Senior Vice President and Chief Nursing Officer Children's National Hospital
Children’s National Hospital Children's National Hospital is ranked one of the top 10 pediatric hospitals in the nation by U.S. News & World Report. They are tied for #1 in the Mid-Atlantic region, and they have achieved top 10 honors in cancer, diabetes and endocrinology, gastroenterology and GI surgery, neonatology, nephrology, neurology and neurosurgery, and orthopedics. Children’s National is also one of only 12 children’s hospitals in the country to attain Level 1 Surgery Verification from the American College of Surgeons which recognizes surgery centers with improved surgical quality, prevented complications, reduced costs and saved lives. Children’s National Hospital is proud to be Magnet ® designated for 15 years, a recognition given to hospitals demonstrating the highest standards of nursing practice and patient care delivery.
Children’s National provides children and their families with the best possible care, offering internationally recognized pediatric medicine experts, a health care experience designed around the unique needs of children, and groundbreaking research and technology. As home to the Children’s National Research Institute and the Sheikh Zayed Institute for Pediatric Surgical Innovation, Children’s National embodies innovation and is a leader in securing funding from the National Institutes of Health and other agencies. They are recognized as committed advocates for children on local, state, and federal health policy. In fact, they are often the first at the table when pediatric healthcare legislation is being developed.
Children’s National is dedicated to providing world-class clinical care and building a community where every child can grow up stronger. In 2007, Children’s National became home to the country’s first hospital-based department focused exclusively on child health advocacy, the Child Health Advocacy Institute (CHAI). The CHAI mission is to advance policy and systems changes to achieve health equity for all children. The CHAI operationalizes this definition and mission to advance health equity through their five departments and four core focus areas: community engagement, data, education, and policy. Children’s National advocates for “caring for ALL children” which is one of the many reasons behind their Global Health Initiative (GHI) and Global Services Division.
Beyond traditional clinical care, Children’s National offers patients and families additional support services such as:
As the nation’s children’s hospital, the mission of Children’s National is to excel in Care, Advocacy, Research and Education. We accomplish this through:
Providing a quality healthcare experience for our patients and families
Improving health outcomes for children regionally, nationally and internationally
Leading the creation of innovative solutions to pediatric health challenges
Vision
Children's National will lead the future of pediatric health through its clinical excellence, transformative research, innovation and service to the community.
By incorporating feedback from families, we have developed our first child?centered vision, which looks at the hospital experience through a child’s eyes:
Healing a child’s body, mind and spirit takes more than medicine: It takes a team to fulfill a family’s dream
My hospital is a bright and happy place that feels like home
My providers, my family and I are a team, and everyone's job is important
The way my hospital works is built around me
My providers don't all look alike
My hospital is my family's connection to everything I need for my health, whether they provide it or blaze trail it
Core Values
Compassion: Creating an Exceptional Patient Experience
Commitment: Serving with Integrity
Connection: Developing Inclusive Relationships
Features of Children’s National
A 323-bed acute care hospital.
The only Level I Pediatric Trauma Center in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area.
A critical care transport program via ambulance and helicopter.
16 specialty care centers spread throughout Maryland, Virginia and Washington, D.C.; plus two Ambulatory Surgery Centers in Maryland.
A Level I Children’s Surgery Center designated by the American College of Surgeons.
Children’s Surgery Verification Program— one of only 30 children’s hospitals in the nation and the only one in the region to achieve this distinction.
A recipient of the Telehealth Accreditation from URAC— the first pediatric hospital to receive this recognition for our continued commitment to providing quality telehealth services for families.
Pediatric Health Network is the region’s premier pediatric-focused clinically integrated network with 1,500 primary and specialty care physicians.
17 primary care offices located throughout Maryland and Washington, D.C.
