Patient Care Manager

St. Luke’s University Health Network; Lehighton (Carbon County); On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

St. Luke’s University Health Network in Lehighton is seeking a Patient Care Manager to oversee Adult and Older Adult Behavioral Health Units. The role ensures safety, quality, and efficient patient care with leadership across staffing, budgets, and clinical practice.

You will guide performance improvement, coordinate with hospital leadership, and promote evidence-based practice while maintaining regulatory compliance and staff development.

Qualifications

• Graduate of an accredited professional nursing program.
• Registered Nurse with current license to practice in Pennsylvania.
• Bachelor’s degree preferred; BSN encouraged within 5 years.
• Enrollment in BSN program required upon hire or promotion.
• Master’s degree preferred.
• Minimum of three years clinical experience with leadership abilities.
• Sound clinical knowledge in the managed area.
• Strong interpersonal skills and collaboration.
• Demonstrates ability in HR and financial resource management.
• Current BLS certification and basic computer skills.

Responsibilities

• Assumes 24-hour responsibility for planning, organizing, and supervising care to assure patient safety.
• Performs direct administrative functions for the assigned department.
• Develops and evaluates short- and long-term performance improvement and operational goals.
• Implements policies and ensures clinical practice standards are met.
• Analyzes unit performance, outcomes, and financial data.
• Develops capital and operational budgets with Finance and leadership.
• Selects, motivates and retains staff; initiates recognition plan.
• Manages staffing while keeping costs within budget.
• Maintains departmental records for administrative and regulatory purposes.
• Facilitates unit-based councils; leads performance improvement projects; coordinates monthly meetings.
• Keeps current with health-care trends and best practices in the specialty.
• Collaborates with medical staff leadership to attain department goals.
• Promotes inquiry, education, evidence-based practice, and staff competency.
• Reviews staff performance and initiates remedial actions when needed.

Skills

Leadership

Budget management

Performance improvement

Staff development

Clinical knowledge

HR & finance management

BLS certification

Communication

Education

Registered Nurse (RN) license

BSN preferred

Enrollment in BSN program required

BSN within 5 years

Master's degree preferred

Tools

Microsoft Excel

Hospital information systems

Job description

The Patient Care Manager provides oversight of both the Adult and Older Adult Behavioral Health Units at the Lehighton campus. Adult BHU, 22 licensed beds (18‑606100). Older adult BHU, 20 licensed beds (18‑606150). Patient Care Managers must maintain clinical competence to support the department during emergent situations. The Manager is responsible for the quality, safety and efficiency of patient care providers in the assigned department(s), including day‑to‑day operations, integration into the hospital network, personnel, planning, budgeting, marketing, clinical review and committee structure. The role includes leadership in planning for personnel, performance improvement, patient safety, regulatory compliance, programs/services, and physical plant issues.

Job Duties and Responsibilities

• Assumes 24‑hour responsibility/accountability for planning, organizing, and supervising care to assure patient safety and meet the needs of patients served by the department(s).
• Performs direct administrative functions for assigned department(s).
• Develops, implements, and evaluates short‑ and long‑term performance improvement and operational goals and objectives for the department(s).
• Implements policies, procedures, rules, regulations, and recommended practices and ensures that clinical practice standards are met.
• Analyzes and responds accordingly to unit‑specific performance, outcome, and financial data.
• Develops capital and operational budgets in collaboration with Finance, hospital and Service line leadership.
• Selects, motivates and retains staff; initiates formal recognition plan.
• Responsible for developing and evaluating staffing based on patient care needs while maintaining costs within budget.
• Maintains departmental records for administrative and regulatory purposes.
• Facilitates unit‑based councils, participates in network councils, leads projects for performance improvement, and organizes monthly staff meetings and committee meetings.
• Enhances job knowledge by remaining current in trends in the health‑care industry and specialty areas.
• Works closely with appropriate medical staff leadership and members in the development and attainment of departmental goals.
• Promotes an environment that fosters inquiry and creative thought, nursing education, development and application of evidence‑based practice initiatives, and maintenance of staffing competencies.
• Reviews performance of staff, assures staff competency and initiates remedial actions, when appropriate.

Physical and Sensory Requirements

• Sit up to 2 hours per day; 1 hour at a time.
• Stand for up to 10 hours time; 3 hours at a time.
• Walk 6 hours per day; 10 minutes at a time.
• Consistently lift and carry objects up to 10 lbs.
• Frequently push objects up to 10 lbs.
• Occasionally lift and carry objects up to 50 lbs.
• Frequently stoop and bend.
• Occasionally squat.
• Frequently reach above shoulder level objects.
• Frequently finger and handle objects.
• Occasionally firmly grasp, twist and turn and turns objects with hands and fingers.
• Must be able to hear as it relates to normal conversation.
• Must be able to see as it relates to general, near, far, color, and visual monotony.

Education

• Graduate of an accredited professional nursing program.
• Registered Nurse with current license to practice in Pennsylvania, or seeking licensure through endorsement.
• Bachelor of Nursing preferred.
• Enrollment in Bachelor of Nursing program required upon hire or at time of promotion.
• Bachelor of Nursing required within 5 years of hire or promotion.
• Master's degree preferred.

Training and Experience

• Minimum of three (3) years clinical experience with demonstrated leadership abilities required.
• Sound clinical knowledge in area to be managed.
• Strong interpersonal skills.
• Demonstrates ability in Human Resources and Financial Resource Management.
• Current BLS certification.
• Basic computer skills.

St. Luke’s University Health Network is an Equal Opportunity Employer.