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Lifepoint Health
Los Alamos, New Mexico

Chief Nursing Officer (CNO)

Registered NurseFull-Time

Compensation

Pay not listed

The week · per this posting · weekdays assumed

Ask the employer about the pay range, call expectations, weekend coverage and time off.

Posted 1mo ago

Job Description

Lifepoint Health has an opening for a Chief Nursing Officer. The CNO will have oversight of Los Alamos Medical Center located in Los Alamos, New Mexico.

Los Alamos Medical Center is the only hospital in Los Alamos County and is a major healthcare provider for Northern New Mexico.

Our 47-bed acute care facility has been providing quality and compassionate emergency care, surgical care, inpatient and outpatient services to the communities of Northern New Mexico for over 70 years.

Our highly trained Medical Staff and over 300 healthcare employees deliver a level of medical technology and technique that is not commonly found in "small community hospitals".

losalamosmedicalcenter.com

The Chief Nursing Officer has ultimate administrative responsibility for nursing standards and practice over facility, regardless of the practice area or reporting relationship of the nurse. Directs nursing activities within context

Of Hospital Policies and Procedures

  • Ensures continuous and timely nursing services to patients
  • Ensures nursing standards, practices, policies, and procedures, in accordance with all applicable laws, regulatory and accreditation requirements are consistent with current research findings and national professional standards.
  • Directs nursing service Performance Improvement activities
  • Actively participates in hospital leadership functions
  • Collaborates with hospital leaders to design and provide patient care and services, including availability of sufficient, qualified nursing staff.
  • Develops, presents and manages budget for nursing services.

General Responsibilities

  • Develops and implements overall nursing plan consistent with hospital policies and objectives, to provide continuous nursing care and services.
  • Develops, implements, and interprets nursing and patient care policies, objectives and standards for measurement and maintenance of quality nursing care.
  • Develops, implements, and administers nursing services budget and expense control system.
  • Prepares master nursing services staffing plan.
  • Organizes, directs, and supervises daily nursing service to assure adequate hospital coverage and quality care.
  • Recruits, interviews, evaluates, and hires qualified personnel to meet patient’s needs.
  • Participates in the development, implementation and maintenance of the hospital quality assurance and improvement program through evaluation of services rendered, quality improvement, audit of medical records, patient visits and counsel with hospital staff.
  • Maintains communications with medical and administrative staff through participation in regularly scheduled staff meeting and involvement on hospital medical services committees.
  • Evaluates long and short-range equipment and supply requirements for nursing care by forecasting service levels and quantity of materials on hand.
  • Directs, plans, and implements orientation and educational programs to promote staff training and development.
  • Recommends and participates in development of new patient care programs for expansion of nursing care services.
  • Represents hospital in health care programs and professional organizations of associates to serve in a public relations capacity and to stimulate professional growth.

Education

  • Licensed Registered Nurse with knowledge of nursing principles, theories and practice standards with verbal interpersonal and quantitative skills acquired through completion of at least a Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing.
  • Master’s Degree Required (MSN or MHA)

License Requirement

Must hold a valid, active nursing license in the state where the facility is located. A single-state or multi-state license is acceptable, provided it meets state requirements for practice.

Experience

  • Minimum of 3-5 years of CNO experience in an investor-owned healthcare organization.
  • Prior experience in Joint Commission preparation and survey process.

Benefits

At LifePoint, our Mission of Making Communities Healthier extends to our employees. We offer an excellent total compensation package, including a competitive salary and benefits. Some of our benefits include 401k, flexible PTO, generous EIB, medical, dental, vision, tuition reimbursement, and an Employee Assistance Program. We believe that happy, healthy people have a passionate engagement with life and work and have designed our package to enhance your wellbeing.

Key Responsibilities

The Chief Nursing Officer has ultimate administrative responsibility for nursing standards, practice, and performance improvement across the facility. They are responsible for managing the nursing budget, staffing plans, and ensuring compliance with all regulatory and accreditation requirements.

Requirements

Candidates must hold a Master's degree in Nursing or Healthcare Administration and a valid nursing license. A minimum of 3-5 years of CNO experience in an investor-owned healthcare organization is required.

Qualifications

Education
Master's degree (postgraduate degree)
Experience
5+ years of experience

Key Skills

Nursing administrationBudget managementStaffing planningRegulatory complianceClinical leadershipPatient care managementStrategic planningInterpersonal skills

Work-Life Balance Analysis

WeekdayDoc's proprietary algorithm rates Chief Nursing Officer (CNO) at Lifepoint Health a 6.6 out of 10 for work-life balance — classified as good. This places the position in the top 5% in Nursing Leadership — ranked against 1,187 active Nursing Leadership listings on WeekdayDoc.

Nursing Administration — Registered Nurse Career Context

Of the 50 active Nursing Leadership listings this role was benchmarked against, 44% are remote, 68% have no call, 76% require no weekends.

The cost-of-living index for New Mexico is 92.2 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)). 61.4% of New Mexico clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).

Top Registered Nurse Jobs

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Salary Distribution39 jobs · 33 employers

11
<$95k
12
$95k-115k
6
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7
$135k-155k
3
$155k+

Annual compensation range

Benefits & Perks28 jobs

401k / retirement match
100% this job
Sign-on bonus
18%
CME allowance
11%
Loan repayment
7%
Relocation assistance
4%

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Work-life snapshot

median 1.5this job 6.6
Among the best 10% of Nursing Leadership listings for work-life

Listing-based score, 0–10, across 1,187 comparable listings. Shaded area = the share scoring below this one.

  • On-site

Living in Los Alamos

Typical 3-bedroom home value
$557k
Typical market rent
$2,541/mo
Residents’ average commute
12 min
State income tax
Up to 5.9%
Sources & methodology

Sources: Zillow home values (Aug 2026), Zillow market rents (Aug 2026), U.S. Census ACS 2024 five-year.

City-level figures. Not a cost-of-living guarantee.

Lifepoint Health logo

About Lifepoint Health

Hospitals and Health Care
Gallatin, Tennessee
201-500 employees

Benefits & Perks

401k
Flexible PTO
Generous EIB
Medical
Dental
Vision
Tuition Reimbursement
Employee Assistance Program