The Associate Chief Nursing Officer (ACNO), Ambulatory Services, is responsible for providing oversight of nursing practice across ambulatory clinics at Virginia Commonwealth University Health System (VCUHS). The ACNO provides clinical and nursing oversight, in collaboration with providers and inter-professional leaders, in the delivery of competent, safe, and compassionate care based on established VCUHS clinical and administrative standards.

The ACNO coordinates activities and initiatives that enable ambulatory care services to be recognized within the healthcare community for nursing excellence and promotes the guidance, principles, and best practices outlined by the American Academy of Ambulatory Care (AAACN) and continued recognition as a Magnet Hospital by the American Nurses Credentialing Center. The ACNO, Ambulatory Services reports to the Vice President, Ambulatory Operations, and has a matrixed reporting relationship to the Chief Nurse Executive, VCU Health System.

Essential Job Statements

• Works closely with the Chief Nurse Executive, Chief Nursing Officers, and Associate Chief Nursing Officers, Medical Staff and other leaders to ensure consistent application of clinical practices, nurse-initiated order sets, protocols, policies, and nursing standards across the ambulatory practice setting.  

• Ultimately accountable for the oversight and evaluation of nursing practice for RN direct reports in line with ANCC Magnet Nurse Leader eligibility criteria. 

• Serves as subject matter expert for assessment and evaluation of clinical practice. 

• Serves as a resource and a liaison to support Advanced Practice Providers in the Ambulatory Practice settings. 

• Serves as a professional role model engaging with national associations (e.g., American Academy of Ambulatory Care Nursing). 

• Identifies and implements structures/ processes to trend and improve ambulatory nursing sensitive indicators including reporting to nationally benchmarked databases, as appropriate. 

• Ensures patient care teams provide the highest quality of care and comply with the Nurse Practice Act, TJC, NCQA, federal, state, and local requirements and are aligned with evidence and national best practices. 

• Supports clinical nurse involvement in shared decision-making including, nursing shared governance and interprofessional initiatives in the ambulatory environment 

• Leads clinical inquiry (evidence-based practice/ performance improvement/ research / innovation) to improve quality, safe care and patient, family/caregiver, physician, advanced practice providers, and team satisfaction. 

• Demonstrates effective leadership abilities to implement change in a positive, sensitive, and forward-thinking manner. In addition, demonstrates effective analytical ability to develop and analyze options, recommend solutions to, and solve complex problems and issues. 

• Contributes and supports VCUHS and Medical Center organization and nursing strategic plan. 

• Participates as part of ambulatory leadership team in formulating, implementing, and evaluating business plans/strategies and new models and methods of service delivery to optimize patient care in ambulatory services.  

• Collaborates with internal and external partners to create innovative care delivery models for the ambulatory environment with appropriate clinical staffing and skill mix. Care delivery models ensure top of licensure nursing practice through evaluation and expansion of roles and responsibilities.  

• Initiates a strategy for workforce growth, retention, and development by leading the processes to screen, interview, hire, train, and maintain the competency of clinical staff across the ambulatory practice setting. 

• Supports an environment of nursing professional practice including peer feedback, self-evaluation, professional development, and advancements (including clinical ladder, certifications) 

• Leads efforts to promote nurse and team member engagement, health, workplace safety and well-being. 

• Pursues opportunities to enhance academic practice partnerships (including but not limited to VCU School of Nursing and VCU School of Health Professions) in an ambulatory environment including but not limited to facilitating student placement efforts and the academic progression of ambulatory nurses. 

• Performs other duties as assigned including but not limited to Administrator On -Call.  

• Successfully leads operational teams as assigned. 

Patient Population

Not applicable to this position.

Employment Qualifications 

Required Education: 

Bachelor’s degree in nursing. 

Master’s degree from an accredited college or university in Nursing, Health Care Administration, Business Administration, Public Health Administration, or related field. 

Preferred Education: 

DNP or PhD preferred.  

Licensure/Certification Required: 

BLS 

RN license in Virginia. 

Licensure/Certification Preferred: 

Certification in nursing administration (NE-BC, NEA-BC, CENP)

Certified in Ambulatory Care Nursing (AMB-VC)

Minimum Qualifications 

Years and Type of Required Experience 

Minimum of ten (10) years of progressively responsible healthcare supervision/management, financial management, and administrative/operational experience in a healthcare setting, including a minimum of eight (8) years in a management and/or leadership role within Ambulatory Practice. 

Other Knowledge, Skills and Abilities Required

Cultural Responsiveness 

Other Knowledge, Skills and Abilities Preferred

Working Conditions 

 
Periods of high stress and fluctuating workloads may occur.   

General office environment.

May be exposed to adverse weather conditions; cold, hot, dust, wind, etc. 

Required to car travel to off-site locations, occasionally in adverse weather conditions.   

May have periods of constant interruptions.  

Prolonged periods of working alone.

Physical Requirements   

Physical Demands: Lifting/ Carrying (0-50 lbs.)

Work Position: Sitting, Walking, Standing  

Additional Physical Requirements/ Hazards    

Physical Requirements: Manual dexterity (eye/hand coordination), Repetitive arm/hand movements

Hazards:

Mental/Sensory – Emotional     

Mental / Sensory: Strong Recall, Reasoning, Problem Solving, Hearing, Speak Clearly, Write Legibly, Reading, Logical Thinking 

Emotional: Fast-paced environment, Steady Pace, 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.