Assistant Director of Nursing (RN) Acute Medicine

Job Summary

The Assistant Director of Nursing (RN) for Acute Medicine at Washington Hospital Center is a key member of the MedStar Health entity-based Division of Nursing and nursing leadership team. In collaboration with the Director of Nursing, the ADON provides leadership, oversight, and operational management for the assigned unit(s), directing and coordinating nursing and patient care delivery by professional and support staff. This role ensures the provision of holistic, culturally competent, person-centered, high-quality, safe, and cost-effective evidence-based nursing care for patients and families, while applying the nursing process within MedStar Health's shared governance and collaborative decision-making framework. The ADON supports patient transitions across the continuum of care to promote optimal health outcomes and assumes administrative and leadership responsibility on a 24-hour, 7-day-per-week basis for the unit/department. The ADON fosters staff engagement and accountability for quality, safety, and cost-conscious outcomes, ensures compliance with regulatory and accreditation standards, and consistently demonstrates leadership behaviors aligned with MedStar Health's mission, vision, goals, SPIRIT values, patient care philosophy, and ethical standards.

Primary Duties and Responsibilities

• In collaboration with the Director of Nursing, develops department goals, objectives, policies, and procedures and ensures compliance with hospital policies and procedures, clinical practice guidelines, and regulatory and accreditation standards.
• Provides clinical and operational leadership for an acute-care Medicine/Surgical unit, ensuring nursing practice is consistent with standards for the care of acutely ill hospitalized patients and patients with complex medical conditions.
• Provides visible, shift-based nursing leadership and serves as a clinical resource to registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, patient care technicians, charge nurses, and other members of the healthcare team.
• Demonstrates the ability to assess, prioritize, and respond to changes in patient condition, including escalation of clinical concerns, coordination with providers and rapid response resources, and appropriate use of the chain of command.
• Ensures appropriate staffing and patient assignments based on patient acuity, census, nurse competencies, clinical needs, and anticipated changes in patient volume or condition.
• Supports patient throughout and capacity management, including admissions, discharges, transfers, bed placement, and coordination of care across departments to facilitate timely movement of patients throughout the hospital.
• Develops and maintains effective relationships with physicians, advanced practice providers, nursing leadership, ancillary departments, case management, care management, environmental services, and other interdisciplinary partners to support efficient and high-quality patient care.
• Implements strategies to optimize patient outcomes and the interdisciplinary model of care. Rounds on patients and associates to evaluate care delivery, identify barriers, address concerns, and improve the patient and family experience.
• Supports and promotes quality and patient safety initiatives and high-reliability standards. Leads unit-based safety huddles and ensures timely escalation and follow-up of patient safety concerns, clinical events, and changes in patient condition.
• Monitors unit performance related to nursing-sensitive indicators, falls, pressure injuries, hospital-acquired conditions, medication safety, patient deterioration, readmissions, patient experience, and other identified quality metrics and participates in performance improvement initiatives.
• Coaches and develops nursing staff while maintaining accountability for professional practice, clinical performance, attendance, conduct, and adherence to established standards.
• Collaborates with the Director of Nursing in recruitment, selection, onboarding, evaluation, promotion, corrective action, and termination of unit personnel as appropriate.
• Works collaboratively with other nurse leaders to ensure staff maintain required competencies and possess the clinical knowledge and skills necessary to care for the unit's acute and medically complex patient population.
• Supports the development and implementation of unit-specific orientation, preceptor, charge nurse, and clinical competency programs.
• Assesses unit-specific educational needs and collaborates with Professional Development and other clinical leaders to implement education and competency initiatives.
• Maintains a professional patient-first environment that promotes clinical excellence, accountability, shared decision-making, interdisciplinary collaboration, and associate engagement.

Minimal Qualifications
Education

• Bachelor's degree in Nursing from a nationally accredited program required
• Master's degree in Nursing or a health related field from a nationally accredited program preferred

Experience

• Minimum of 3 years of progressive nursing experience in an acute-care hospital setting, including at 2 years in an acute inpatient environment (preferably within Medical-Surgical, Medicine, or a comparable inpatient unit).
• Background in managing acute-care staffing, patient assignments, acuity tracking, and the complete admissions, discharges, transfers cycle to ensure smooth inpatient operations and patient flow.
• Strong ability to recognize shifts in patient condition and coordinate timely clinical escalation and interventions.
• Active experience collaborating with physicians, advanced practice providers, ancillary departments, and multidisciplinary teams within an acute care hospital setting.
• Hands-on experience with quality improvement, patient safety, regulatory compliance, and nursing-sensitive outcomes.
• Knowledge of evidence-based nursing practices and standards applicable to acute inpatient care.

Licenses and Certifications

• RN - Registered Nurse - State Licensure and/or Compact State Licensure in the District of Columbia required
• Specialty certification from a nationally recognized nursing organization in either a clinical specialty or Nursing Administration preferred
• CPR - Cardiac Pulmonary Resuscitation (includes BLS and NRP) for healthcare providers from either the American Heart Association (AHA) or American Red Cross within 90 Days required
• Additional unit/specialty certifications may vary by department or business unit.
• C-EFM - Electronic Fetal Monitoring from the National Certification Corporation (NCC) is required for Perinatal nurses (labor and delivery antepartum antenatal testing) within 12 months from date of hire. New graduate nurses or new to specialty nurses (labor and delivery antepartum antenatal testing) will have 15 months from date of hire to obtain the EFM certification.

Knowledge Skills and Abilities

• Excellent problem-solving skills and ability to exercise independent judgment on complex situations. Verbal and written communication skills. Basic knowledge of various computer software applications and online learning applications especially Microsoft PowerPoint and Excel.