers, required Take Back Agreements, and transfer documentation. The manager represents Kern Medical to visitors, providers, media, and the public, and performs other job-related duties as required. The role requires a current California Registered Nurse license and either a relevant bachelor’s degree plus qualifying hospital RN experience, or an alternate experience pathway that includes a year in a charge nurse or leadership role. Required certifications include American Heart Association Provider BLS, ACLS, and PALS, as well as maintaining RQI Provider certification and competency.

Requirements

Current California license as a Registered Nurse.
Either a bachelor’s degree in Nursing, Business or Health Care Administration, or another related field from an accredited college or university, plus three years of paid full-time hospital experience as a Registered Nurse attained within the past five years; or five years of hospital RN experience attained within the past seven years, including one year in a charge nurse or leadership role in a specific function such as education, safety, quality management, research, or policy development.
Maintain American Heart Association Provider Basic Life Support (BLS), Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS), and Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) certifications.
Maintain RQI Provider certification and competency as a continued condition of employment.
Knowledge of patient care delivery systems; personnel management; in-service training for professional and allied nursing personnel; nursing records, reports, and statistics; and modern hospital organization, practices, supplies, and equipment.
Ability to plan, organize, coordinate, and assist in directing nursing services for a large general hospital.
Ability to analyze and respond to crises, determine effective courses of action, and work calmly and effectively with people and circumstances.
Ability to evaluate and assess professional and allied nursing personnel.
Ability to communicate effectively verbally and in writing.
A background check may be required.
If driving a personal vehicle is required, possess a current valid California Driver’s License and comply with the stated vehicle-use and driving policy.
If driving a Kern Medical-owned, leased, or rented vehicle is required, possess a current valid California Driver’s License, sign a release of driving record information, and comply with the stated vehicle-use and driving policy.
Depending on assignment, possess and maintain specific certificates of competency as a condition of employment.

Responsibilities

Interpret hospital policies and procedures for staff and monitor compliance.
Ensure nursing units operate consistently with Nursing Department and Kern Medical policies.
Serve as a resource for hospital staff and provide clinical support to nursing staff in patient care.
Advise Nursing Unit Managers on significant issues, concerns, and occurrences on their units.
Coordinate with medical staff to facilitate interdepartmental communication and problem-solving.
Evaluate staffing needs on each unit each shift and adjust hospital-wide staff assignments as needed.
Assist with staff evaluations and, when appropriate, recommend disciplinary action.
Provide patient care in emergency situations as required.
Represent Kern Medical to visitors, other providers, media representatives, and the general public.
Oversee incoming transfer requests from outlying facilities and coordinate and monitor incoming transfers and direct admissions.
Perform telephone patient triage, prioritize patient information, and communicate clinical presentations to accepting physicians.
Ensure accepted transfer patients receive bed assignments and priority placement.
Ensure insurance preauthorization for non-emergent inpatient-to-inpatient transfers and signed Take Back Agreements for inpatient-to-inpatient transfers.
Follow transfer center guidelines and document transfers using the specified logs and intake form.
Use the on-call physician list via Tiger Connect to contact the appropriate service for transfers.
Perform other job-related duties as required.