Interim Nursing Director – Hospice & Home Health

The Interim Nursing Director – Hospice & Home Health is a senior clinical leadership role responsible for stabilizing, rebuilding, and advancing hospice and home health services during a critical transition period. This role provides hands-on clinical oversight, operational leadership, and team support, with an initial focus on reestablishing hospice services and ensuring safe, compliant, and high-quality patient care across both service lines. The interim engagement is anticipated to run approximately six months, beginning in late January.

This position reports to executive leadership and partners closely with clinical supervisors, medical staff, and administrative leaders to restore confidence, support an experienced nursing team, and lay the foundation for sustainable growth.

Key Responsibilities Hospice Program Stabilization & Development Lead the clinical reactivation and gradual growth of the hospice program, initially managing a small census (five or fewer patients) and scaling services responsibly over time. Ensure full compliance with hospice Conditions of Participation, state regulations, accreditation standards, and best clinical practices. Provide direct clinical leadership in the absence of a dedicated hospice clinical operations director, particularly for clinical workflows, care delivery models, and interdisciplinary team processes.

Home Health (VNS) Clinical Oversight Provide interim nursing leadership oversight for home health services in collaboration with existing clinical supervisors. Ensure consistent clinical standards, documentation practices, quality outcomes, and regulatory compliance across both hospice and home health. Support shared staffing resources (approximately 15–18 FTEs) across service lines, ensuring appropriate utilization, competency, and coverage.

Team Leadership & Support Stabilize and support an experienced nursing and clinical team following program disruption or suspension. Serve as a visible, trusted leader to reinforce accountability, morale, and patient-centered care. Coach and mentor clinical supervisors and frontline staff, fostering collaboration and clear communication.

Quality, Compliance & Risk Management Oversee clinical quality indicators, incident management, infection prevention, and performance improvement initiatives. Ensure readiness for surveys, audits, and internal reviews. Address immediate clinical risks and implement corrective actions where needed.

Strategic Assessment & Future-State Planning Once services are stabilized, assess the long-term leadership and organizational structure needed to support hospice and home health growth. Provide recommendations regarding future roles, reporting structures, staffing models, and clinical leadership needs. Advise executive leadership on additional resources or program enhancements required to sustainably expand hospice services.

Qualifications & Experience Active, unrestricted Registered Nurse license in the state of California (required). Significant leadership experience in hospice nursing, with a deep understanding of hospice regulations, interdisciplinary care models, and end-of-life best practices. Demonstrated experience starting, rebuilding, or scaling hospice programs. Strong working knowledge of home health (visiting nurse) operations and clinical oversight. Proven ability to lead through change, stabilize teams, and restore program credibility. Experience overseeing shared staffing models and collaborating with clinical supervisors. Excellent clinical judgment, communication skills, and executive presence.

Engagement Focus (First 6 Months) Stabilize hospice and home health clinical operations. Relaunch hospice services safely and compliantly at a manageable census. Support and align the nursing team and clinical supervisors. Establish reliable clinical processes and quality controls. Deliver clear recommendations for permanent leadership structure and future growth.