Vice President Patient Care Services & Chief Nursing Officer

WellSpan Ephrata Community Hospital has been a cornerstone of healthcare in northern Lancaster County and its surrounding communities for over 65 years. WellSpan Ephrata Community Hospital is a 141-bed acute care facility, which includes an 18-bed behavioral health unit and an eight-bed acute rehabilitation center, that offers an array of services designed to meet the diverse needs of the community. The Vice President Patient Care Services & Chief Nursing Officer (CNO) provides leadership and strategic direction for the practice of Nursing and nursing operations within the Hospital. The CNO develops the Nursing vision for the organization in collaboration with system priorities and has overall responsibility and accountability for nursing care throughout the institution. As a member of the Senior Leadership Team, the CNO role models and facilitates an interdisciplinary team approach to the delivery of patient care. The CNO participates with leaders from the governing body, senior leadership, medical staff, and clinical areas in the System's decision-making structures and processes and plans, implements, and evaluates standards and practices for patient care, and facilitates the delivery of services. Develops and implements plans for providing, measuring, and improving quality multidisciplinary care to patients and develops and implements new nursing and patient care strategies.

Key Responsibilities include:

• Strategic Leadership: Develop and articulate the Nursing vision, philosophy, and strategic plan aligned with the organization's mission and goals. Drive organizational strategy in collaboration with senior leadership and medical staff.
• Clinical Excellence & Quality: Lead the design and implementation of hospital-wide nursing practice and patient care programs to ensure high reliability and evidence-based care. Champion continuous performance improvement initiatives focused on quality and patient outcomes.
• Regulatory & Compliance: Ensure nursing standards of practice, policies, and procedures comply with evidence-based guidelines, PA Nursing Practice Act, DOH, DNV, and Joint Commission regulations. Maintain readiness for all regulatory and accreditation requirements.
• Workforce Development & Engagement: Foster a culture of professional growth through mentorship, coaching, and leadership development for nurses at all levels.
  Create an environment of recognition and inclusion that promotes nurse engagement and retention.
• Operational Leadership: Oversee nurse staffing strategies, patient flow, and bed management to ensure optimal resource utilization and patient throughput.
  Lead initiatives around innovative care delivery models in collaboration with medical staff.
• Research & Evidence-Based Practice: Strengthen infrastructure for nursing research and evidence-based practice adoption across all levels of the organization.
• Community Engagement & Partnerships Build and maintain strong partnerships with academic institutions and community organizations to advance nursing image, education, and workforce development.

Qualifications include:

Education: Master's degree required.
Experience: Minimum 8 years of progressive nursing leadership experience in a hospital environment. Pathways to Excellence or Magnet experience preferred.
Licensure: Current RN license in Pennsylvania.
Certifications: Board Certified Nurse Executive, Advanced Certification or Certified in Executive Nursing Practice preferred.