John F. Kennedy Memorial Hospital in Indio, California is recruiting a full-time Manager of Trauma Services to lead the trauma program at this Level 4 Trauma Center within the Desert Care Network — a three-hospital system serving the Coachella Valley and Morongo Basin regions of Southern California. Reporting to the Director of Emergency Services and collaborating directly with the Trauma Medical Director, this role owns the full scope of trauma program operations: performance improvement, registry management, regulatory compliance, staff education, and community outreach. The schedule is days (0800–1630), 10 eight-hour shifts per two-week pay period, making this a rare leadership opportunity with a predictable, predominantly weekday structure.
Perks and Benefits
- Comprehensive medical, dental, vision, and life insurance coverage
- 401(k) retirement savings plan with employer match
- Generous paid time off
- Career development and continuing education opportunities
- Health savings accounts (HSA); healthcare and dependent flexible spending accounts (FSA)
- Employee Assistance Program and employee discount program
- Voluntary benefits: pet insurance, legal insurance, accident and critical illness insurance, long-term care, elder and childcare assistance, auto and home insurance
- Note: benefit eligibility is determined by employment status and location
Practice Highlights
- Full-time, day-shift leadership role — 0800–1630, 10 eight-hour shifts per two-week pay period; some weekends may be required
- Level 4 Trauma Center at JFK Memorial Hospital; part of the Desert Care Network, which also includes a Level 1 Trauma Center at Desert Regional Medical Center in Palm Springs
- Network-wide advanced services include comprehensive stroke care, a cancer center, and the only Level 3 NICU in the Coachella Valley
- Direct collaboration with the Trauma Medical Director and Director of Emergency Services on clinical, educational, research, and administrative trauma program activities
- Oversight of trauma registry operations: accurate patient identification, data abstraction, AIS/ICD coding, E-code assignment, and validation per Riverside County, state, and national standards — with a 30-day log discrepancy standard
- Leads monthly trauma audits and provides performance feedback to director and nursing staff; manages loop closure on all identified PI issues
- Manages required reporting to Riverside County EMS Agency, The Joint Commission, CMS, and the ACS Committee on Trauma (ACS-COT); prepares for Level 4 Trauma Center verification and re-verification surveys
- Participates in daily inpatient trauma rounds and serves as clinical management support in the absence of the clinical manager
- Provides direct supervision of the trauma registrar
- Delivers quarterly educational offerings to hospital staff and annual community trauma education and prevention programming
- Conducts yearly trauma research projects and represents the hospital at monthly Riverside County EMS meetings and regional/statewide functions
- Designs and maintains database applications, user interfaces, and reporting tools; submits data to Riverside County trauma registry and approved local, regional, and national registries
Qualifications
- Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) required; Master's degree preferred
- Current California Registered Nurse (RN) license required
- Current American Heart Association BLS, ACLS, and PALS certifications required
- Trauma-specific certification required: TNCC, TCRN, PHTLS, or an appropriate trauma-based equivalent
- Minimum five years of clinical RN experience in an Emergency/Trauma Center or Critical Care Unit
- Previous trauma program management experience preferred
- Trauma Registrar certification (CSTR or CAISS) required — or must be obtained within two years of hire
- Knowledge of trauma statistical reporting, peer review, performance improvement, injury prevention, and epidemiology preferred
- Demonstrated ability to abstract data from registry software into spreadsheet formats and present findings to diverse audiences
- Proficiency with Microsoft Office and trauma registry software required
- Participation in a state or national clinical organization pertaining to trauma registry required
About the Community
Indio sits at the heart of the Coachella Valley in Southern California's Inland Desert — a region defined by year-round sunshine, a low cost of living relative to coastal California, and a vibrant cultural calendar anchored by world-class music and arts festivals. The valley offers easy access to Joshua Tree National Park, the Salton Sea, and the San Jacinto Mountains, with Palm Springs just minutes away and Los Angeles reachable within two hours. Families benefit from a growing suburban infrastructure, diverse dining and recreation, and a strong sense of community rooted in the region's agricultural and cultural heritage.