Assistant Nurse Manager – Surgical Intensive Care Unit (SICU)

Location: Howard University Hospital – Washington, DC
Department: Nursing – Surgical ICU

Role Summary

The Assistant Nurse Manager (ANM) – Surgical Intensive Care Unit (SICU) is a dedicated Night Shift Leadership role supporting clinical and operational oversight within a high-acuity critical care environment. This role partners with the Nurse Manager to ensure the safe and effective delivery of patient-centered care for critically ill surgical patients requiring advanced monitoring and intervention.

As the primary nursing leadership presence during night operations, the ANM supports complex post-operative and critically ill patient care, interdisciplinary collaboration, and adherence to evidence-based critical care standards. This role ensures staffing optimization, regulatory compliance, and operational stability within the Surgical ICU.

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 Surgical ICU operations.
• Align staffing and assignments to patient acuity, surgical volume, and critical care demands.
• Supervise, coach, and mentor nursing staff; assist with performance evaluations and improvement plans.
• Support recruitment, interviewing, and onboarding of critical care nursing staff.
• Ensure compliance with regulatory standards and critical care practice guidelines.
• Promote evidence-based critical care nursing practice.
• Support quality initiatives related to sepsis management, infection prevention, ventilator-associated events, central line safety, and patient outcomes.
• Collaborate with intensivists, surgeons, anesthesia providers, respiratory therapy, pharmacy, and ancillary teams.
• Address operational or clinical issues that may impact the safe delivery of critical care in real time.
• Report and escalate significant events, near misses, adverse events, and patient/family concerns 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 Critical Care, Surgical ICU, or related high-acuity specialty preferred.
• Experience managing ventilators, invasive hemodynamic monitoring, vasoactive infusions, and post-operative surgical patients strongly preferred.
• Minimum one (1) year supervisory or leadership experience required.
• Current BLS certification required.
• Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) certification required.
• National specialty certification (e.g., CCRN or equivalent critical care certification) within one (1) year of hire.
• Strong knowledge of critical care protocols, rapid response systems, 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 advanced surgical and critical care services. The Surgical Intensive Care Unit delivers high-acuity care to post-operative and critically ill patients requiring complex monitoring and life-sustaining interventions.

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.