Nursing Operations Manager Inpatient-Medical PCU- Watson Clinic Lakeland Highlands Hospital-Lakeland, FL

Position Summary

Orlando Health Watson Clinic Lakeland Highlands Hospital is currently seeking a
Nursing Operations Manager, Medical PCU.
This vital role will lead our 30-bed medical progressive care unit. The successful candidate will ensure a primary focus on quality care and outcomes, exceptional patient service, and foster an environment that is recognized as the best place to work. This leader will be instrumental in achieving all departmental and hospital goals, while working collaboratively with both hospital and physician staff leadership. We are looking for someone who can drive excellence and innovation, and who is committed to our mission of providing outstanding care for our patients and their families.

Opening Summer 2026 at 4000 Lakeland Highlands Road, Lakeland, FL.
Orlando Health offers a great DAY ONE benefits package that includes:

• Medical, Dental, Vision & Prescription Drug Plans
• Flexible Spending Accounts & Health Savings Accounts
• Paid Time Off (accrued)
• Education Assistance: Preferred Education Program-100% PAID Tuition, Tuition reimbursement & repayment of previous loans
• Disability and Life Insurance
• Retirement Savings Plan
• Family Care Benefits & so much more

Responsibilities
Essential Functions

• Evaluates the environment and makes recommendations to ensure delivery of quality service, optimal patient flow and comfort, safety, and compliance with various standards of care, regulatory/governing bodies (e.g., OSHA, JCAHO), infection control, and risk management.
• Plans, leads, organizes, directs, & evaluates the delivery of patient care to achieve sustained outcomes.
• Facilitates a healthy environment that promotes patient and team member safety, high reliability of processes and quality outcomes.
• Embraces workplace diversity and participates in nursing organizational policy formulation and decision-making.
• Ensures that a continual improvement approach is implemented to measure actual performance against established standards for nursing and patient care.
• Serves as an agent of change, assisting leaders and team members in understanding the importance, necessity, impact, and process of change.
• Analyzes, develops, and maintains an effective and efficient nursing delivery model that reflects patient and family needs, ultimately achieving desired outcomes.
• Participates in the planning and implementation of new technologies, procedures, and services to support day-to-day operations.
• Identifies, recruits, develops, and retains top talent.
• Responsible for management of team members including recruitment, development, mentorship, retention, supervision, evaluation, and productivity.
• Develops and manages unit/department budget and responds in a cost-effective manner to changing patient and team member requirements.
• Knows and practices sound business and operational excellence.
• Achieves financial and operational benchmarks by developing capital & operating budgets and monitoring all operational expenses.
• Assures development, implementation, and evaluation of an evidence-based, quality clinical nursing practice consistent with nursing research, and organizational and national practice standards.
• Demonstrates initiative and situational leadership skills.
• Ensures the customer experience is exceptional.
• Serves as a liaison between team members and nursing administration.
• Demonstrates professional accountability by maintaining proficiency in assigned role and involvement in professional organizations.
• Facilitates and supports team member involvement in professional and organizational activities.
• Holds self and others accountable to Orlando Health's mission, vision, and values.
• Demonstrates The Orlando Health Way: Assure, Engage, Unite.
• Performs all other duties as assigned.
• Manages various human resources functions including hiring, work assignments, coaching plans, and performance counseling.
• Maintains reasonably regular, punctual attendance consistent with Orlando Health policies, the ADA, FMLA, and other federal, state, and local standards.
• Maintains compliance with all Orlando Health policies and procedures.

Other Related Functions

• Uses working knowledge of risk management concepts.
• Participates in Process Improvement activities as assigned
• Interprets the appropriate information needed to identify each patient's requirements relative to their age-specific needs and to provide nursing care needed as described in the unit/department's policies and procedures.

Hospital Care At Home (Program Functions)

• Responsible for leadership & operational oversight for the Hospital Care at Home virtual nursing unit.
• Proficient in the use of TeleHealth technology to oversee and conduct virtual patient care visits to the hospital at home patients; ability to assess clinical symptoms, possess critical thinking skills and escalate potential patient decompensation.
• Works collaboratively with all members of the Advanced Care at Home team.
• Responsible for providing virtual and in-home nursing care needed as described in the unit/department's policies and procedures

Qualifications
Education/Training

• Graduate of an approved school of nursing with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) required. Master of Science in Nursing (MSN), Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP), or Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) with Graduate degree in Business or health-related field preferred.

Licensure/Certification

• Current licensure as a registered nurse in the State of Florida or Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC).
• Current Basic Life Support (BLS) certification.
• May require one or more of the following certifications based on the assigned patient population:
• Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS)
• Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS)
• Neonatal Advanced Life Support (NALS)
• Trauma Nurse Core Course (TNCC)
• National leadership board certification through the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) or American Organization for Nursing Leadership (AONL) within 2 years.

Experience

• Two (2) years as a registered nurse in an acute care setting and one (1) year leadership experience.