Chief Nurse

Key Responsibilities

The successful candidate will be responsible for the following:

• Provide leadership, direction, supervision, and support to nursing staff to promote accountability, teamwork, and high-quality care.
• Ensure the delivery of safe, efficient, compassionate, and patient-centred nursing care in line with established clinical protocols and hospital standards.
• Monitor patient satisfaction, respond to patient-care concerns, promote clear communication, and ensure patients receive appropriate orientation and health education.
• Oversee nursing service delivery across relevant units, including appropriate staffing and deployment, with a focus on primary nursing and safe staff-to-patient coverage.
• Promote efficient admission, transfer, and discharge processes; monitor patient waiting time and turnaround time; and implement improvements to patient flow.
• Ensure timely administration of medication and prompt response to patient needs in accordance with clinical guidelines and procedures.
• Ensure accurate nursing documentation, proper record keeping, and effective handover and takeover practices.
• Implement, monitor, review, and communicate nursing policies, standard operating procedures, clinical guidelines, and relevant directives.
• Promote compliance with patient confidentiality, professional ethics, infection prevention, quality improvement, and patient-safety requirements.
• Manage nursing supplies responsibly, participate in stock-taking, minimize wastage, and ensure supplies are ordered and utilized appropriately.
• Ensure that all chargeable nursing items and services are accurately and promptly documented and billed in accordance with hospital procedures.
• Contribute to preparation and monitoring of the Nursing Department budget and promote cost-effective use of departmental resources.
• Identify training and development needs; coordinate continuing professional development, clinical mentorship, staff coaching, and knowledge sharing.
• Conduct timely, fair, and objective staff performance appraisals and follow up on agreed performance-improvement actions.
• Promote the use of the hospital management information system and other relevant technologies to improve efficiency, documentation, and reporting.
• Prepare and submit nursing reports, monitor departmental performance indicators, and implement corrective actions where targets are not achieved.
• Support quality improvement initiatives, internal and external benchmarking, and the continuous improvement of nursing services.

Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor's Degree in Nursing
• Valid registration and current practicing licence from the Nursing Council of Kenya.
• At least five (5) years of relevant Nursing experience, including substantial experience in a Supervisory or Nursing leadership role.
• Demonstrated experience in Nursing operations, staff supervision, patient safety, quality improvement, and implementation of clinical policies and procedures.
• Experience in a hospital setting; experience in a Level 5 hospital or a specialized Orthopaedic and trauma facility will be an advantage.
• Training or certification in leadership and management, quality improvement, patient safety, or relevant life-support courses will be an added advantage.

Key Competencies

• Strong Nursing leadership, team management, coaching, and staff development skills.
• Commitment to patient-centred care, empathy, professionalism, and service excellence.
• Sound clinical judgement, problem-solving, and decision-making skills.
• Strong communication, interpersonal, conflict-resolution, and collaboration skills.
• Good planning, organization, documentation, and reporting skills.
• Commitment to ethical practice, confidentiality, accountability, and compliance with standards.
• Ability to monitor performance indicators, improve processes, and manage resources effectively.
• Proficiency in hospital information systems and digital documentation, or willingness to adapt quickly.