Nursing Excellence Program Administrator

Indiana University Health System; Fort Wayne (IN); On-site; USD 95,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Indiana University Health in Fort Wayne is seeking a Nursing Excellence Program Administrator to lead the development, implementation, and sustainment of nursing excellence initiatives for the newly opening Fort Wayne hospital in May 2027.

This role will establish Professional Governance, support evidence-based practice, nursing research, quality improvement, and Magnet readiness efforts while advancing pathways to excellence readiness and designation.

Qualifications

• BSN required.
• Active RN license in Indiana or NLC.
• Master's in Nursing preferred.
• 5 years inpatient clinical experience.
• Experience in Magnet coordination.
• Experience in project management.
• Experience in publication/writing.
• Publications/presentations at national level preferred.
• Excellent communication skills for diverse roles.
• Experience using computerized databases.

Responsibilities

• Lead the implementation and oversight of Nursing Excellence Program, including Governance and Magnet initiatives.
• Establish shared decision-making structures for nurse engagement and practice excellence.
• Collaborate with nursing/operational leaders to align strategies with quality, safety, experience, and workforce goals.
• Partner with Nurse Scientists and leaders to promote evidence-based practice, research, quality improvement, and innovation.
• Coordinate Magnet or Pathway to Excellence documentation and readiness activities.
• Monitor, analyze, and communicate nursing excellence metrics for improvement and decision-making.
• Provide education, consultation, and coaching on governance, Magnet, and evidence-based principles.

Skills

Magnet coordination

Project management

Publication writing

Communication skills

Evidence-based practice

Nursing research

Interdisciplinary collaboration

Change management

Education

BSN

Master's in Nursing (preferred)

Tools

Computerized databases

Job description

Nursing Excellence Program Administrator

Location: Fort Wayne, IN
Start Date: January 2027

The Nursing Excellence Program Administrator will lead the development, implementation, and sustainment of nursing excellence initiatives for IU Health's new Fort Wayne hospital opening in May 2027. This role is responsible for establishing Professional Governance structures, supporting evidence-based practice, nursing research, quality improvement, and innovation, and advancing Magnet® or Pathway to Excellence readiness and designation efforts.

Working collaboratively with nursing leaders, frontline staff, educators, and interdisciplinary partners, the administrator will build the foundation for a culture of professional nursing excellence, shared decision-making, and exemplary patient outcomes.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the implementation and ongoing oversight of the Nursing Excellence Program, including Professional Governance, evidence-based practice, and Magnet® initiatives.
• Establish and support shared decision-making structures that promote nurse engagement, accountability, and professional practice excellence.
• Collaborate with nursing and operational leaders to align nursing excellence strategies with organizational goals related to quality, safety, patient experience, and workforce engagement.
• Partner with Nurse Scientists and clinical leaders to promote evidence-based practice, nursing research, quality improvement, and innovation.
• Coordinate Magnet® or Pathway to Excellence documentation, education, and readiness activities, serving as a resource on nursing excellence standards and best practices.
• Monitor, analyze, and communicate nursing excellence metrics and outcomes to support continuous improvement and strategic decision-making.
• Provide education, consultation, and coaching to leaders and staff on Professional Governance, Magnet®, and evidence-based practice principles.

Qualifications

• Requires a Bachelors of Nursing (BSN).
• Requires an active Registered Nurse (RN) license in the state of Indiana or an active Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC) RN license.
• Masters degree in Nursing preferred. Requires 5 years clinical experience in inpatient clinical settings.
• Requires experience in Magnet coordination.
• Requires experience in project management.
• Requires experience in publication and/or programmatic application writing skills.
• Previous professional publication and presentation skills at national level preferred.
• Requires excellent communication skills for a variety of different roles and leaders.
• Requires experience in or ability to use computerized databases.

This is a unique opportunity to help establish the professional nursing practice environment and nursing excellence framework for IU Health's newest hospital from the ground up.