Emergency Services Director

St. Francis-Emory Healthcare; Columbus (GA); On-site; USD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

St. Francis-Emory Healthcare in Columbus, GA, seeks a Director of Emergency Department to provide strategic and operational leadership for all ED functions.

Responsible for staff management, quality of care, patient safety, regulatory compliance, and fiscal oversight within a hospital setting. The role collaborates with nursing leadership, physicians, and interdisciplinary teams to deliver timely, high-quality emergency care to diverse patient populations.

Qualifications

• Current RN license in practicing state or compact license.
• BLS, ACLS, and PALS required.
• TNCC certification preferred.
• Minimum of five (5) years of clinical emergency nursing experience.
• Minimum of two (2) years of leadership/management experience in an acute care or emergency setting.

Responsibilities

• Directs daily operations of the ED to ensure high‑quality patient care.
• Oversees hiring, training, scheduling, and evaluations of ED staff.
• Ensures compliance with regulatory standards and hospital policies.
• Leads service excellence, performance improvement, and patient safety initiatives.
• Manages budgets and resource allocation for the department.
• Coordinates staff development and continuing education.
• Monitors patient flow and throughput to optimize operations.
• Fosters staff engagement and retention; supports a positive work environment.
• Oversees emergency preparedness plans and testing.

Skills

Leadership

Communication

Regulatory knowledge

Budgeting

ED operations

Data analysis

ED trauma care

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Nursing

Master’s degree in Nursing or Healthcare Administration

Graduate of an accredited school of nursing

Tools

EMR systems

Job description

Description

Join

Join St. Francis-Emory Healthcare, a 376-bed community-connected hospital in Columbus, GA, that blends cutting-edge care with hometown purpose. As part of the ScionHealth network, St. Francis has been recognized and awarded multiple high-performing honors by U.S. News & World Report, and received multiple disease-specific certifications from the Joint Commission, and was a rated Top Large Hospital in Georgia. St. Francis also delivers advanced heart, orthopedic, and women's care services. At St. Francis, you will experience a culture of excellence where your work directly shapes the health of our community.

Job Summary

The Director of Emergency Department provides strategic and operational leadership for all functions within the hospital’s emergency services area. This role is responsible for managing departmental staff, quality of care, patient safety, regulatory compliance, fiscal oversight, and process improvement initiatives. The Director works in close collaboration with nursing leadership, physicians, and interdisciplinary teams to deliver timely, high-quality emergency care to diverse patient populations.

Essential Functions

• Directs daily operations of the Emergency Department to ensure effective, efficient, and high-quality patient care
• Oversees hiring, training, scheduling, and performance evaluations of ED staff
• Ensures compliance with TJC, CMS, OSHA, and all local/state/federal regulations
• Leads efforts in service excellence, performance improvement, patient safety, and evidence-based clinical practices
• Develops departmental goals, policies, procedures, and standards in alignment with hospital objectives
• Prepares and manages budgets, ensuring responsible financial oversight and resource allocation
• Coordinates staff development, continuing education, and competency evaluations
• Participates in patient and staff rounding and ensures timely resolution of issues or complaints
• Collaborates with interdisciplinary teams to optimize patient flow, throughput, and resource utilization
• Promotes a positive work environment focused on staff engagement and retention
• Ensures emergency preparedness plans are in place and regularly tested

Knowledge/Skills/Abilities/Expectations

• Strong clinical knowledge of emergency care delivery, trauma services, and regulatory standards
• Ability to lead and inspire diverse teams in high-pressure environments
• Effective communicator with strong interpersonal, written, and verbal skills
• Excellent critical thinking, decision-making, and conflict resolution skills
• Financial and operational acumen, including budgeting and staffing
• Familiarity with electronic medical records, quality metrics, and data analysis
• Populations Served: Care provided to neonate, infant, child, adolescent, adult, and geriatric patients
• Frequent standing, walking, bending, lifting/moving patients and equipment (up to 50 lbs)
• Regular exposure to communicable diseases, blood and bodily fluids, and hazardous materials
• Requires use of PPE including gloves, gowns, masks, and eye protection
• Visual acuity, auditory discrimination, and manual dexterity required to assess and treat patients

Qualifications

Education

• Bachelor's degree in Nursing (Required).
• Master's degree in Nursing or Healthcare Administration (Preferred).
• Graduate of an accredited school of nursing (Required).

Licenses/Certifications

• Current RN license in practicing state or compact license (Required).
• Basic Life Support (BLS) (Required).
• Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS) (Required).
• Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) (Required).
• Trauma Nursing Core Course (TNCC) (Required or per facility policy).
• Certification in Nursing Leadership or Emergency Nursing (Preferred).

Experience

• Minimum of five (5) years of clinical emergency nursing experience.
• Minimum of two (2) years of leadership or management experience in an acute care or emergency setting.