Assistant Nurse Manager – Medical Surgical – General Surgery/Orthopedic Unit (5 North)

Location: Howard University Hospital – Washington, DC
Department: Nursing – 5 North (General Surgery/Orthopedic Unit)

Role Summary

The Assistant Nurse Manager (ANM) – Medical Surgical – General Surgery/Orthopedic Unit (5 North) is a dedicated Night Shift Leadership role supporting clinical and operational oversight within a high-volume surgical and orthopedic medical-surgical environment. This role partners with the Nurse Manager to ensure the safe and effective delivery of patient-centered care for post-operative surgical and orthopedic patients.

As the primary nursing leadership presence during night operations, the ANM supports complex post-surgical recovery, orthopedic care management, interdisciplinary coordination, and adherence to evidence-based medical-surgical practice standards. This role ensures staffing optimization, regulatory compliance, and operational stability within the unit.

In the absence of the Nurse Manager, the ANM serves in a leadership capacity to ensure continuity of care, staff accountability, and execution of safe and effective patient-centered care.

What You’ll Do

• Provide onsite night shift leadership and oversight for 5 North operations.
• Align staffing and assignments to patient acuity, surgical volume, and orthopedic recovery demands.
• Supervise, coach, and mentor nursing staff; assist with performance evaluations and improvement plans.
• Support recruitment, interviewing, and onboarding of medical-surgical nursing staff.
• Ensure compliance with regulatory standards and professional practice guidelines.
• Promote evidence-based post-operative and orthopedic nursing practice.
• Support quality initiatives related to fall prevention, surgical site infection prevention, pain management, mobility protocols, and patient throughput.
• Collaborate with surgeons, orthopedic specialists, hospitalists, case management, physical therapy, pharmacy, and ancillary teams to coordinate safe discharge planning and rehabilitation planning.
• Address operational or clinical issues that may impact safe patient care in real time.
• Report and escalate significant events such as near misses, adverse events, patient/family complaints, and any situation affecting safe delivery of care in a timely manner.

Required Qualifications

• Baccalaureate Degree in Nursing preferred; must obtain BSN within three (3) years of assuming ANM position if not already obtained.
• Current, active Registered Nurse (RN) license in the District of Columbia.
• Minimum two (2) years clinical experience in Medical-Surgical, Surgical, Orthopedic, or related specialty preferred.
• Experience with post-operative recovery, pain management, orthopedic mobility protocols, and discharge coordination strongly preferred.
• Minimum one (1) year supervisory or leadership experience required.
• Current BLS certification required.
• Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) certification preferred.
• National specialty certification (e.g., CMSRN or orthopedic/surgical-related certification) within one (1) year of hire.
• Strong knowledge of patient throughput management, interdisciplinary coordination, and patient safety standards.
• Demonstrated leadership, emotional intelligence, and conflict resolution skills.

About Howard University Hospital

With over 150 years of caring for our community in Washington, DC, Howard University Hospital is a nationally recognized academic medical center providing comprehensive surgical and orthopedic services. The 5 North General Surgery/Orthopedic Unit delivers high-quality care to patients recovering from surgical procedures and orthopedic interventions, ensuring safe transitions from acute care to rehabilitation and home.

As the nation’s only teaching hospital located on the campus of a Historically Black University, we are committed to clinical excellence, health equity, and training the next generation of healthcare leaders.

What We Offer

• Competitive compensation
• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage
• Retirement savings plan
• Paid time off and holiday pay
• Tuition reimbursement and professional development support
• Supportive leadership culture rooted in Just Culture principles

Pay + Schedule

Pay Range: $84,680 – $135,488 annually
FLSA Status: Exempt
Schedule: Night Shift – 7:00 PM to 5:30 AM; 10-hour shifts, Monday through Friday. One weekend per month required.

Compliance Statements

Howard University Hospital promotes a Just Culture environment focused on accountability, learning, and patient safety. This culture supports the identification of human error, at-risk behavior, and reckless behavior, with the goal of maintaining safe systems and well-managed behavioral choices.

As a nursing leader, this role is expected to model and uphold Just Culture principles while ensuring adherence to professional standards, regulatory requirements, and organizational policies.

Howard University Hospital is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, veteran status, or any other protected characteristic under applicable law.

All employment offers are contingent upon successful completion of pre-employment screening, background investigation, and verification of credentials.