Assistant Nurse Manager

Jefferson County Health Center; Fairfield (IA); On-site; USD 85,000 - 105,000; Full time

Job summary

Jefferson County Health Center in Fairfield, IA seeks a Nursing Manager for the Medical Surgical Unit to lead planning, organizing, directing, and evaluating Med Surg activities to ensure quality care and patient safety.

This full-time role features a 4-day work week with 10-hour shifts, collaboration with leadership, staff development, and adherence to policies and procedures. ACLS, PALS, BCLS and an Iowa license are required.

Qualifications

• Graduate of accredited school of nursing.
• Must hold current Iowa license.
• ACLS, PALS and BCLS certification are required.
• Demonstrates strong leadership for minimum of three years.
• Commitment to continuing education and professional growth.
• Excellent customer service relationships with patients and staff.

Responsibilities

• Assist Medical Surgical Nurse Manager in planning, organizing, directing, and evaluating all Med Surg activities.
• Coordinate with department to design, implement, and monitor nursing care policies.
• Manage staffing, recruitment, scheduling, and performance of Med Surg personnel.
• Serve as patient advocate and liaison among administration, providers, and staff.
• Participate in quality and safety initiatives and daily rounding.

Skills

ACLS

PALS

BCLS

Iowa license

Leadership

Staff supervision

Customer service

Education

RN license or nursing degree

Job description

Jefferson County Health Center · Med Surg

Nursing

Full Time , Days , 4-day work week with 10 hour shifts

Posted 08/17/2026

POSITION OVERVIEW:

• Assists Medical Surgical Nurse Manager in providing leadership for planning, organizing, directing, and evaluating all the activities on Medical Surgical Unit to achieve the organization’s mission, vision and values.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Graduate of accredited school of nursing, current Iowa license, ACLS, PALS and BCLS.
• Mandatory Reporter per hospital policy.
• Demonstrate strong leadership skills for a minimum of three years.
• Assumes responsibility for professional growth and continuing education.
• Must exhibit excellent customer service relations with patients, visitors and co-workers.

ACCOUNTABILITY:

Reports to Medical Surgical Nurse Manager. Has shared 24-hour responsibility with Medical Surgical Nurse Manager and accountability for planning, organizing, and coordinating staffing for patient cares on the Medical Surgical Unit

DIRECT REPORTS:

Registered Nurses, Licensed Practical Nurses, Unit Clerks, Certified Nursing Assistants and Nursing Staff Secretary

POSITION-SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS:

• Coordinates with Medical Surgical Manager and providers in formulating departmental goals and designing, implementing, directing, monitoring, and evaluating nursing care and delivery of services in designated departments.
• Assists in formulating department goals and participates in the review, revision, implementation, and assists in evaluation of nursing and department-specific policies and procedures.
• Coordinates the activities of the Med Surg department intra-departmentally and
  • interdepartmentally with other service areas of the organization.
• Meets with Medical Surgical Nurse Manager to discuss unit issues and plan unit strategies.
• Acts as liaison between administration, providers, care team members, the patient and family members, and staff. Serves as patient advocate as necessary.
• Facilitates and assists with daily rounding on all patients.
• Listens to customer concerns, investigates the concerns, communicates these concerns to the appropriate staff; institutes appropriate counseling and disciplinary measures if needed.
• Provides follow-up to customers and reports all unresolved concerns to Medical Surgical Nurse Manager or CNO.
• Manages personnel in the most effective and cost-efficient manner.
  • Assists in recruitment, selection, transfer, training, scheduling and
  • performance management of Med Surg nursing department personnel.
  • Is visible and makes self available to staff.
  • Demonstrates clinical expertise and serves as a clinical resource to the Med Surg staff.
  • Participates in rounding on all Med Surg and other designated staff at designated times.
  • Completes follow-up to rounding and stop light reports for staff.
  • Actively participates in the development and educational needs of staff.
  • Assists in maintaining staff records, monitors staff care and documentation, completes evaluations in a timely manner which provide staff with insight into their strengths and opportunities and identifies goals for staff to work towards in the evaluation period.
  • Maintains current BCLS, PALS, and ACLS certification.
  • Assists in the development and education of new nurses through participation in student nurse clinicals and preceptorships with surrounding nursing institutions.
  • Assists in Communicating and Supporting organizational and departmental goals and initiatives to staff.
• Supports, enforces and positively models the principles of Championship Culture.
  • Role model for staff related to dress code, call light initiative, use of managing others up
  • principles, etc.
  • Maintains a cooperative relationship among health care teams by communicating information; responding to requests; building rapport; participating in team problem-solving methods.
  • Supportive of Medical Surgical Manager, administration and the decisions made by administration.
• Assists in achieving financial objectives in the preparation of, recommendations, and administration of Med Surg.
• Plans, directs, and monitors quality management activities in designated departments to identify, study and address nursing care challenges.
  • Apply evidence-based healthcare practices and nursing standards.
  • Accountable for achievement of quality, safety, and customer satisfaction goals.
  • Ensures adherence to policy and standards set forth by state, federal, and health center
  • regulatory agencies.
  • Oversees delegation, completion, and submission of all reports in a timely manner.
• Manage and enforce the information security policies and procedures to safeguard confidentiality and integrity of all organizational protected healthcare information.
• Fill in on unit as needed.
• Serves as a liaison between personnel, administration, providers and other departments to ensure optimal patient care.
• Contacts may include but are not limited to co-workers, other JCHC employees, providers, public, families and patients.
• Other duties as assigned

