When you become a member of the Cardiac Service Line at Wellstar Kennestone Regional Medical Center, you will join an award-winning team at one of the top 100 hospitals. Our Cardiac Program has earned the elite Comprehensive Cardiac Center Certification from the Joint Commission by providing continuously reliable care to high-risk cardiac patients. Wellstar Kennestone offers the most advanced care available for all surgical, medical, rehabilitative, and emergency care needs. In addition to a highly qualified team of physicians, nurses, and clinical staff, we offer the very latest in technology and diagnostic imaging capabilities. Kennestone is currently a 633 bed Trauma Center soon to grow as we will open a new patient bed tower in 2026. Come grow with us!

Departments: (Details below)

-G5W, B7E, B7W, B6W, CCU, CVICU, ED Monitor Centers

Shift: Four 10 hour shifts (9p-7a)

G5W

Green 5 West Heart Failure/Cardiac Telemetry Unit is a 29 bed Joint Commission certified Heart Failure specialized care unit. The primary focus of the unit is on the care of Heart Failure cardiac patients who require continuous cardiac monitoring pre and post electrophysiology procedures and patients with newly diagnosed or chronic congestive heart failure. Common admitting diagnoses include pre and post cardiac catheterizations that require no interventions, congestive heart failure patients, pre and post pacemaker/AICD implantation with suspected or significant potential rhythm disturbances and acute coronary syndrome.

Nursing activities include monitoring, rhythm interpretation, fluid and electrolyte monitoring, inotropic therapy, respiratory status, pre/post procedure care, medical management, rehabilitation initiation, and comfort/palliative care measures as indicated. Patient and family education and emotional support related to the patient’s condition and treatment is an essential element in the care the team provides.

B7E

Blue 7 East is a 23 bed Interventional Cardiology / Electrophysiology Progressive Care Unit that offers a full spectrum of cardiac care.  The primary focus of the unit is the monitoring and treatment of adult patients during the intermediate and acute care phases of cardiac care management.

The cardiovascular patient population on the Progressive Care Unit includes status post PCI, high risk PCI, staged PCI, pacemaker/AICD placement, Ablation procedure, TAVR procedure, heart failure exacerbation symptoms, and cardiac arrhythmias. Nursing activities include monitoring, rhythm interpretation, fluid and electrolyte monitoring, inotropic therapy, respiratory status, pre/post procedure care, medical management, rehabilitation initiation, and comfort/palliative care measures as indicated.

B6W

Blue 6 West functions as a specialized medical unit with 24 beds dedicated to Thoracic Surgery and Cardiac Telemetry. This unit caters to a diverse range of patients, including those undergoing thoracic surgery, individuals with complex medical conditions, and those dealing with cardiac issues and related comorbidities. Among the common admission diagnoses are cases involving lung cancer nodules, pneumothorax, pleural effusion, emphysema, esophageal diverticulum, mediastinal tumors, rib fractures, and patients recovering from VAT (Video-Assisted Thoracoscopic Surgery) procedures. Furthermore, Blue 6 West is equipped to provide care to interventional cardiology patients, such as those recovering from cardiac catheterization, cardiac ablation, pacemaker placement, and patients transferred from the Electrophysiology (EP) lab. 

The nursing staff on this unit possesses expertise in heart rhythm assessment and receives comprehensive training in heart failure management. Our dedicated team of healthcare professionals vigilantly monitors critical vital signs and promptly addresses any deviations from the baseline or expected outcomes. In essence, Blue 6 West offers continuous observation and care for patients whose conditions don't warrant placement in Intensive Care Units but still demand constant surveillance and monitoring.