Children’s National Research & Innovation Campus, which opened in 2021, is a one-of-a-kind pediatric research and innovation hub. It houses the Children’s National Research Institute (CNRI), a leader in basic and clinical research programs. It is anchored by our Center for Genetic Medicine Research and our Rare Disease Institute and features JLABS @ Washington DC — a collaboration with Johnson & Johnson Innovation LLC.
HSC Health Care System Affiliation: Through the affiliation of The HSC Health Care System with Children’s National, children and young adults with complex medical needs in Washington, D.C., and across the region, receive a seamless care experience.
A large emergency department located at the main campus. Children’s National physicians also provide pediatric emergency care in Cedar Hill’s Emergency Department in Washington, D.C., and Luminis Health Doctors Community Medical Center’s Emergency Department in Prince George’s County, Maryland.
Community hospital NICU partnerships: Our Division of Neonatology partners with community hospitals to extend the quality care offered at the Children’s National NICU to other areas of the Washington, D.C., metropolitan region.
Community-focused programs and partnerships, including school health services, mobile health services and safety initiatives.
Nursing at Children’s National
For more than 150 years, Children's National nurses have served the pediatric population and their families across a continuum of care. This longstanding tradition continues today. Nurses at Children’s National work closely with other healthcare professionals, bringing skill and compassion to every patient they treat and always putting the needs of children first. Children’s National has been Magnet ® designated since 2010 and is among less than 10 percent of hospitals nationwide to have achieved this highest recognition of nursing excellence.
The Division of Nursing (DON) at Children’s National supports the belief that all professional nurses are leaders. Children’s National nurses are valued partners that share in decision-making with the entire healthcare team – patients, families, physicians, and the community. Nurses work with physicians and colleagues across disciplines to develop individualized care plans for each patient, as well as improve care delivery for all. Nurses are encouraged to engage with the community, governments and outside organizations to advocate and advance the prevention, detection and treatment needed to improve children’s health.
Nursing Mission
The Division of Nursing at Children's National Hospital (CNH) provides exemplary high quality, safe, evidence-based, accessible, culturally sensitive, inclusive care, with an ultimate goal to improve healthcare outcomes for all children throughout their lifespan.
Nursing Vision
The professional nurses of CNH will lead nationally and internationally safe, evidence-based and innovative solutions for pediatric care, within a collaborative interdisciplinary practice environment, guided by shared decision-making, and strengthened through professional development. CNH will be the flagship for pediatric nursing within our community, driven by safe and patient- and family-centered care, with a focus on financial stewardship, as well as promotion of care team joy and resilience.
Nursing Values
Through sincere compassion, steadfast commitment and genuine connection to patients, families and community, Children's National professional nurses value human dignity, respect, advocacy, and the well-being of patients, families, colleagues and each other.
Professional Practice Model
At Children's National Hospital, the Nursing Professional Practice Model (PPM) embodies a comprehensive and visionary approach to nursing practice, aligned with organizational core values, strategic priorities and mirroring the Institute for Healthcare Improvement’s Quintuple Aim. The PPM places utmost importance on the well-being of nurses, patients, families, and communities. Through a culture of collaboration and respect, nurses work alongside all healthcare team members to elevate care quality and enrich the patient and family experience.
Through the application and evaluation of the PPM, the Children’s National nurse:
Integrates and applies the concepts of patient and family-centered care
Impacts nursing practice through shared decision-making
Strengthens and expands practice through evidence-based nursing
Embraces professional development opportunities
Demonstrates effective communication and collaboration with healthcare partners
Evidence-Based Nursing
Starting with evidence-based practice training during orientation, nurses are steeped in Children’s National’s process for translating sources of evidence into tailored care for patients and families, evaluating care outcomes and sharing the results with colleagues across the health system and the world.