MANAGEMENT REQUIREMENTS:

Administrative

• Knowledge of the policies and procedures sufficient to direct department operations
• Assists with writing, reviewing, revising, and implementing policies and procedures
• Disseminates information, professional knowledge to department members, and hospital staff
• Travels to meetings to represent Jefferson County Health Center and acquire necessary information
• Participates in the development and achievement of established hospital and divisional goals
• Manages problems and discrepancies as they present themselves and documents appropriately
• Investigates patient, family, provider complaints, and follows appropriate risk management and grievance process guidelines to resolve the situation
• Is a catalyst for conforming to quality and accrediting standards
• Remains current on regulatory compliance, educates staff, and ensures compliance in department
• Ensures standards of behavior, operational strategies and practice efficiencies are achieved

Financial/Technical Responsibilities

• Participates in the development of annual budgets and operates within the approved budget
• Reviews departmental financial statements on a monthly basis
• Safeguards the assets of JCHC by applying effective internal control practices and audits
• Ensures JCHC’s continued non-profit status by maintaining awareness of changes in the law
• Assists with review and maintenance of charge master rates and codes
• Implements cost management and LEAN strategies to ensure maximum efficiencies and productivity
• Assists with selection, use, maintenance, repair of department equipment
• Prepares internal department invoices for Accounts Payable
• Prepares and validates statistical data in a timely manner

Personnel and Resource Management

• Ensures that the responsibilities, authorities and accountabilities of all direct reports and appointed positions are defined and understood
• Coordinates and participates in in-service programs, committees, and staff meetings as appropriate
• Provides for orientation of new employees
• Utilizes a team base approach by seeking suggestions and input from staff and colleagues
• Assigns administrative and operational responsibilities to department members
• Is responsible for staffing/scheduling, assuring safe and competent staffing patterns
• Maintains required reports, records and documents appropriate information regarding patient care and employee performance
• Participates in team-based interviews of applicants
• Consults with human resources regarding employee concerns in a proactive manner

Professionalism

• Leads staff by example
• Actively participates in professional affiliations as assigned by the CEO
• Assumes personal responsibility for professional growth and continuing education
• Remains informed of current and relevant trends and practices affecting healthcare
• Exhibits excellent customer relations to patients, visitors, providers, and co-workers
• Presents a positive/professional hospital image
• Establishes and maintains effective and professional working relationships with employees,

policymaking bodies, third party payers, patients and the public

• Uses discretion to retain information that is confidential
• Applies effective communication skills and keeps lines of communication open with staff and other managers to ensure high employee morale and a professional, healthful atmosphere

Quality Management

• Fosters an environment that values continuous quality improvement
• Promotes initiatives in care delivery and practice that focus on patient safety
• Coordinates the monitoring of medical and clinical activities to ensure the fulfillment of the community’s needs for quality with leadership, the board, medical staff, and other personnel
• Facilitates development and monitoring of appropriate departmental quality improvement initiatives
• Ensures the provision of affordable and quality health care services by the acquisition, utilization, and organization of resources (human, financial, and physical)

Safety

• Communicates safety issues and their interventions to the safety committee
• Monitors department incident reports and conduct safety evaluations
• Documents department minutes and in-service records on safety
• Initiates corrective action in response to safety surveillance findings, to include equipment repair/adjustment and employee education
• Conducts and/or participates in departmental education based on quality improvement/safety equipment safety surveillance findings
• Communicates verbally and/or in writing to appropriate staff regarding safety issues, documenting such communication; i.e., department minutes, in-service records
• Ensures appropriate completion of incident reports relating to the safety of the employee, patient, or visitor
• Notifies Maintenance when new electrical equipment is integrated into department
• Reviews, completes, and reports any notification of equipment recalls by manufacturer to the QI Manager

WORK ENVIRONMENT

• Works in a well-illuminated, climate-controlled environment
• May come in contact with hazardous chemical or treatment modalities
• Possibility exists of exposure to communicable diseases
• Involvement in inpatient care may result in unavoidable work-related illness or injury
• Work environment is comfortable, with minimal exposure to physical hazards
• Moderate to loud noise environment when machines/equipment in use
• Involvement in checking in/moving of supplies may result in unavoidable work-related injury
• Must be constantly alert for patient/family emergency situations