Cejka Search Seeks Chief Nursing Officer for Merrick Medical Center
October 19, 2021 – As the healthcare sector continues to expand and reshape itself, vanguard organizations in the field are looking to bolster their leadership ranks. In demand: multi-skilled executives, physician leaders and nurses who can effect change on many levels. Of the four major C-suite roles in the typical hospital, the chief nursing officer has traditionally been the most difficult to secure, according to recruiters. Bryan Health recently retained Cejka Search to help recruit a chief nursing officer for Merrick Medical Center in Central City, NE. Executive vice president and Rebecca Kapphahn is leading the assignment.
The chief nursing officer will provide overall management of clinical, regulatory, administrative, and financial direction of nursing and support services, working closely with the medical staff and ancillary departments to continue to provide the highest quality patient care, said the search firm. They will develop, implement, and promote strategies to advance evidence-based clinical standards, quality, service, and operational performance while fostering a professional, collaborative and high-performing work environment. As part of the senior leadership team, the chief nursing officer will play an instrumental role in the building project for a new medical center of which the design phase is in full swing, according to Cejka.
Successful candidates will demonstrate progressive nurse leadership responsibilities, preferably in a rural health system. Graduation from an accredited professional baccalaureate-nursing program is required; a master’s degree is preferred. The ability to obtain an unrestricted nurse license in Nebraska is also required.
Bryan Health – Merrick Medical Center, a critical access hospital, provides comprehensive medical, emergency, and ambulatory services to the surrounding community. Bryan Health is a Nebraska governed, non-profit health system that serves patients throughout Nebraska, Kansas, Iowa, South Dakota, and Missouri. With a network of doctors, hospitals and medical providers and a workforce of over 5,000 caregivers, Bryan Health’s local and statewide networks provide quality of care and advanced, effective treatments for those they serve throughout the region.
Healthcare Recruiters
Cejka Search, based in St. Louis, has provided recruiting services exclusively to the healthcare industry for more than 35 years. Its client roster includes Georgetown University Hospital, Northwestern Memorial, Levine Cancer Institute, St. John Providence Health System, Tenet, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, Centene Corp., Cape Fear Valley Health and Banner Good Samaritan Medical Center.
How “Systemness” Has Impacted the Search Process
In this brand new episode of ‘Talent Talks,’ Hunt Scanlon Media host, Rob Adams, is joined by Rebecca Kapphahn, executive vice president and managing principal at Cejka Search. In this episode, Ms. Kapphahn joins the show share how healthcare organizations have been impacted by the global pandemic. Ms. Kapphahn then shares what “systemness” is and how it is affected the recruitment and search processes. Listen Now!
The firm has conducted searches for an array of roles, including chief medical information officer, chief compliance officer, chief of oncology, chief medical officer, chief of pediatrics, chief of neurology, chief nursing officer, CEO, CFO, COO, department chair, chief clinical officer, medical director, and chief strategy officer.
With more than 18 years dedicated to healthcare recruitment, Ms. Kapphahn, vice president and search consultant at Cejka Search, assists clients regularly in assessing their organization’s immediate and future needs. Working directly with clients throughout each engagement, Ms. Kapphahn provides not only a personalized search process but also strategic counsel, creating actionable plans to best position the organization and the role in the marketplace. Prior to joining Cejka Search in 2006, Ms. Kapphahn had already built a strong track record in healthcare recruitment operations.
Earlier this year, Cejka Search placed Good Samaritan Regional Medical Center chief operating officer Kym Clift as CEO of the Tri-State Memorial Hospital & Medical Campus in Clarkston, WA. “After an extensive search, the board is fortunate to have found someone as outstanding as Kym to lead Tri-State Memorial Hospital,” said Steve Claassen, Tri-State Memorial Hospital board chair. “Kym has the vision and leadership qualities that will allow Tri-State to continue thriving. She has also demonstrated a commitment in her many years of experience to ensuring that care is patient-centered, which is certainly at the core of everything Tri-State does.”
Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief; Dale M. Zupsansky, Managing Editor; and Stephen Sawicki, Managing Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media