Evidence-based practice permeates daily through:
Nursing Quality Program, promoting quality and safety improvement, conducting evidence-based performance improvement activities at the unit and department level
Regular updates to practice guidelines based on the latest research by Shared Nursing Leadership Quality and Safe Practice Council
Research requirements in the Nursing Residency curriculum
On-staff health science librarian and online health science library
Doctoral Support Group and open office hours supporting nurses’ scholarly research
Individual consultations on research, evidence-based practice and quality
Quality indicators measurement and participation in national nursing databases such as NDNQI and NACHRI to address nurse-sensitive quality indicators
Nursing Research and Quality Outcomes Day which brings together experts from across disciplines, to share new advances, innovations and methods
Shared Nursing Leadership
At Children’s National, nurses have a voice in decisions that directly impact care in the unit, department, and entire health system through Shared Nursing Leadership. Shared Nursing Leadership empowers and engages nurses to partner in decision-making, implementation, and evaluation of the art and science of nursing. The goal is to achieve excellence in professional practice and patient and family-centered care in support of the strategic goals of Children's National.
Professional Development
Across the nursing division, Children’s National works to uphold professional standards, promote the autonomy of the profession and support the professional growth of every nurse.
A few of the ways professional growth and development of Children’s National nurses is supported include:
Support for eligible professional board certifications
Support for academic advancement
Continuing Nursing Education offerings throughout the year
Opportunities to engage on unit/department and/or system level Shared Nursing Leadership Councils along with other councils, committees, workgroups and taskforces
Coaching and mentoring
Clinical Advancement Program (CAP)
Nurse trainee, residency, and fellowship program offerings
Quality of Nursing Care and Performance Improvement
Nurses at Children’s National continuously strive to ensure that nursing care reflects the state of the science of pediatric and family care and is of the highest caliber. Clinical nurses and nursing leaders partner to advance nursing quality and create strong linkages between practice and care outcomes.
These activities are led by members of the Department of Nursing Science, Professional Practice and Quality (NSPPQ) in partnership with the councils of the Shared Nursing Leadership structure and the unit-based Culture of Nursing Excellence (CONE) teams at Children’s National. Quality improvement methods are used to design sustainable systems of care which consistently deliver quality nursing outcomes within the interprofessional delivery of care.
Clinical nurses benchmark outcomes via national databases and/or collaboratives in pursuit of nursing excellence. Clinical nurses use the Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) quality improvement method to introduce and evaluate care improvement processes. By carefully evaluating each cycle of change, nurses are assured that their care efforts are contributing to optimal patient and family outcomes while delivering safe and effective care.
Nursing Safety and its Role in Quality
Nurses at Children’s National provide quality care by ensuring that safety is their number one priority. As a component of the Nursing Quality Department, the Nursing Safety Program’s mission is to lead the continuous cultivation of the care environment for nursing and patient safety through the development and application of new knowledge intended to sustain a protective and healing environment. The objectives of the program are to:
Encourage organizational learning about high reliability care environments and the meaning of errors.
Incorporate recognition of nursing and patient safety as an integral job responsibility.
Provide education of nursing/patient safety into job competencies.
Encourage recognition and reporting of errors and risks to nursing safety and patient safety without judgement or placement of blame.
Promote open communication.
Facilitate a data-based approach to evaluate aspects of the care environment and link these to patient and family care outcomes and nursing staff safety outcomes.
Report integral findings and the actions taken with a focus on processes and systems for risk reduction.
The Nursing Safety Program acts as a catalyst for the development of a culture of safety at all levels of patient care, from frontline providers to executive leadership.
Scientific Basis for Nursing Practice
Children’s National Hospital Nurse Scientists, which are part of the Nursing Science, Professional Practice and Quality Department, provide oversight and support of nursing research conducted at Children’s National. The nursing research program is designed to advance the science of nursing and healthcare. The scientific basis for nursing is derived from the accumulation of research findings that focus on understanding the health and illness of individuals, families, and environments. The findings from basic, clinical, and behavioral research provide evidence for nursing interventions and help clinical nurses to explain their care and to predict their care outcomes.
