The Assistant Clinical Manager facilitates patient flow, coordinates activities and communication for the clinical during his/her assigned shift. The Assistant Clinical Manager serves as a resource and leader for patients, staff, health care providers, administration, and other disciplines in collaboration with the clinical manager and other clinic leadership. The Assistant Clinical Manager ensures that patient care is delivered to all patients in an efficient, caring, and courteous manner. Actively supports culture, process, and optimization of nursing practice, which enable VCU Health System to be recognized within the healthcare community for excellence in nursing and continued recognition as a Magnet Hospital by the American Nurses Credentialing Center.

May manage an assigned area that includes:
A) high visit volume of up to 5000 visits annually
B) multiple providers and/or specialty areas
C) clinic is a geographically isolated area
D) complex patient population
E) may supervise multiple clinical and nonclinical staff

This position will serve as a leader in collaboration with other clinic leadership and is responsible for maintaining efficient clinical workflows, day to day staffing, clinic supply chain management, patient engagement, team member engagement. Participates as a critical member of the leadership team.

Essential Job Statements

Performance Expectation: Pertains to Staff in Licensed Nursing Positions ONLY:

• Supervises care provided by maintaining high visibility to patients/families and staff in clinical area(s).

• Share accountabilities with manager for unit/department/organizational goals achievements including patient experience, team member engagement and continuous process improvement.

• In collaboration with appropriate leadership staff management to include recruitment, retention, coaching, training, evaluation and development, as well as preparation and delegation of work schedules and workflow in conjunction with regional clinical manager.

• Provides leadership and serves as a resource in the provision of patient care and unit activities including workflow implementation, ordering of supplies, staffing model changes, model. In collaboration with local leadership assists staff in development of problem solving and decision-making skills.

• Maintains all records pertaining to the staff competency and quality audits and other related records Collaborate with leadership to review and advise clinic fiscal needs.

Performance Expectation: Nurse/Patient Relationship

• The Assistant Clinical Manager reinforces, and role models a holistic approach in preserving a therapeutic nurse/patient relationship throughout the health care continuum as evidenced by:

• Assists in the adaptation of communication styles and techniques based on individual patient and or family needs.

• Communicates with patients to resolve questions or concerns and role modeling appropriate responses to patient/family concerns.

• Identifies potential safety hazards and using BEEP tools to resolve.

• When necessary, escalates safety incidents. De-escalates behaviors that can create potential safety concerns and escalating to the appropriate level.

• Participate in appropriate analysis, follow-up, and prevention of further safety events. Empowers staff to assist patients throughout the health care continuum, gain sense of control and participate in their recovery.

• Promotes a climate of holistic, non-judgmental care, relationship-based care.

• Anticipates variables affecting patient comfort by observing for verbal or nonverbal behaviors that indicate patient and visitor discomfort, pain, distress or dissatisfaction.

• Role models how to promote positive patient outcomes by advocating for patients through adapting and challenging current systems.

Performance Expectation: Education

• The Assistant Clinical Manager maintains an environment that is conducive to positive learning experiences

• for students and healthcare professionals as evidenced by:

• Promotes and assists staff within their scope of practice in using a variety of teaching strategies appropriate to the patient/visitor and staff needs.

• Serves as a clinical resource to all staff and students.

• Is committed to continuous learning through participating in educational and professional improvement programs.

• Creates an environment that promotes educational growth opportunities for nursing staff. (i.e. PAP, specialty certification, support towards advanced degree)

• Encourage, facilitate Evidence Based Practice Projects, and disseminate findings.

• Coordinates with Nurse Clinician and Clinical Manager to ensure educational requirements and clinical competencies are maintained for clinical staff.

Performance Expectation: Nursing Process

• The Assistant Clinical Manager demonstrates competent use of the nursing process as a problem-solving model in:

• Focuses on the overall needs of the clinic and assesses patient/staff in need of assistance.

• Manages the flow of the clinic for consistency and efficiency of care and assisting with the prioritization of activities for patients on the unit.

• Takes a proactive role in implementing multidisciplinary coordination of care for specific patient population.

• Coordinates a safe and timely direct admission/discharge process to optimize clinic capacity.

• Takes appropriate actions to enhance positive outcomes, even in the most challenging situations.

• Promotes high-level, cost-effective care in clinic through team assignments, by assessing adequacy of resources for patient care, anticipating staffing needs and going into staffing when needed. (up to 80%)

Performance Expectation: Leadership/Collaboration, EBP & Professional Development

• The Assistant Clinical Manager collaborates on and demonstrates professionalism, and understanding for peers and other clinical disciplines and participates as an effective member of the patient care team to formulate an integrated approach to care as evidenced by:

• Participates or leads department/organization-wide committees that improve patient care or administrative systems.

• Effectively communicates concerns and seeks guidance when needed in resolving problems from appropriate clinical and/or administrative leaders in a timely manner.

• Successfully manages concerns from patients, families and other departments and follows to resolve. Refers unresolved issues to the appropriate leader.

• Adapts to rapid change and serves as a positive role model during change initiatives.

• Reinforces an environment that fosters open communication and mutual respect among caregivers and between staff, patients, and visitors.

• Collaborates with management and participates or leads performance improvement projects.

• Participates in the interdisciplinary model in a collaborative and holistic approach to patient care and leads clinic throughput. Adheres to regulatory standards/guidelines (CMS, Joint Commission, CGCHAPS, etc.) in personal practice by role modeling those standards.

• Collaborates to develop action plans with leadership for improvement/ compliance (CMS, Joint Commission, CGCHAPS, etc.)

Patient Population

Demonstrates the knowledge and skills necessary to provide equitable care appropriate to the age of the patients served on their assigned unit.

Employment Qualifications

Required Education:

Bachelor’s Degree from a professional nursing program recognized and or approved by the corresponding Board of Nursing.

Preferred Education: N/A

Licensure/Certification Required:

Current RN licensure in Virginia or eligible compact state

Licensure/Certification Preferred:

Certification in specialty area.

Minimum Qualifications

Years and Type of Required:

Experience Minimum of three (3) years of clinical experience with at least one year as an RN.

Clinical experience can include CMA, LPN athletic trainer or other technical clinical positions

Charge Nurse or supervisory experience preferred or demonstrated leadership skills in previous roles

Other Knowledge, Skills and Abilities Required:

Cultural Responsiveness:

Other Knowledge, Skills and Abilities Preferred:

Experience in Academic Health Care experience, Experience with similar patient population in an ambulatory care either setting or as applicable to area of practice

Physical Requirements

(includes use of assistance devices as appropriate):

Physical: Lifting 50-100 lbs.

Other: exposure to potentially hazardous and infectious substances

Activities: Prolonged standing, Prolonged sitting, Frequent bending, Walking (distance), Climbing (steps, ladder, other), Reaching (overhead, extensive, repetitive), Repetitive motion

Mental/Sensory: Strong recall, Reasoning, Problem solving, Hearing, Speak clearly, Write legibly, Reading, Logical/Critical thinking
Emotional: Fast pace environment, Able to handle multiple priorities, Frequent and intense customer interactions, Noisy environment, Able to adapt to frequent change

EEO Employer/Disabled/Protected Veteran/41 CFR 60-1.4.