As a Clinical Care Lead (RN) at St. Mary's Hospital, you are responsible for coordinating clinical activities for your patient team, ensuring high standards of quality care, assessing patient needs, and collaborating with health team members. You will also engage in providing patient and staff education, participate in unit-based activities, and supervise team members.

Candidates for the Clinical Care Lead (RN) position at St. Mary's Hospital must be graduates from an accredited nursing school, hold a BSN (or be enrolled in a BSN program), and have a minimum of two years of acute care experience. A current RN license in Virginia is required, along with maintaining CPR certification and obtaining national nursing certification within the first year.

St. Mary's Hospital offers a year-long onboarding program for new Clinical Care Leads (RNs) that includes structured orientation, mentorship, and an orthopedic-specific orientation program. This program lasts up to 12 weeks, tailored to your individual needs, and includes regular check-ins with nursing coordinators.

St. Mary's Hospital is committed to the professional growth of its Clinical Care Leads by offering an orthopedic education fund for conferences, membership in the National Association of Orthopedic Nurses (NAON), and opportunities within shared governance councils. You will also receive support for professional specialty certification.

Clinical Care Leads at St. Mary's Hospital enjoy comprehensive benefits, including affordable medical, dental, and vision plans, life insurance, retirement savings contributions, paid time off, and educational assistance. These benefits reflect our dedication to rewarding hard work and ensuring the well-being of our staff.

When responding to this question, convey your commitment to patient-centered care, emphasizing how you assess needs, coordinate with multidisciplinary teams, and advocate for both patient and staff needs. Highlight specific examples of your experience managing complex cases.

Talk about your conflict resolution skills by providing an example. Explain how you approach communication, facilitate discussions, and aim for collaborative solutions when addressing team conflicts in a high-pressure environment.

Discuss your mentoring philosophy and strategies, such as providing hands-on training, regular feedback, creating a supportive atmosphere, and ensuring that new nurses have access to necessary resources for their professional development.

Explain your approach to prioritization, including your methods for assessing urgency and importance, delegating tasks appropriately, and maintaining clear communication with your team to ensure efficient patient care delivery.

Highlight your commitment to evidence-based practice by mentioning how you incorporate current research into patient care plans, regularly update your knowledge, and encourage team discussions on best practices to optimize patient outcomes.

Share a specific situation that was challenging, detail your thought process, the decision-making steps you took, and the outcome. Emphasize how this experience taught you valuable lessons regarding leadership and patient care.

Discuss your commitment to lifelong learning by mentioning your participation in training programs, workshops, or conferences. Address how you encourage your team members to pursue their own learning opportunities and maintain a culture of growth.

Express your understanding of the multifaceted role of a Clinical Care Lead (RN) and cite qualities such as strong leadership, effective communication, empathy, and the ability to inspire a team to provide excellent patient care.

Share the methods you use to stay informed, such as reading journals, attending conferences, joining professional organizations, and networking with peers. Stress the importance of staying current to provide the best patient care.

Provide a specific example where you initiated a change for the better. Discuss your planning, how you communicated the change to the team, and the overall impact on patient care and team dynamics.