Assistant Head Nurse

Join the surgical leadership team in Innisfail, where you’ll have the opportunity to make a meaningful impact in a close-knit community while advancing excellence in perioperative care. As the Assistant Head Nurse for the Operating Room/Day Surgery Program, you will play a key leadership role in supporting clinical operations, mentoring staff, and ensuring safe, high-quality patient care across the surgical continuum. Working in collaboration with the Unit Manager and interdisciplinary surgical team, you will help lead day-to-day operations of the OR and Day Surgery program, including staffing coordination, workflow optimization, quality improvement initiatives, and accreditation readiness. This position offers the chance to combine strong clinical expertise with leadership development in a supportive rural healthcare environment. You will contribute to a patient-centered surgical program committed to safety, efficiency, and continuous improvement. You will be empowered to support evidence-based practice, foster team engagement, and enhance the surgical experience for patients and families within the community. This is an excellent opportunity for a perioperative nurse leader who is passionate about mentorship, operational excellence, and delivering high-quality surgical care in a collaborative and community-focused setting.

As an Assistant Head Nurse, you will be responsible for staff assignments, patient flow and acting as a role model, clinical resource and advocate for nursing staff. In addition to providing frontline nursing care, as required, you will take a leadership role in the promotion of quality patient care and the implementation of operational priorities. Your in-depth knowledge and skills, advanced judgment and clinical experience, will assist in providing solutions for complex health care issues at all levels with patients, interprofessional teams, administrators and policy makers. You will play a key role in providing safe, quality patient and family centered care while reflecting the shared vision and values of AHS.

Completion of an accredited nursing education program. Active or eligible for registration and practice permit with the College of Registered Nurses of Alberta (CRNA). Current Basic Cardiac Life Support - Health Care Provider (BCLS-HCP).

Perioperative Nursing Program. ACLS (Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support).

5+ years perioperative nursing experience. Charge nurse or leadership experience. Experience in: Pre-op, intra-op, and PACU workflows. Staff scheduling and patient throughput. Quality improvement & patient safety initiatives. Experience supporting Accreditation Canada standards and survey readiness.