Children’s National nurses are committed to disseminating performance improvement and research findings both within and beyond Children’s National to advance nursing excellence and facilitate the optimal care of children and families. The Nursing Science, Professional Practice and Quality Department has created a pathway of iterative steps to help clinical nurses initiate and complete a research or a quality improvement process. Additionally, the Department of Nursing Research and Quality Outcomes provides formal and informal programs to support nurses to disseminate their findings and to translate their findings into practice.
The Opportunity
Position: Senior Vice President and Chief Nursing Officer
Location: Washington, DC
Reporting Relationship: The Senior Vice President and Chief Nursing Officer will report to the Chief Executive Officer of Children’s National.
Purpose of the Position The Senior Vice President & Chief Nursing Officer (CNO) is a key member of the executive leadership team, reporting directly to the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and serving as the primary advocate for nursing excellence and patient care outcomes. The CNO is responsible for setting the strategic direction, providing operational oversight, and financial management of the nursing division, ensuring alignment with the organization's mission, vision, and long-term goals.
The CNO serves as the nursing expert for Children’s National. They are accountable for enhancing nursing practice across both inpatient and ambulatory settings that are patient-centric, providing exceptional quality and safe care, and ensuring that all nurses practice at the highest scope of their licensure. The CNO is a champion of change that advances care and quality outcomes across Children’s National.
This role requires a visionary leader who can drive nursing innovation, enhance quality and patient experience, and foster a culture of clinical excellence. Additionally, the CNO will drive cross-functional collaboration between clinical (especially physician enterprise), administrative, and operational teams to ensure a seamless patient care experience.
Serve as a trusted advisor to the CEO and executive leadership team, contributing to the overall strategic direction of the organization.
Develop and implement nursing strategies, policies, and care models that support organizational goals and enhance patient outcomes.
Act as the voice of nursing leadership, advocating for nursing staff at the executive and board level.
Drive cross-functional collaboration between clinical (especially physician enterprise), administrative, and operational teams to ensure a seamless patient care experience.
Responsible for the vision, strategy, and execution of nursing practice throughout Children’s National to be delivered consistently and safely.
Represent Children’s National clinical care locally, regionally, and nationally through health care, professional organizations, and the media. Serve on a number of internal and external committees through participation/memberships in pertinent professional organizations, associations, seminars, and advocacy groups, as needed.
Nursing Operations & Clinical Excellence
Provide direct leadership to nurse executives, directors, and managers to maintain high standards of nursing care across all departments.
Establish evidence-based practices and quality initiatives to improve patient safety, satisfaction, and clinical outcomes.
Oversee contemporary nursing workforce planning, including recruitment, retention, succession planning, and professional development initiatives.
Create innovative and leading class programs in nurse education and academic scholarship.
Drive performance improvement strategies by monitoring key clinical metrics and implementing continuous quality improvement programs.
Foster collaborative and accountable labor relations with nurses union leadership.
Address the professional practice needs of nurses throughout the full continuum of care; develop and promote effective care coordination models to partner with community resources and ensure optimal health for patients outside of the hospital setting.
Financial & Resource Management
Develop and manage the budget of nursing departments, ensuring cost-effective operations without compromising care quality.
Optimize nursing resource allocation, including staffing models and technology investments, to enhance efficiency and effectiveness.
Partner with the CFO and CEO on capital planning for nursing-related infrastructure, technology, and innovation.
Partner with CPO on human capital management and workforce related matters.
Regulatory Compliance & Risk Management
Ensure full compliance with federal, state, and local healthcare regulations, as well as accreditation standards (e.g., The Joint Commission, CMS, OSHA).
Develop and enforce policies that align with regulatory requirements while supporting best practices in patient care and safety.
Partner with leaders overseeing the organization’s infection control, patient safety, and risk management programs to ensure alignment of nursing practice with the goals of these programs.
Ensure standardization of quality, accreditation, regulatory, compliance, and patient safety efforts throughout Children’s National are consistent and monitored.
