Dir Patient Care Services and Nursing Practices

at Rush University Medical Center in Oak Park, Illinois, United States

Job Description

Job Description

Location: Oak Park, Illinois

Business Unit: Rush Oak Park

Hospital: Rush Oak Park Hospital

Department: Nursing Administration

Work Type: Full Time (Total FTE between 0.9 and 1.0)

Shift: Shift 1

Work Schedule: 8 Hr (7:00:00 AM – 3:30:00 AM)

Rush offers exceptional rewards and benefits learn more at our Rush benefits page (https://www.rush.edu/rush-careers/employee-benefits).

Pay Range: $57.36 – $96.37 per hour

Rush salaries are determined by many factors including, but not limited to, education, job-related experience and skills, as well as internal equity and industry specific market data. The pay range for each role reflects Rush’s anticipated wage or salary reasonably expected to be offered for the position. Offers may vary depending on the circumstances of each case.

Summary:

Job Summary:

The Director of Patient Care Services provides strategic, operational, and clinical leadership for inpatient patient care services, nursing administration, nursing supervisors, inpatient patient experience, and nursing practice in areas led by non-nursing leaders. The Director of Patient Care Services reports directly to the chief nursing officer and is accountable for advancing high-quality, safe, patient-centered care; strengthening nursing operations and professional practice; leading human capital and resource planning; and driving performance in quality, regulatory, and Magnet-related outcomes. This role partners closely with Unit Directors and executive leaders to translate organizational priorities into measurable results and serves in rotation as the Administrator on Call for the organization.

Scope: Directs inpatient patient care services and nursing operations across multiple departments, including medical-surgical, telemetry, intensive care, patient experience, staffing office, and throughput functions. Leads a multi-level leadership team and serves as a strategic liaison across the organization, with full accountability for clinical, operational, and financial performance, nursing practice standards, and Magnet program outcomes. Oversees multiple inpatient departments, including medical-surgical, telemetry, intensive care, patient experience, and nursing operations. Leads a multi-level leadership team, including Unit Directors, Managers, and Supervisors.

Other information:

Required Job Qualifications

Education

- Master’s degree in nursing required.

- Current RN license in Illinois required.

- Current CPR and ACLS certification required.

- Specialty certification required within one year of hire.

Experience

- Minimum of five years of progressively responsible leadership experience in healthcare operations, strategy, and clinical nursing services.

- Demonstrated success leading teams, improving outcomes, and managing complex inpatient operations.

- Experience with budget management, labor oversight, regulatory readiness, and interdisciplinary operations preferred.

Preferred Job Qualifications:

- Doctoral degree in Nursing or related healthcare field preferred.

- Progressive nursing leadership experience in acute care or inpatient operations preferred.

- Experience with Magnet designation, regulatory survey readiness, and accreditation standards preferred.

- Demonstrated experience with budget management, labor productivity, and multi-department operational oversight preferred.

- Experience leading managers or directors, workforce development initiatives, and succession planning preferred.

- Emergency preparedness, incident command training, and process improvement experience preferred.

Disclaimer:

The above is intended to describe the general content of and requirements for the performance of this job. It is not to be construed as an exhaustive statement of duties, responsibilities, or requirements.

Responsibilities:

Job Responsibilities

1. Evidence-Based Practice

- Designs, implements, and evaluates process improvement strategies that strengthen quality, safety, reliability, and nursing excellence.

- Leads quality, research, and evidence-based practice initiatives across assigned departments using current best evidence to improve patient care and operational outcomes.

- Directs and is accountable for strategies that drive clinician and team adoption of evidence-based practice

- Uses data, utilization trends, and outcome measures to assess performance, identify opportunities, and drive sustainable improvement.

- Accountable for achieving quality and safety outcomes through evidence-based practice initiatives

2. Relationships and Caring

- Creates an environment that fosters therapeutic, respectful relationships with patients and families through effective communication, shared decision-making, and recognition of individual needs and goals.

- Builds partnerships with nursing leaders, physicians, interprofessional teams, academic partners, support departments, and the broader healthcare community to achieve exceptional outcomes.

- Establishes a culture of open communication, psychological safety, shared governance, trust, and accountability that values diverse perspectives and supports engagement.

- Promotes and maintains a just culture across disciplines, supporting collaboration, transparency, learning, and continuous improvement.

- Drives strategies that enhance the patient and family experience through compassionate care, service excellence, staff development, and interdisciplinary collaboration.

- Establishes and leads interdisciplinary partnerships to achieve clinical, operational, and service outcomes

3. Critical Thinking

- Accountable for the development of critical thinking skills of all unit personnel through appreciative inquiry.

- Promotes critical thinking, sound judgment, and inquiry-based problem-solving among leaders and staff to strengthen clinical and operational decision-making.

- Reviews clinical events, operational issues, and adverse outcomes to identify root causes, mitigate risk, and implement sustainable corrective actions.

- Anticipates and responds to emerging trends, innovations, and external forces affecting nursing practice, healthcare delivery, and patient outcomes.

- Applies analytical problem-solving to complex clinical, operational, and system-level issues, translating findings into effective action plans and measurable results.

- Leads analysis of clinical performance and adverse events to identify root causes and implement corrective actions

4. Technical Expertise

- Promotes a culture of safety, accountability, and operational discipline across assigned areas

- Articulates standards and monitors compliance with the State Nurse Practice Act, Board of Nursing Regulations, The Joint Commission standards, IDPH requirements, CMS Conditions of Participation, Magnet principles and standards, and organizational policies, translating requirements into consistent operational practice.

- Leverages clinical information systems, data management practices, and relevant technologies to improve safety, quality, efficiency, and cost-effective care delivery.

- Directs clinical operations, staffing models, and resource utilization to align labor, workflow, and patient care needs across assigned departments.

- Maintains accountability for department operating and capital budgets through financial planning, budget development, variance management, productivity monitoring, and identification of opportunities to improve fiscal performance, operational efficiency, and care delivery.

- Accountable for departmental budgets, productivity, and resource allocation.

- Maintains accountability for FTEs, labor performance, and staffing efficiency across assigned departments, ensuring alignment of workforce resources with patient volume, acuity, quality expectations, and budget t