Assistant Director of Patient Care, Cardio Thoracic ICU/CVICU

Job Title: Asst Director Patient Care

Location: Main Hospital - New Brunswick

Department Name: Cardio Thoracic ICU

Req #: 0000266916

Status: Salaried

Shift: Night

Pay Range: $125,000.00 - $162,600.00 per year

Pay Transparency:

The above reflects the anticipated annual salary range for this position if hired to work in New Jersey.

The compensation offered to the candidate selected for the position will depend on several factors, including the candidate's educational background, skills and professional experience.

At RWJBarnabas Health, nursing leaders become part of a purpose-driven environment where teamwork, belonging, and clinical excellence shape meaningful patient experiences. This Assistant Director of Patient Care role offers the opportunity to lead and develop nursing teams, advance quality and safety, and foster a professional practice environment where nurses are empowered to grow and succeed. As an Assistant Director of Patient Care within the Cardiovascular/Thoracic Intensive Care Unit at RWJ University Hospital New Brunswick, you will help advance patient care, support nursing excellence, and strengthen the experience of patients, families, and team members across our organization. Joining RWJBarnabas Health means joining a community where nursing leaders are encouraged to grow, innovate, and lead with purpose.

CVICU is a 24-bed unit that provides specialized care for critically ill patients requiring advanced cardiac, vascular, and thoracic management. The unit cares for patients before and after complex procedures including cardiac surgery, vascular surgery, and thoracic surgery, with a strong emphasis on comprehensive preoperative optimization and postoperative recovery. Care is also provided for patients undergoing heart transplantation as well as those requiring advanced therapies and mechanical circulatory support devices (i.e. IABP, Impella, HeartMate, ECMO), including temporary and durable assist devices. The multidisciplinary team delivers highly specialized monitoring, critical care interventions, and evidence-based treatment focused on achieving optimal patient outcomes throughout the continuum of care. 

As an Assistant Director of Patient Care (ADPC), a typical day may include:

• Providing visible clinical and operational leadership ensuring safe, high-quality, patient-centered care and consistent adherence to professional nursing standards
• Overseeing daily unit operations, including staffing, patient assignments, patient flow, admissions, transfers, discharges, and resource allocation based on patient acuity and operational needs
• Promoting patient safety and clinical excellence through oversight of nursing practice, early recognition of changes in patient condition, appropriate escalation of care, and adherence to established policies and clinical protocols
• Monitoring quality, safety, patient experience, and operational outcomes, identifying trends and leading performance improvement initiatives that support departmental and organizational goals
• Recruiting, developing, coaching, and supporting nursing team members while promoting accountability, engagement, retention, teamwork, and a positive professional practice environment
• Identifying staff learning and competency needs and supporting orientation, continuing education, specialty certification, shared governance, evidence-based practice, and professional development
• Collaborating with physicians, nursing leadership, and interdisciplinary teams to coordinate care, strengthen communication, optimize patient throughput, and ensure safe transitions across the continuum of care
• Championing an exceptional patient and family experience through compassionate communication, education, advocacy, responsiveness, and effective service recovery
• Ensuring compliance with hospital policies, clinical documentation standards, infection prevention practices, regulatory requirements, accreditation standards, and established standards of nursing practice
• Managing staffing, supplies, equipment, and other resources responsibly while supporting efficiency, productivity, nursing excellence, and the strategic priorities of the department and organization

This role might be for you if:

• Leading, coaching, and developing nursing teams is a meaningful part of how you define nursing leadership
• Clear, compassionate, and accountable communication shapes how you engage with staff, patients, families, physicians, and colleagues
• Strong clinical judgment guides your leadership decisions, even when patient needs and operational priorities change quickly
• Creating a culture of safety, teamwork, belonging, and shared accountability is important to you
• Quality improvement and evidence-based practice influence how you approach patient care and unit performance
• Supporting nurses in their professional growth and helping team members reach their full potential motivates you
• You are comfortable using clinical and operational data to identify opportunities, solve problems, and improve outcomes
• You thrive in a fast-paced acute care environment where collaboration and effective leadership directly influence the patient and team member experience
• You lead with empathy, professionalism, integrity, and a commitment to nursing excellence
• Continuous learning, innovation, and advancing the professional practice of nursing are important to you

To be considered for this Assistant Director of Patient Care opportunity:

You must hold an active New Jersey Registered Nurse license in good standing and have a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) from an accredited nursing program. A Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) is highly preferred. Candidates must have a minimum of 3-4 years of critical care nursing experience, with a strong foundation in acute care nursing and demonstrated ability to provide clinical leadership in a fast-paced patient care environment. Previous leadership experience and experience within a medical-surgical setting are highly valued. A current American Heart Association Basic Life Support (BLS) certification and Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS) certification are required and a CCRN is highly preferred. Comfort with electronic medical record systems such as Epic is preferred. This position offers a Full-Time Night Shift schedule, 40 hours per week, with on-call leadership coverage to support the operational and clinical needs of the department.

Benefits and Perks:

At RWJBarnabas Health, our market-competitive Total Rewards package provides comprehensive benefits and resources to support our employees’ physical, emotional, social, and financial health.

• Paid Time Off (PTO)
• Medical and Prescription Drug Insurance
• Dental and Vision Insurance
• Retirement Plans
• Short & Long Term Disability
• Life & Accidental Death Insurance
• Tuition Reimbursement
• Health Care/Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts
• Wellness Programs
• Voluntary Benefits (e.g., Pet Insurance)
• Discounts Through our Partners such as NJ Devils, NJ PAC, Verizon, and more!

Choosing RWJBarnabas Health!

RWJBarnabas Health is the premier health care destination providing patient-centered, high-quality academic medicine in a compassionate and equitable manner, while delivering a best-in-class work experience to every member of the team. We honor and appreciate the privilege of creating and sustaining healthier communities, one person and one community at a time. As the leading academic health system in New Jersey, we advance innovative strategies in high-quality patient care, education, and research to address both the clinical and social determinants of health.

RWJBarnabas Health aims to truly make a unique impact in local communities throughout New Jersey. From vastly improving the health of local residents to creating educational and career opportunities, this combination greatly benefits the state. We understand the growing and evolving needs of residents in New Jersey—whether that be enhancing the coordination for treating complex health conditions or improving community health through local programs and education.

Equal Opportunity Employer