Chief Nursing Officer (CNO) New 80Bed Acute Care Hospital

Chief Nursing Officer (CNO)
– New 80‑Bed Acute Care Hospital  
East Houston Medical Center – East Houston, Texas

East Houston Medical Center
is seeking an accomplished and visionary Chief Nursing Officer (CNO) to lead
the nursing enterprise for our newly constructed 80‑bed acute care facility in
East Houston. This pre‑opening executive role offers a unique opportunity to be
deeply involved in facility planning, clinical design, and activation, shaping
the hospital’s nursing culture and care model from day one.

About the new facility

Our new 80‑bed acute care
hospital is currently in development to serve the East Houston, Channelview,
and Baytown communities with safe, compassionate, and evidence‑based care. The
CNO will join the organization in advance of opening to help ensure that
clinical operations, nursing workflows, and patient care environments are
designed for quality, safety, and efficiency.

Role summary

The Chief Nursing Officer
will serve as the senior nursing executive and a core member of the pre‑opening
leadership team. This leader will guide nursing strategy, participate in
facility and workflow design, and lead the transition from construction to go‑live
operations, ultimately overseeing all nursing and patient care services once
the hospital opens.

Pre‑opening planning and
design responsibilities

• Collaborate with executive leadership,
  architects, constructors, and clinical leaders to ensure nursing input is
  integrated into unit layout, patient room design, nurse workstations, and
  support spaces.
  
• Lead the development of the nursing care delivery
  model, including staffing plans, scope of services, and patient flow for
  all inpatient and procedural areas prior to opening.
  
• Establish clinical policies, procedures, and
  standards of nursing practice that will govern care on day one and support
  regulatory readiness.
  
• Participate in equipment planning and selection
  for nursing and patient care areas, ensuring alignment with evidence‑based
  practice, safety, and efficiency.
  
• Drive pre‑opening project plans for nursing,
  including hiring timelines, orientation pathways, competency programs, and
  go‑live readiness activities (mock surveys, simulations, and drills).
  
• Serve as a visible and trusted liaison
  between front‑line nursing perspectives and the design/construction team,
  advocating for practical, patient‑centered solutions.
  

Ongoing CNO responsibilities
(post‑opening)

• Provide strategic and operational leadership for
  all nursing and patient care services, aligning nursing practice with the
  hospital’s mission, vision, and goals.
  
• Ensure high standards of clinical quality,
  patient safety, and patient experience through evidence‑based practice,
  performance improvement, and a strong culture of safety.
  
• Oversee nursing workforce planning, including
  recruitment, retention, scheduling, and productivity management for the 80‑bed
  acute care environment.
  
• Partner closely with the CEO, CMO, COO, and
  medical staff to integrate nursing perspectives into strategy, service
  line development, and operational decision‑making.
  
• Maintain compliance with all applicable
  regulatory and accreditation standards and lead nursing’s participation in
  surveys and continuous readiness activities.
  

Qualifications

• Current, unrestricted Registered Nurse (RN)
  license (or eligibility) in the State of Texas.
  
• Master’s degree in Nursing or a related field
  required; doctoral preparation in nursing or a healthcare‑related
  discipline preferred.
  
• Significant leadership experience in acute care
  nursing, including senior‑level responsibility (e.g., Director of Nursing,
  Associate CNO or CNO), ideally with experience in new hospital openings,
  expansions, or major redesign projects.
  
• Demonstrated success in quality improvement,
  patient safety, regulatory compliance, and nursing operations.
  
• Proven ability to collaborate effectively with
  interdisciplinary teams, architects, and operations leaders during
  facility design and activation.
  

Requirements

Qualifications

• Current, unrestricted Registered Nurse (RN)
  license (or eligibility) in the State of Texas.
  
• Master’s degree in Nursing or a related field
  required; doctoral preparation in nursing or a healthcare‑related
  discipline preferred.
  
• Significant leadership experience in acute care
  nursing, including senior‑level responsibility (e.g., Director of Nursing,
  Associate CNO or CNO), ideally with experience in new hospital openings,
  expansions, or major redesign projects.
  
• Demonstrated success in quality improvement,
  patient safety, regulatory compliance, and nursing operations.
  
• Proven ability to collaborate effectively with
  interdisciplinary teams, architects, and operations leaders during
  facility design and activation.
  

• Strategic, forward‑thinking nurse executive who
  brings both operational discipline and creativity to a greenfield hospital
  project.
  
• Exceptional communicator and relationship‑builder,
  able to align diverse stakeholders around a shared vision for nursing and
  patient care.
  
• Committed to cultivating a high‑engagement,
  professional practice environment where nurses can thrive and deliver
  outstanding care.