Nursing Director, NICU

Summary Director, Nursing, NICU Full Time I First Shift BHLEX-Lex 5A NICU I Lexington Unit Overview: 5A NICU is a 32-bed private room NICU caring for High-Risk neonates from 28 weeks to full-term. Position Summary: The Director of Nursing is a key nurse leader responsible for the overall management and 24/7 accountability of one or more hospital units, such as Critical Care, Emergency Services, Maternal and Child Care, Medical/Surgical, or Ambulatory Care. This role oversees staffing, recruitment and retention, performance evaluations, competency development, budgeting, and the delivery of high-quality, culturally sensitive, evidence-based care. The Director collaborates with hospital leadership, physicians, and interdisciplinary teams to develop policies, patient care programs, and performance improvement initiatives. They promote excellence in nursing practice, staff engagement, and patient outcomes while serving as a role model of compassion, integrity, and professionalism. Depending on scope, the Director ensures safe and consistent nursing practice across both inpatient and ambulatory settings and throughout transitions of care. Job Description: The Director will lead with vision and collaboration, driving excellence in nursing practice and patient outcomes through: Talent Leadership & Staffing Guides recruitment, retention, onboarding, and professional development of unit staff. Supports staff engagement, teamwork, and shared governance. Conducts performance evaluations, provides feedback, coaching, and promotes growth. Operational & Resource Management Manages departmental budgets, productivity, staffing levels, and resources. Ensures appropriate staffing based on skill mix, competency0, patient acuity, and census. Quality & Patient Care Excellence Ensures safe, high-quality nursing care aligned with policies, regulations, and standards. Implements and supports evidence-based practice and culturally sensitive care. Monitors patient outcomes and leads continuous quality improvement and patient satisfaction initiatives. Compliance & Professional Standards Ensures staff compliance with education, certifications, licensure, and employee health requirements. Upholds organizational policies, confidentiality, and professional standards of conduct. Strategic Leadership & Collaboration Partners with hospital leadership, medical staff, and interdisciplinary teams to develop policies, care programs, and initiatives. Communicate effectively with staff and respond promptly to patient or staff concerns. Demonstrates professionalism, compassion, and cultural sensitivity. The Director of Nursing serves as a role model for compassion, respect, acceptance, and empathy, upholding nursing as a distinct and vital discipline. This leader inspires a culture of healing, wellness, and professional accountability across inpatient and ambulatory settings, ensuring seamless transitions of care throughout the continuum. Minimum Education, Experience, Training and Licensure Requirements: Bachelor's Degree Registered Nurse license in Kentucky 5 years of experience as a staff nurse 3 years of management experience Benefits: Health, Vision, Dental and Pet Insurance Life Insurance Short Term and Long-Term Disability and Life Insurance Identity Theft Protection Tuition Reimbursement up to $6,000 annually Company paid Maternity and Paternity Leave 5 days of Paid Time Off available upon hire Bereavement Leave (includes pets) PTO Sell Back Program Compassionate Leave Sharing Program (PTO Donation) Employee Support Fund, for employees in need of emergency financial support Retirement with Company Match Work Experience Education If you would like to be part of a growing family focused on supporting clinical excellence, teamwork and innovation, we urge you to apply now! Baptist Health is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer. Founded in 1924 in Louisville, Kentucky, Baptist Health is a full-spectrum health system dedicated to improving the health of the communities it serves. The Baptist Health family consists of 10 hospitals, employed and independent physicians, and more than 470 points of care, including outpatient facilities, physician practices and services, urgent care clinics, outpatient diagnostic and surgery centers, home care, fitness centers, and occupational medicine and physical therapy clinics. Baptist Health’s eight owned hospitals include more than 2,300 licensed beds in Corbin, Elizabethtown, La Grange, Lexington, Louisville, Paducah, Richmond and New Albany, Indiana. Baptist Health also operates two joint venture hospitals: the 410-bed Baptist Health Deaconess Madisonville in Madisonville, Kentucky with Deaconess Health System based in Evansville, Indiana, and the Baptist Health Rehabilitation Hospital, a 40-bed inpatient rehabilitation facility with Encompass Health, based in Birmingham, Alabama. Baptist Health employs more than 24,000 people in Kentucky and surrounding states. Baptist Health is the first health system in the U.S. to have all of its hospitals recognized by the American Nursing Credentialing Center with either a Magnet® or Pathway to Excellence® designation for nursing excellence. Baptist Health’s employed provider network, Baptist Health Medical Group, has more than 1,820 employed providers offering care in 78 specialties, including approximately 862 physicians and 958 advanced practice clinicians. Baptist Health’s physician network also includes more than 2,000 independent physicians. EEO Statement: Baptist Health is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer, and seeks to employ individuals without regard to race, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, disability, marital status, citizenship status, military status, religious or political beliefs, protected veteran status, employment status or any other protected class identified in any federal, state, or local law. Baptist Health specifically encourages minority, female, disabled, veteran and other candidates from diverse backgrounds to apply and strengthen our team. Please note that Baptist Health is a drug-free workplace and employment with Baptist Health is subject to post offer, pre-employment drug testing. NOTICE OF NONDISCRIMATION AND ACCESSIBILITY TO SERVICES Persons with hearing and speech impairments can contact Baptist Health facilities by using the Kentucky Relay Service, a toll-free telecommunication device for the deaf (TDD). For voice to TDD, call 800.648.6057. For TDD to voice, call 800.648.6056.