Nurse Manager Per Diem Varying Hackettstown Medical Center

Job Function 1:
Overall Hospital Role

Make rounds in all patient care areas to assess patient needs and acuity. Respond to emergencies and assist as needed. Handle incidents, emergencies, and operational issues, escalating as needed. Facilitate patient throughput. Acts as the senior administrative authority on site during off-shifts, making operational decisions until relieved by senior leadership or designated department managers.

Ensures the implementation of professional practice standards in alignment with organizational policies and evidence-based guidelines. Maintains compliance with all applicable local, state, and federal regulations, OSHA, Joint Commission, and other relevant accrediting bodies. Responsible for DOH mandatory reporting of applicable events while on duty. Oversees performance and ensures adherence to patient safety initiatives and regulatory requirements. Creates a working environment that promotes positive employee engagement, effective communication, and collaboration.

Identifies and implements ways to reduce and control expenses. Monitors staffing levels in relation to patient census and acuity. Implements workforce adjustments as needed, including sending staff home, placing them on stand‑by, or reallocating personnel to other areas to ensure safe, cost‑effective staffing while maintaining patient care standards. Communicates these decisions with the appropriate unit manager or director to ensure transparency and alignment with departmental needs.

Serve as a key point of contact for addressing and resolving concerns from patients, staff members, visitors, and physicians in a timely and professional manner. Provide real‑time support and communication to patients and families during times of dissatisfaction, conflict, or heightened emotion, ensuring compassionate, empathetic responses and service recovery. Promote a culture of service excellence by modeling effective communication, empathy, and responsiveness.

Investigate complaints or service disruptions, document findings, facilitate conflict resolution, and elevate complex issues to senior leadership when necessary.

Performs additional administrative responsibilities as requested to meet the needs of the department or organization. Participates on committees and actively supports Shared Governance. Provides guidance, feedback, and performance documentation for staff. Acts as liaison between nursing staff, department managers, and administrators on‑call. Ensures timely and accurate documentation of all significant events, staffing adjustments, patient/family interactions, and service recovery actions, communicating to appropriate leaders by the next business day.

Communicates quality performance concerns and patient care/safety concerns to appropriate personnel. Counsels and disciplines assigned personnel, documents issues, and follows up with appropriate managers. Coordinates activity in response to activation of emergency codes until relieved by senior management on premises or by a manager with expertise in a specific area of concern. Acts as liaison for the assignment of nursing personnel, rewards and recognizes employee excellence, assists with transfer/bed assignment of patients to appropriate available beds, and leads hospital‑wide emergency responses such as mass casualty incidents, IT system downtime, and utility failures until relieved by senior leadership.

Promotes shared decision‑making and professional autonomy through active participation in a professional governance structure. Maintains engagement with relevant professional organizations. Supports the organization’s Magnet journey by advancing nursing excellence and staff empowerment. Facilitates daily huddles to enhance communication and reinforce a culture of safety.