B7W

The mission of Blue 7 West is a commitment to high quality nursing care that facilitates an expedient return to wellness. The primary function of the department is to provide a comprehensive cardiovascular environment. The unit consists of 24 beds with a primary focus on the care of cardiac patients who require continuous cardiac monitoring pre and post cardiac surgery, vascular surgery, and destination unit LVADs. Common admitting diagnoses include coronary artery disease, valvular heart disease, pre/post open heart surgery, atrial fibrillation-convergent procedure, LVAD/advanced heart failure, transcatheter aortic valve replacement, and vascular surgery. Telemetry monitoring is provided with the capability to identify and trend rhythm disturbances.

CVICU

The Cardiovascular Intensive Care Unit is a comprehensive cardiothoracic environment. The unit consists of 16 cardiac surgery intensive care beds with a primary focus on the care of the cardiac patient pre and post cardiac surgery. The services most frequently provided include, but are not limited to cardiac surgery recovery, vascular surgery recovery, thoracic surgery recovery, cardiac monitoring, hemodynamic monitoring, intravenous medication management, intra-aortic balloon pump management, continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT), Ventricular Assist Device (VAD) management, targeted temperature management, Impella management, ECMO, Destination VAD therapy, and ventilator management.

CCU

The Coronary Care Unit is an 18-bed cardiac intensive care unit with a primary focus on the comprehensive, multidisciplinary care for critically or seriously ill cardiac patients (examples include, but are not limited to myocardial infarction, heart failure, cardiac arrest, cardiogenic shock, cardiomyopathy, pulmonary edema, pulmonary embolism, pulmonary hypertension, valvular heart disease with severe rhythm disturbances, and vascular surgery). The surgical, neurological, and medical intensive patients are admitted on an overflow basis. Care of the patient may include, but are not limited to invasive hemodynamic monitoring, mechanical ventilation, intravenous administration of vasoactive medications, intra-aortic balloon pump therapy, percutaneous left and right ventricular assist device (Impella), continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT), post cardiac arrest targeted temperature management, intravenous prostacyclin therapy for pulmonary arterial hypertension, and left ventricular assist device (LVAD). 

Job Summary:

The assistant nurse manager is a registered professional nurse who provides support and works in conjunction with the nurse manager of a specific unit(s) or service. He/she is viewed as aspiring to be a nurse manager and through this role to learn additional knowledge and skills through experience and mentoring by the nurse manager and the hospital/system. The assistant nurse manager must possess very good skills in communication and teamwork and serve as a mentor for others while learning the responsibilities of his/her role. Together with the nurse manager, the assistant nurse manager uses his/her knowledge and skills to promote the creation of a center of excellence for staff recruitment and retention and clinical and business outcomes. The assistant nurse manager upholds the nurse manager's direction and actively leads staff in the performance of their daily activities and participates in their performance reviews, as well as coaching and counseling as appropriate.

In collaboration with the nurse manager, holds staff accountable for the delivery of care and services through effective communication, observation, and the management and measurement of specific interventions/practices and their associated outcomes. This key leader plays a significant role in assisting the nurse manager in achieving clinical and financial goals along with management of human/material resources as delegated. He/she also plays a pivotal role in staff recruitment, mentoring and retention. He/She models the way to foster teamwork and collaboration with physicians, staff, patients and other departments. Role specific competencies, responsibilities, roles and functions are based on Professional Practice
Model, 5 Star Nursing.
It is expected that all RN Assistant Nurse Managers are licensed, knowledgeable and uphold the practice of nursing as outlined by the Georgia Professional Nurse Practice Act and implements the Scope of Practice and Code of Ethics Standards put forth by the American Nurses Association. As a member of the patient services team, it is expected the individual upholds the voice of the patient, system policies and procedures while supporting service excellence goals..

