Established in 1926, WellSpan Evangelical Community Hospital has long served the residents of the Central Susquehanna Valley community with award-winning care. One of nine premier hospitals in the WellSpan Health System, WellSpan Evangelical Community Hospital’s 131-bed facility provides a community of 172,529 residents leading-edge inpatient, outpatient and emergent care services.
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.
Responsibilities
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 in Nursing (MSN) required; Doctorate in Nursing Practice (DNP) or related field preferred.
Experience: Minimum 10 years of progressive nursing leadership experience in acute care settings. 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 required.
About Company
WellSpan Evangelical Community Hospital