Drive the adoption of emerging healthcare technologies and digital transformation in nursing operations.
Lead change management initiatives to enhance clinical workflows, nurse engagement, and interdisciplinary collaboration.
Stay abreast of industry trends and innovations, ensuring the organization remains a leader in nursing excellence and patient care delivery.
Create and implement initiatives that elevate and innovate the nursing care delivery model.
Work to consistently innovate nursing practices that provide exceptional patient care and operational performance.
Collaborate with system executives and other key stakeholders to appropriately utilize clinical data, informatics, and business analytics in the expansion of care initiatives, clinical integration, workforce development, process improvement, and standardization of nursing practice.
Culture, Engagement & Leadership Development
Cultivate a culture of excellence, collaboration, and accountability within the nursing workforce.
Implement leadership development programs to empower nurse leaders and support career progression, in partnership with HR learning & development leaders.
Ensure an environment of wellbeing and agile listening to create a highly engaged nursing workforce.
Foster an environment of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) within the nursing workforce.
Recognize generational differences and implement retention strategies for a multigenerational workforce.
Leader Accountabilities Deliver
Set the long-term strategies and priorities for the organization and align resources to meet goals
Optimize internal effectiveness with external competitiveness
Identify and develop strategic partnerships
Define and reinforce the standard for exemplary safety and quality
Ensure interdepartmental cooperation, communication, and alignment
Engage
Speak as one voice in communicating the organization’s strategies and priorities and clearly articulate the “why” behind those decisions
Lead by example and define the importance of leadership
Balance divisional and functional needs with organizational strategies
Monitor and shape the culture of the organization to best fulfill our mission
Develop the next generation of leaders
Grow
Define the strategies and priorities for growth and innovation in line with the organization’s mission and goals
Establish industry partnerships to support the mission and make the organization more competitive
Invest in organization-wide improvement efforts while monitoring and managing the organization’s capacity for change
The Candidate Experience and Professional Qualifications The ideal CNO candidate will be a highly respected nurse leader possessing dynamic leadership skills and administrative expertise, and to lead in a manner that supports and contributes to the success and unity of Children’s National and the community it serves. The CNO will exemplify the qualities of leadership, collaboration, communication, and fairness.
In addition, the CNO will have:
At least 15 years of progressive leadership experience in nursing administration, with a proven track record of leading nursing operations at the executive level is required.
Executive presence with strong decision-making and strategic-thinking skills.
Exceptional leadership and communication abilities, with a proven ability to build relationships across all levels of an organization.
Deep understanding of healthcare regulations such as JCAHO, financial management, and quality improvement methodologies.
Ability to drive organizational change, innovation, and transformation in nursing practice.
Experience as a nurse leader in quality, patient safety, and care management.
Strong operational and financial acumen with the ability to lead and partner around a vision for superior patient-centered care that includes continuous improvements in care coordination, quality, safety, and cost-of-care reductions.
Proven ability to build internal and external relationships, with a demonstrated track record of working successfully with physicians and physician leaders, diverse management teams, community, and other key stakeholders.
A “systems thinker” who demonstrates innovation and an understanding and appreciation for nursing practice across the full continuum of care.
Extensive knowledge of health care issues, trends, legal and regulatory compliance, and clinical integration with emphasis in service line development and nursing operations.
A courageous and innovative individual with a “can do attitude” that can inspire an organization to do its best even in difficult circumstances.
A proactive leader and problem solver regarding the health care economics facing health systems today.
Exhibits strength of character and is viewed as a trusted, ethical and highly visible and effective leader within the organization.
Education and Certifications
A Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree is required.
A master’s degree in Nursing (MSN), Healthcare Administration (MHA), or Business Administration (MBA), or a related field is required.
A Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) or Nursing (DNP) is preferred.
RN licensure is required.
Certification in Nursing Leadership/Executive Administration (e.g., CENP, NEA-BC) is preferred.
