ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS: Identifies and articulates the vision and strategic direction for the discipline of Nursing and collaborates on the implementation of strategies to achieve them; Provides leadership and direction for the development of strategies to promote the recruitment, retention, and recognition of excellence in Nursing, including oversight and recommendations regarding compensation and benefit programs for nursing staff; Participates in the planning, implementation, and evaluation of clinical programs and services, assuring appropriate resources for the delivery of care; Serves as the senior spokesperson for Nursing in JFLH; Advises the senior leadership of JFLH and individual clinical facilities other groups (including the medical staff) by providing input about the implications of decisions and change on the quality of patient care, on nursing practice, and on nursing care providers; Provides leadership in the establishment of credentialing/privileging policies for nurses and ensures compliance with such policies for nurses who seek to practice and who practice; Promotes and fosters a multidisciplinary approach to patient care, and the coordination of care among disciplines; Assures that the patient care delivery model(s), clinical and staffing standards for nursing are consistent with current research and professional standards and with the mission, vision, and values of the organization; Provides strategic direction regarding centralized use of temporary services that provide nursing care; Assures continuity and consistency of nursing care across the organizations; Assures that all nursing services are provided in compliance with all applicable standards and requirements of the Joint Commission and all other applicable regulatory bodies; Ensures that there is an adequate number of qualified staff and that all staff receives the appropriate orientation to their work responsibilities. Ensures adequate staff education, training and evaluation; Monitors and evaluates the practical nurse program curriculum, policy and procedure to ensure maintenance of high educational quality in program offering to satisfy accreditation requirements and students pass rates for the NCLEX – PN examinations; Responsible for planning, coordinating, evaluating and managing the operations of inpatient and outpatient services, in-service education, patient care performance improvement program, infection control program, nursing recruitment and retention; Administrative oversight of Infections Control Program, Nursing In-service Education and Training, Nursing Recruitment and Retention; Performs other duties as assigned.