A large, integrated acute care hospital in Phoenix, Arizona is recruiting an Interim Chief Nursing Officer to serve as the senior nursing executive across all inpatient and designated patient care service lines. This is a 24/7 accountability role with direct representation at the governing board and medical staff leadership levels — a high-visibility assignment for an experienced CNO or ACNO who can step in, stabilize operations, and drive measurable outcomes in quality, safety, workforce stability, and service performance. The interim designation makes this an ideal engagement for a seasoned nurse executive who thrives in change-intensive environments and can establish credibility quickly with clinical staff, physicians, and senior leadership.
Perks and Benefits
- Interim executive engagement with competitive compensation commensurate with CNO-level experience in a large acute care facility
- Opportunity to lead nursing operations at a multi-service-line hospital within a nationally scaled health system with regional CNO support infrastructure
- Access to system-level resources including workforce planning tools, nurse residency program frameworks (including Versant), and enterprise EMR adoption support
- Collaborative regional CNO network with structured peer calls and shared governance resources
- Professional development supported through participation in industry organizations, academic partnerships, and health policy engagement
Practice Highlights
- Senior executive accountability for all nursing and designated patient care functions and services across the facility — 24/7 operational and clinical responsibility
- Direct representation of nursing at the governing board level, including monthly nursing report presentations, and active participation in medical staff leadership meetings
- Oversight of nurse-sensitive patient outcome metrics, core measures, infection control, VBP risk protection, and public-reported quality indicators in collaboration with the facility DCQI and ICP
- Leadership of facility-wide patient safety program including zero-never-event targets, falls-with-injury reduction, facility-acquired pressure ulcer prevention, and annual AHRQ Patient Safety Survey follow-through
- Press Ganey Patient Satisfaction monitoring with direct accountability for action planning and service improvement initiatives, including formal discharge call programs
- Active facilitation of physician satisfaction surveys and employee engagement surveys with structured corrective action cycles
- EMR adoption leadership role — supports and drives implementation within staffing and workforce budget parameters
- Workforce planning scope includes recruitment and retention strategy, nurse residency pipeline development, unit-based competency programs meeting Joint Commission standards, and nursing leadership succession planning
- Shared governance model in place; CNO expected to champion and expand shared decision-making councils across nursing departments
- Academic partnership responsibilities include nursing student clinical placements, advisory collaboration with nursing programs, and integration of nursing research into practice
- Balanced Scorecard (BSC, CQ BSC, CNO BSC) targets cascaded and measured at the facility level
Qualifications
- Minimum five years of progressive nursing management experience at the Associate Chief Nursing Officer or Nursing Director level, with oversight of multiple complex nursing departments in a facility setting
- Academic degree in nursing required; Master's degree in Nursing, Health Administration, Business, Public Health, or Management strongly preferred
- Active, current Registered Nurse license in Arizona (or eligibility to obtain) required
- CENP or NEA-BC certification preferred
- Demonstrated expertise in regulatory compliance including TJC accreditation, state Nurse Practice Act, and federal conditions of participation for nursing services
- Proven track record in workforce recruitment, retention, and development — including mentoring RN Directors toward ACNO and CNO advancement
- Strong labor relations background and experience managing organizational change in complex, multi-department environments
- Financial acumen required: budget preparation, labor expense management, capital planning, and cost-improvement initiatives within nursing departments
About the Community
Phoenix is one of the fastest-growing major metros in the United States, offering a dynamic urban environment with a low cost of living relative to comparable coastal cities, abundant sunshine, and a thriving arts, dining, and professional sports scene. The greater Phoenix area provides access to world-class outdoor recreation — from desert hiking and mountain biking in the Sonoran Desert to day trips to Sedona, the Grand Canyon, and Flagstaff's mountain terrain. Top-rated suburban communities throughout the Valley offer excellent public and private school options, making Phoenix a compelling destination for healthcare executives at any career stage.