What are the responsibilities and job description for the Chief Nursing Officer/Director of Nursing position at Jacobson Memorial Hospital Care Center?
Small hospital. Meaningful leadership. A community that will know your name.
Jacobson Memorial Hospital Care Center is seeking a hands-on, collaborative Chief Nursing Officer/Director of Nursing to lead nursing and patient-care services at our rural Critical Access Hospital.
This is an opportunity for an experienced nurse leader—or an accomplished Director of Nursing ready to step into a chief nursing role—to make a visible difference. You will work directly with the CEO, medical staff, department leaders, frontline employees, and community partners to strengthen clinical quality, patient safety, workforce stability, and the patient experience.
This is a working leadership position. In addition to providing strategic and operational oversight, the CNO/Director of Nursing must be willing and able to provide direct patient care and work floor shifts when needed. The right candidate will be comfortable moving between executive responsibilities and frontline support.
Our ideal leader understands that rural healthcare requires adaptability, sound judgment, strong relationships, and a willingness to step in wherever needed. You will have the authority to shape nursing practice while remaining close to the employees and patients affected by your decisions.
Job Duties
- Provide executive leadership for nursing and assigned patient-care departments.
- Work clinical floor shifts and provide direct patient care as staffing and operational needs require.
- Remain available to support nursing coverage during unexpected vacancies, call-offs, periods of high census, and other urgent situations.
- Establish nursing priorities that support the hospital’s mission, strategic plan, and community needs.
- Promote safe, compassionate, evidence-based care across the organization.
- Maintain compliance with Critical Access Hospital requirements and applicable federal, state, accreditation, and professional standards.
- Lead survey readiness, corrective-action planning, and continuous quality improvement.
- Monitor nursing-sensitive outcomes, patient-safety indicators, staffing levels, productivity, and patient experience.
- Recruit, develop, mentor, and retain nursing leaders and frontline employees.
- Build a healthy workplace culture grounded in communication, accountability, teamwork, and respect.
- Develop staffing plans that balance patient needs, employee well-being, and financial stewardship.
- Oversee nursing policies, competencies, education, and standards of practice.
- Collaborate with medical staff and operational leaders to improve care delivery and clinical outcomes.
- Participate in budgeting, workforce planning, service-line evaluation, and organizational decision-making.
- Provide nursing updates and recommendations to the CEO, leadership team, and governing board.
- Maintain an active, visible presence throughout the facility and community.
What We’re Looking For
- Current Registered Nurse license or eligibility for licensure in North Dakota.
- Progressive nursing leadership experience in a hospital or comparable healthcare environment.
- Current clinical competence and willingness to provide direct patient care.
- Ability and willingness to work floor shifts when staffing or patient-care needs require.
- Demonstrated knowledge of patient safety, quality improvement, regulatory compliance, and nursing operations.
- Ability to lead effectively with limited resources and competing priorities.
- Strong communication, relationship-building, and problem-solving skills.
- Willingness to relocate to or live within reasonable commuting distance of Elgin.
Pay: $120,000.00 - $150,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- 401(k) matching
- Dental insurance
- Employee assistance program
- Employee discount
- Health insurance
- Life insurance
- Paid time off
- Relocation assistance
- Retirement plan
- Tuition reimbursement
- Vision insurance
License/Certification:
- RN License (Preferred)
Ability to Relocate:
- Elgin, ND 58533: Relocate with an employer provided relocation package (Preferred)
Work Location: In person
Salary : $120,000 - $150,000