Core Responsibilities and Essential Functions:

Resources and Support

- Engages staff in decision making via shared governance processes and partners with others to promote patient centered care and service excellence. Supports the nurse manager as his/her designee and provides evolving leadership and management skills for a specific business/clinical unit(s)
- Represents the organization positively to the community, building credibility and is a member of one’s professional organization
- Serves to support the charge nurse and other nurse leaders on the unit to promote the effective running of the care delivery system and ensures that the clinical processes of care are working as intended – serves as a resource for all staff and accepts additional responsibilities in the nurse manager’s absence.
- Assists with budget development and supports monitoring and meeting fiscal outcomes for the work unit. Self-directed in learning how to apply lean and other quality skills to reduce waste and improve performance of operations and clinical systems of care. Interdisciplinary Teamwork and Collaboration

- Effectively communicates to diverse workforce and enjoys mentoring others while learning the necessary skills for progressive responsibilities in nursing management. Works in collaboration with the nurse manager to hold all staff at point of care accountable for performance standards
- Creates opportunities for self and staff to grow and implements a healthy, safe, desirable work place that ensure for the retention and recruitment of qualified staff now and in the future. Exemplary Practice and Outcomes

- Promote staff competency in clinical care delivery
- Holds self and staff to the highest professional and ethical standards, ensuring corporate compliance standards, clinical competency, etc. are met. Is an active member of one’s professional community and serves as a role model for professional nursing practice and nursing leadership
- Successfully works with nurse managers to employ change management strategies and instills in self and others the curiosity to explore new knowledge and ideas Professional Development

- Represents the organization positively to the community, building credibility and as a member of one’s professional organization.
- Seeks opportunities to advance knowledge and skills through formal and informal educational offerings to enhance understanding of how health care is financed and how to manage a diverse nursing workforce Evidence Based Practice and Research

- Promotes Evidence based practice, nursing research and performance improvement in nursing. Participates in activities such as value analysis as part of the decision making process in evaluating patient care products.
- Effectively identifies areas of performance improvement of staff and clinical systems. Supports nurse leader projects to improve the same - includes assuring service meets or exceed licensure, regulatory and accreditation standards
- Advances managerial skills to effectively use data and evidence to support decision making for clinical and operational responsibilities and demonstrates awareness of legal and ethical issues related to patient and staff data, information and confidentiality

Job Titles Reporting to this Job: RNs

Trust/Engagement:

Builds a culture of trust and engagement as reflected in the Great Place to Work Trust Index Survey at a direct report, workgroup and hospital/entity level.
Holds leaders accountable for behaviors that create trust and engagement.
Performs all duties and responsibilities of this position in a manner that reflects the values of WellStar.
Maintains and strengthens relationships with physicians and assures their involvement in developing systems to assure the growth of the service and the cost effective delivery of quality patient care in a manner that fosters patient and employee satisfaction.

Results Oriented Leadership:

Sets challenging and productive goals for team.
Holds team accountable for actions while providing leadership and motivation.
Provides resources and support,
Uses checkpoints and data to track progress, setting up system and processes to measure results.

Required Minimum Education:

Bachelor's Degree Baccalaureate degree in nursing (BSN) from accredited nursing school Required and
Master's Degree in Nursing Preferred and
If bachelor degree is not in nursing, MSN must be from accredited nursing school. Required

Required Minimum License(s) and Certification(s):

Reg Nurse (Single State) or RN - Multi-state Compact
Basic Life Support or BLS - Instructor or BLS - Provisional

Additional Licenses and Certifications:

National certification in nursing administration Upon Hire Preferred

Required Minimum Experience:

Minimum 3 years of clinical experience Required

Required Minimum Skills:

Should possess excellent verbal and written communication skills and relationship building;
desires to see progressive nursing management roles and enjoys/seeks opportunities to coach and mentor others.
Seeks to learn and demonstrate progressive skills in the business of managing a patient care unit or service by obtaining the commitment and productivity of nursing staff.
Must be a continuous learner who seeks to better understands health care financing;
strategy and operations for running a business unit(s); and effectively employ data and technology to support work processes and make decisions. Supports shared governance or shared decision making;
manage the design and delivery of care that in based on evidence and focused on quality and safety.
Demonstrates interest and aptitude to achieve knowledge of risk management and various accreditation/regulations/licensing requirements.