Assistant Director of Clinical Programs

POSITION: Assistant Director of Clinical Programs

DEPARTMENT: Registered Nursing

REPORTS TO: Director of Clinical Programs

MISSION STATEMENT "George Mark Children’s House provides compassionate care to enhance the quality of life for children with serious medical conditions and their families.”

POSITION SUMMARY Reporting to the Director of Clinical Programs (DCP), the Assistant Director of Clinical Programs (ADCP) will facilitate and administer care to George Mark Children’s House (GMCH) patients and families on a comprehensive basis, including medical, psychosocial, and spiritual needs. The ADCP will assist in overseeing all direct clinical hires including the nursing, psychosocial, case management, volunteer, and aquatics teams. The ADCP will work in close collaboration with the Compliance Officer to continually assess and implement optimal clinical compliance. The ADCP will also collaborate with other departments within the framework of the GMCH mission and the philosophy of pediatric palliative care. This is a full-time, exempt position with on-call responsibility, including weekend and evening hours. This position may require some travel.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

CLINICAL PRACTICE & LEADERSHIP:

1. Assists in directly supervising nursing, psychosocial, case management, and aquatics staff.
2. Demonstrates management responsibilities. Embraces role as a leader for clinical staff.
3. In collaboration with the DCP & Compliance Officer, partakes in developing, implementing, and assuring compliance with Nursing Practice Standards.
4. Maintains extensive knowledge of current professional/clinical issues and uses evidence-based resources to guide delivery of clinical care to a complex pediatric patient population
5. Promotes excellence in clinical practice and the nursing process by serving as a clinical resource to nursing staff and the interdisciplinary team
6. Ability to provide direct patient care as needed. Fills gaps in staffing shortages & serves as Clinical Coordinator On-Call (alternating weekends, holidays, and evenings).
7. Promotes an environment that is sensitive to the diverse needs of patients, families, and employees.
8. In the absence of the DCP, leads weekly interdisciplinary meetings and monthly nursing staff meetings
9. In collaboration with DCP, coordinates staffing schedules, PTO requests, and unplanned absences while assessing the need for adequate coverage in each area.
10. In absence of the DCP, represents the clinical department on Leadership Team
11. Performs leadership role by leading by example; demonstrates professionalism, clear and effective communication, emotional intelligence, compassion, and the ability to build influence. Maintains self-awareness and keen ability to make decisions for the good of the organization.
12. Performs other duties as needed

STAFF DEVELOPMENT:

1. Collaborates with DCP, Compliance Officer, & RN Educator to lead, train, develop, and empower the nursing team
2. Shares responsibility of performing 90-day and annual reviews with ongoing follow-up to ensure continuous growth and improvement.
3. In collaboration with DCP and RN Educator, develops education plans designed to assist nursing staff in the progression of professional growth within the specialty of pediatric palliative care.
4. In collaboration with the DCP & Compliance Officer, coordinates focused trainings to optimize informed clinical compliance with regulatory requirements.
5. Commits to promoting a professional, team-based, respectful workplace culture among clinical staff. Identifies barriers to culture change and works tactfully to challenge those barriers.
6. Encourages autonomy, accountability, and interpersonal problem solving among clinical team.
7. Remains conscious of team morale and supports implementation of self-care, wellness opportunities, and team building through activities and informational avenues.
8. Acknowledges constructive feedback from nursing staff when concerns are expressed. Organizes plans with DCP to address verbalized concerns.

SYSTEM COORDINATION:

1. Shares responsibility to perform risk assessments, solve problems, and improve processes within the department.
2. Demonstrates flexibility in supporting leadership with meeting demands of the clinical department. 3) Works closely with Case Management to ensure optimal navigation of referrals, admissions, and discharges while overseeing patient care during admission. Assists in following up with internal and external care teams and families as needed regarding patient stay.

QUALITY IMPROVEMENT:

1. In collaboration with the DCP & Compliance Officer, works to assess risk, improve patient safety, and reduce nursing errors.
2. Uses evidence as a foundation for practice and changes in practice.
3. Works with DCP to review outcome measures and improve staff performance and patient outcomes. 4) Partakes in family meetings to discuss plans of care, patient and/or care concerns, or other issues.
4. Contribute to quarterly QAPI meetings

RESOURCE MANAGEMENT:

1. In collaboration with DCP, utilizes leadership skills to navigate interdepartmental conflicts or employee relations issues.
2. Delegates work appropriately and provide direction and guidance to clinical staff.
3. Monitors/coordinates with Clinical Administrative Assistant to take weekly inventory of nursing supplies and perform ordering as needed.

PROFESSIONAL GROWTH & LIFELONG LEARNING:

1. Seeks opportunities to attend conferences and webinars to broaden knowledge of pediatric palliative care.
2. Assists with coordinating clinical outreach opportunities; ability to table events when needed
3. Participates in relevant continuing education regularly
4. Obtains CHPPN certification within one year of hire
5. Engages in opportunities for leadership training in all capacities.

POSITION REQUIREMENTS

The DCP will demonstrate the ability:

1. To comfortably, competently, and efficiently practice and independently oversee the delivery of pediatric palliative care
2. To lead, teach, mentor, motivate, and develop staff.
3. To exhibit advanced, effective, and professional communication skills with GMCH patients, families, caregivers, staff, and volunteers using both written and verbal skills.
4. To perform tasks in a culturally sensitive manner without regard to age, gender, race, ethnicity, sexual preference, or socioeconomic status.
5. To operate a personal computer with Netsmart software, or other EMR system and Microsoft Windows Office software, including Word, Excel, Teams, and Outlook.
6. To show the skills and core competencies of a nurse/healthcare leader including advanced nursing care skills, managing multiple, competing, and varied tasks, time management, listening skills (clinical and interpersonal), problem solving (clinical and interpersonal), decision making, delegation of duties, and successfully managing workflow.
7. To display conduct of the highest professional and ethical standards with patients, families, staff, and volunteers always.
8. To demonstrate advanced critical-thinking skills and the ability to identify areas of improvement in clinical operations
9. To demonstrate conflict resolution skills, including diplomacy, tact, sound judgment and listening skills

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

1. Valid, unrestricted California Registered Nurse license
2. BSN required
3. CHPPN certification or willingness to obtain within one year of hire date
4. Current BLS/CPR certification
5. Three or more years of recent pediatric, palliative, and/or end-of-life care. Prefer acute and/or critical pediatric care

Benefits for this role:

• Up to 12 paid holidays
• 100% employee paid benefits, 25% for dependents. (Health, Dental & Vision plans)
• Flexible Spending account (FSA) Program
• 403(b) retirement account with a 2% employer matching program
• Paid Time off (PTO) accrued per pay period at a rate of 8.62
• $500 continuing education/personal development fund after 90 days of employment