Nursing Director, Primary Care/ Clinical Practice

The Nursing Director is responsible for the strategic direction, planning and oversite of Nursing and clinical practice within the Cook County Health (CCH) Primary Care Centers. The Nursing Director seeks innovative approaches to develop goals and plans for the Health Centers/ Clinics in relation to system-wide vision and goals, establishment of high reliable practices and professional practice which reflects evidence- based care and an excellent patient experience. The Nursing Director, Primary Care/ Clinical Practice is responsible for ensuring clinical and management staff competence to deliver the highest standards of integrated, coordinated clinical care, maintain and develop institutional policies, procedures and workflows, practice continuous quality improvement, continuous readiness and proactive financial management for the department. Works collaboratively with medical, operational, managed care and other leaders / disciplines within the Patient Centered Medical Home (PCMH) to design, implement and enculturate a highly reliable team-based model of care which improves patient experience, patient engagement; coordination of care, quality and patient outcomes in a cost effective manner. Develops, implements and monitors initiatives that promote zero harm for employees and patients, promotes staff engagement and supports CCH growth and strategies. Implements and puts into practice applicable Magnet standards and system wide nursing leadership initiatives for Primary Care Health Centers and Clinics. The Nursing Director functions in a leadership and supervisory capacity providing clinical direction to the Clinic managers and clinical staff within the division of Cook County Health (CCH) Primary Care Centers.

General Administrative Responsibilities

Collective Bargaining

• Participate in collective bargaining negotiations, caucus discussions and working meetings
• Review applicable Collective Bargaining Agreements and consult with Labor Relations to generate management proposals

Discipline

• Work closely with labor relations and/or labor counsel to effectuate and enforce applicable Collective Bargaining Agreements
• Initiate, authorize and complete disciplinary action pursuant to CCH system rules, policies, procedures and provision of applicable collective bargaining agreements
• Document, recommend and effectuate discipline at all levels

Supervision

• Direct and effectuate CCH management policies and practices
• Access and proficiently navigate CCH records system to obtain and review information necessary to execute provisions of applicable collective bargaining agreements

Management

• Discuss and develop CCH system policy and procedure
• Consistently use independent judgment to identify operational staffing issues and needs and perform the following functions as necessary; hire, transfer, suspend, layoff, recall, promote, discharge, assign, direct or discipline employees pursuant to applicable Collective Bargaining Agreements
• Work with Labor Relations to discern past practice when necessary
• Contribute to the management of CCH staff and CCH’ systemic development and success

Typical Duties

• Makes rounds to assess and evaluate the patient experience and patient care needs and to ensure care delivered meets Standards of Care and Practice criteria for the designated specialty as required by regulatory, state, federal or professional organization’s guidelines.
• Monitors and evaluates the overall nursing/clinical staff care delivery system within the ambulatory CCH Centers to ensure integrity of patient care within established efficiency, safety, and quality standards.
• Responsible for ensuring that nursing personnel/clinical staff provide optimal customer service and an exceptional patient experience.
• Provides guidance and practice changes to prevent safety events
• Establishes and reviews individual performance goals for clinic managers related to clinical care delivery. Ensures they are educated and informed of all policies, procedures, performance improvement, and quality initiatives.
• Works with and provides assistance to develop division specific quality and safety initiatives. Participates in development, implementation and evaluation of the ambulatory and specialty clinic division’s Performance Improvement Program. Works with clinic managers, on duty administrators and other supervisory staff to ensure integration of high reliability practice and performance improvement activities into daily practice and workflows
• Collects, reviews and analyzes patient acuity/risk status, patient volumes and staffing data to determine staffing patterns and project staffing needs, to ensure adequate staffing within each primary and specialty center.
• Develops education staff into Subject Matter experts for clinical practice in Primary care, based on PCMH principles of care delivery and team based care
• Develops clinical staff roles/responsibilities and performance metrics, with an emphasis on preventive care, chronic disease management, patient education, patient self-management, smooth transitions of care across the continuum and clinical documentation.
• Establishes roles and responsibility, performance goals and objectives for the nurses and clinical staff in accordance with Department of Nursing and Ambulatory policies, practices, and objectives

• Leads clinical policy development specific to CCH Primary Care Centers
• Develops relationships with collective bargaining representatives and labor leaders to ensure that CCH strategies and priorities are known and drivers of clinical decisions and performance
• Provides direction to clinic managers in the recruitment, training and retention of qualified clinical staff. Provides guidelines to managers and works closely with professional development staff to ensure continuous education and current, updated competencies, certification and licensure of clinical staff.
• Ensures that Magnet and safety initiatives are planned and implemented
• Ensures staff are educated and competent and have proper tools/support to implement clinical practice standards that ensure evidence based, high reliability practices.
• Partners with Operations, physician leadership and other system leaders for CCH Primary Care Centers for policy development, implementation of initiatives that ensure performance improvement in safety/ quality, patient experience and efficiency.
• Provides guidance and reviews disciplines of clinical staff related to clinical performance, competency, skill level and patient safety- participates in the disciplinary process as needed.
• Collaborates with CountyCare and Managed Care Network to ensure HEDIS and other quality measures are met and high/ moderate risk patients are appropriately identified and receive care/ support
• Demonstrate and promotes an awareness of patient rights; provides training to staff to ensure their knowledge and awareness of patient rights; functions as a patient advocate.
• Participates in fiscal planning for the division.
• Ensures that CCH Primary Care Centers are in a state of continual readiness for Joint Commission and other regulatory bodies
• Collaborates with CCH Nursing Education department to develop/ implement education relevant to Health centers
• Collaborates with other system clinical leaders (Social Work/ Behavioral Health, WIC, pharmacy, IT, etc.) to develop policies/ practice which are applicable to care delivery in CCH Primary Care Centers
• Prepares and submits divisional performance reports on a monthly, quarterly and annual basis.
• Executes on strategic initiatives and ensures accountability for implementation / monitoring by clinic management staff
• Participates in nursing committees, medical and ancillary committees to ensure nursing division is actively linked to and in collaboration with all patient care systems.
• Establishes Shared Governance/Clinical Practice Committees for CCH Primary Care Centers
• Reviews expenditures and budget to ensure labor costs and expenses are within established annual guidelines. Identifies capital and expenses critical to the delivery of high-quality safe care.
• Performs other related duties as required.

Reporting Relationships

Reports to the Associate Nurse Executive, Ambulatory Services