Nurse Unit Manager (High Dependency Unit)

Central Queensland Hospital and Health Service; Rockhampton Regional; On-site; AUD 150,000 - 174,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Ongoing Professional Development

Flexible Work-Life Balance

Generous Superannuation

Paid Parental Leave

Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

Discounted Private Health Insurance

Fitness Passport

Job summary

Central Queensland Hospital and Health Service is seeking an AHPRA Registered Nurse with postgraduate Critical Care or Renal Nursing qualifications to lead a high-acuity unit, delivering ICU‑level care while guiding a multidisciplinary team.

You will provide expert clinical leadership, champion evidence-based practice, mentor staff and drive quality improvement while ensuring optimal patient care across renal dialysis and critical care pathways.

Qualifications

• Current AHPRA registration.
• Postgraduate Diploma or Master in Critical Care or Renal Nursing.
• Commitment to obtaining higher qualification if not yet completed.
• Ability to lead and mentor a nursing team.
• Evidence-based practice and clinical risk management.

Responsibilities

• Provide clinical and professional leadership and coordinate the team.
• Champion safe, evidence-based practice and manage clinical risk.
• Mentor, coach, educate and develop the team.
• Drive quality improvement, research and change.

Skills

Clinical leadership

Team coordination

Evidence-based practice

Communication

Decision-making under pressure

Education

AHPRA registration

Postgraduate Diploma or Master in Critical Care or Renal Nursing

Job description

If you're an AHPRA Registered Nurse, with postgraduate Critical Care or Renal Nursing quals, strong clinical know-how and an appetite for leadership, this could be your chance to shine!

Don't just run the shift. Lead the service.

About us

We care for patients needing high-level monitoring and treatment, with 2 ventilator-capable beds providing ICU-level support while awaiting retrieval. Add in inotropic support, airway and ventilation management, Anaesthetics, specialist teams and tertiary consultation, and you've got plenty of clinical complexity and plenty of opportunities to put your expertise to work.

Then there's our 4-chair Renal Satellite Unit, delivering up to 48 dialysis treatments across 6 days a week, supported by the Central Queensland Renal Team. We're a small service with a big clinical footprint.

About the role

• Lead the charge. Provide confident clinical and professional leadership, coordinate the team and use your expert judgement when things get complex. Basically, be the person who knows what needs doing — and gets it done.
• Keep the clinical brain switched ON. Champion safe, evidence-based practice, manage clinical risk, solve problems, support decision-making and make sure patients get the right care at the right time.
• Grow your people. Mentor, coach, educate and develop your team. Build confidence, capability and a culture where people want to learn, grow and do their best work.
• Make things better. Drive quality improvement, research, innovation and change. Challenge the “we've always done it this way” mindset and turn good ideas into better practice.

About you

• Current AHPRA registration and postgraduate studies in Critical Care or Renal Nursing. A postgraduate Diploma or Master's is expected — and if you're not there yet, a commitment to getting there counts.
• Confident with complex patients, sharp clinical judgement and evidence-based practice. You can prioritise, problem-solve and stay calm when the shift decides to throw you a curveball.
• Know great leadership isn't about having the loudest voice. You communicate clearly, handle conflict like a grown-up, bring people into the conversation and know how to get a team working together.
• Take ownership, back your team, manage resources wisely and genuinely care about the standard of care delivered. You're approachable, accountable and ready to make things happen — not just keep things ticking along.

What we offer

Total remuneration value of up to $174,208 p.a. is comprised of:

• An hourly rate between $70.92 - $77.00 p.h.
• 12.75% employer superannuation contribution
• 17.5% leave loading

Additional Benefits

• Ongoing Professional Development and Education Opportunities
• Flexible Work-Life Balance and Variety
• Generous Salary Sacrificing Options
• Paid Parental Leave
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Discounted Private Health Insurance
• Fitness Passport

Vaccine Preventable Diseases (VPD) requirements

It is a condition of employment for this role for the employee to be, and remain, vaccinated against vaccine preventable diseases as listed on the Role Description.

#Gladstone #CentralQueensland

Applications close: Thursday, 17 September 2026

Further information

We are committed to building inclusive cultures in the Queensland public sector that respect and promote human rights and diversity.

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