Chief Nursing Officer; CNO

Full-Time Executive Leadership Opportunity

Are you a servant leader with a passion for rural healthcare excellence, patient-centered care, and nursing leadership?

A respected community hospital in beautiful East Texas is seeking an experienced Chief Nursing Officer (CNO) to lead nursing operations, drive quality initiatives, and help shape the future of patient care throughout the organization.

This is an outstanding opportunity for a nursing executive who enjoys being visible, hands-on, and highly engaged with both staff and the community they serve.

• Executive leadership role with direct impact on patient care and hospital operations
• Opportunity to partner closely with Medical Staff, Administration, and the Board of Directors
• Influence strategic initiatives, quality outcomes, patient experience, and workforce development
• Serve as a key leader in a close-knit community hospital environment
• Broad operational oversight across nursing services and patient care departments

The Chief Nursing Officer plans, organizes, and directs all nursing and patient care services throughout the hospital. This leader is responsible for nursing practice standards, regulatory compliance, quality improvement, staffing strategy, departmental budgeting, policy development, and clinical excellence.

The CNO serves as the voice of nursing within the organization while fostering collaboration across departments, supporting staff development, and ensuring exceptional patient outcomes.

• Lead and oversee all nursing operations and patient care services
• Develop and maintain nursing policies, procedures, and standards of care
• Ensure compliance with state, federal, accreditation, and regulatory requirements
• Drive quality improvement, patient safety, and performance initiatives
• Manage departmental budgets, staffing plans, and resource utilization
  
  Partner with physicians and hospital leadership to enhance patient care delivery
• Participate in Board meetings and hospital committees
• Support recruitment, retention, coaching, and professional development of nursing staff
• Maintain a strong presence throughout patient care units and clinical departments
• Serve as a clinical and operational resource available to staff as needed

• Current Texas Registered Nurse (RN) license
• Graduate of an accredited School of Nursing
• Minimum 5 years of professional nursing experience
• Leadership experience in nursing management or hospital operations
• Strong knowledge of nursing practice, regulatory compliance, quality improvement, and patient safety

• Bachelor's Degree in Nursing (BSN)
• Master's Degree in Nursing (MSN) or related field
• Prior Chief Nursing Officer, Assistant Chief Nursing Officer, Director of Nursing, or Senior Nursing Leadership experience
• CEN certification
• Rural hospital leadership experience

Current or ability to obtain within six months:

• BLS
• ACLS
• PALS
• TNCC

We are seeking a leader who:

• Leads with integrity, accountability, and compassion
• Builds strong relationships with physicians, staff, patients, and community members
• Thrives in a collaborative, team-oriented culture
• Demonstrates excellent communication and decision-making skills
• Balances strategic leadership with a hands-on approach to operations
• Is passionate about improving healthcare access and outcomes in a rural community setting

Monday-Friday, generally 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM, with executive-level availability as needed.

If you are a nursing leader seeking an opportunity to make a lasting impact while leading a dedicated team in a community-focused hospital environment, we would love to speak with you.

Sari Gillen