Jobs › Children's Wisconsin

Director Patient Care II

Children's Wisconsin · Milwaukee, WI · Full time

Posted Sep 29, 2026 · We last checked this listing on Oct 6, 2026

Apply at Children's Wisconsin

Likely interview questions for this role

Written from this job description, not a generic list. Each one notes what the interviewer is really checking.

About your past

How do you set a vision for a patient care unit and get staff to buy into it?

What they are checking: Whether they can lead through direction and engagement rather than just managing daily operations.

Tell me about how you managed a unit budget, including a time you had to cut costs.

What they are checking: Whether they can handle the fiscal side of the role without hurting safety or staff morale.

Tell me about a time you had to hold a strong performer accountable for unsafe practice.

What they are checking: Whether they apply standards consistently even when the person is popular or valuable.

Describe how you developed a charge nurse or manager into a stronger leader.

What they are checking: Whether they invest in growing leaders below them, which shapes the unit long after they leave.

How do you communicate unit performance and needs to the Executive Director and senior leaders?

What they are checking: Whether they report honestly and clearly, including bad news, so leaders can make good decisions.

What would you do

How do you partner with a medical director when you see an operational problem differently?

What they are checking: Whether they can work as a true partner with physician leaders and settle disagreements productively.

Your unit's patient experience scores dropped for two quarters. How would you figure out why and respond?

What they are checking: Whether they dig into data and frontline input before choosing fixes, and then follow up to see if they worked.

How do you keep families at the center of care when the unit is under operational pressure?

What they are checking: Whether family-centered care holds up for them on hard days, not just as a slogan.

A new service line is being added to your area. How do you plan and coordinate the change?

What they are checking: Whether they can plan operations, staffing and training across departments for a major change.

About the work

How do you handle staffing shortages while keeping safe nurse-to-patient ratios on a pediatric unit?

What they are checking: Whether they have practical staffing strategies and know where safety lines cannot be crossed.

What quality and safety measures would you watch most closely on a pediatric unit, and why?

What they are checking: Whether they know the measures that reflect real harm to children and can explain how they drive improvement.

Practice this interview out loud.

Offer builds a real interview for this exact role at Children's Wisconsin from your resume and this job description, asks the questions one at a time, and tells you what landed. The first one is free.

Practice this out loud

The full job description

As published by Children's Wisconsin.

At Children’s Wisconsin, we believe kids deserve the best. Children’s Wisconsin is a nationally recognized health system dedicated solely to the health and well-being of children. We provide primary care, specialty care, urgent care, emergency care, community health services, foster and adoption services, child and family counseling, child advocacy services and family resource centers. Our reputation draws patients and families from around the country. We offer a wide variety of rewarding career opportunities and are seeking individuals dedicated to helping us achieve our vision of the healthiest kids in the country. If you want to work for an organization that makes a difference for children and families, and encourages you to be at your best every day, please apply today. Please follow this link for a closer look at what it’s like to work at Children’s Wisconsin: https://www.instagram.com/lifeatcw/ Job Summary Provides vision and direction for a patient care unit dedicated patient population or service line department. Is responsible for planning, implementing, communicating evaluating and coordinating patient care unit operations. Provides direction, in collaboration with other organizational leadership, for the areas of operations, service, clinical and fiscal within area(s) of responsibility. Works in partnership with the Executive Director, Medical Directors, Advanced Practice Nurses and other administrative and physician leaders, to ensure safe, high quality and seamless care is delivered throughout the patient experience. Is responsible for planning, implementing, communicating evaluating and coordinating patient care unit and other department operations. - Master's degree required. Consideration will be given to those actively working toward their Master's degree with an agreed upon graduation date not to exceed 3 years. - 7+ years clinical experience including 4 yrs of management level experience required. - Pediatric experience preferred. - Analytical and statistical skills necessary to develop and monitor unit operating and personnel budgets. - Demonstrates critical thinking and problem solving abilities in order to resolve complex clinical, systems and personnel problems and issues which affect the unit and inpatient departments. - Demonstrated skills in strategic planning and program development preferred. - Communication and interpersonal skills which frequently involve collaborating with organizational team members. - Must be able to assume 24 hour accountability for unit coverage. - Certification in health care or nursing leadership highly recommended. (ACHE-American College of Healthcare Executives, NEA-Nursing Executive-Advanced, CENP-Certified in Executive Nursing Practice, CNML-Certification for Nurse Managers & Leaders). - License RN-Registered Nurse (30) - State of Wisconsin required. - BLS-Basic Life Support Healthcare Provider - American Heart Association/American Red Cross/National Safety Council preferred. - Provides care appropriate to patient population and as described in applicable policies and procedures. Children's Wisconsin is an equal opportunity / affirmative action employer. We are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment for all employees. We treat everyone with dignity, respect, and fairness. We do not discriminate against any person on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, gender, gender identity and/or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other status or condition protected by the law. Certifications/Licenses: BLS-Basic Life Support Healthcare Provider - American Heart Association/American Red Cross/National Safety Council, License RN-Registered Nurse (30) - State of Wisconsin

Apply at Children's Wisconsin