Purpose:

To conduct and coordinate the development and completion of the resident assessment in accordance with current federal, state, and local standards, guidelines, and regulations that govern the facility, and as may be required by the Executive Director, to ensure that the highest degree of quality care is maintained at all times.

Qualifications:

· Must possess a current, unencumbered, active license to practice as a Registered Nurse in this state.

· Must be able to read, write, speak, and understand the English language.

· Must demonstrate the knowledge and skills necessary to prove care appropriate to the agerelated needs of the residents served.

· Must be a supportive team member, contribute to and be an example of team work and team concept.

· Must possess the ability to make independent decisions when circumstances warrant such action.

· Must possess the ability to deal tactfully with personnel, residents, family members, visitors, government agencies/personnel, and the general public.

· Must be knowledgeable of nursing and medical practices and procedures, as well as laws, regulations, and guidelines that pertain to nursing care facilities.

· Must possess leadership and supervisory ability and the willingness to work harmoniously with and supervise other personnel.

· Must possess the ability to plan, organize, develop, implement, and interpret the programs, goals, objectives, policies and procedures, etc., that are necessary for providing quality care.

· Must have patience, tact, a cheerful disposition and enthusiasm, as well as the willingness to handle difficult residents.

· Must be willing to seek out new methods and principles and be willing to incorporate them into existing nursing practices.

· Must be able to relate information concerning a resident’s condition.

· Must not pose a direct threat to the health or safety of other individuals in the workplace.

Essential Job Functions:

Responsibilities include but are not limited to the following:

Care Plan Assessment & Administrative Functions

· Conduct and coordinate the development and completion of the resident assessment, minimum Data Set (MDS) and Care Planning in accordance with current rules, regulations, and guidelines that govern the resident assessment in Avante facilities

· Ensure that all MDS Assessments are completed and transmitted to the State repository according to the regulations in the RAI Manual.

· Ensure that all residents meet skilled care coverage criteria per governmental or other regulatory requirements..

· Ensure that the Interdisciplinary Care Team in each facility works together to choose the most appropriate Assessment Review Date.

· Coordinate the review and revision of the resident’s care plan by the interdisciplinary team after each quarterly review or other assessment, assuring that the care plan is evaluated and revised each time an assessment is done or when there is a change in the resident’s status.

· Monitor Quality Measures Report on a monthly basis with particular emphasis on those measures impacting the Federal Five Star System to ensure that residents in the numerator of each measure are coded correctly according to the RAI guidelines.

· Assist the nursing staff in encouraging the resident and his/her family to participate in the development and review of the resident’s plan of care.

· Ensure that all personnel involved in providing care to the resident are aware of the resident’s care plan and that nursing personnel refer to the resident’s care plan prior to administering daily care to the resident.

· Participate in facility surveys (inspections) made by authorized government agencies.

· Perform administrative duties such as completing medical forms, reports, evaluations, studies, charting, etc., as necessary.

· Agree not to disclose assigned user ID code and password for accessing resident/facility information and promptly report suspected or known violations of such disclosure to the Administrator.

· Agree not to disclose resident’s protected health information and promptly report suspected or known violations of such disclosure to the Administrator.

· Report any known or suspected unauthorized attempt to access facility’s information system.

Personnel Functions & Staff Development

· Participate in the facility orientation process.

· Meet with and solicit advice from department supervisors concerning the resident assessment/care plan functions of the facility.

· Develop and participate in the planning, conducting, and scheduling of timely in-service training classes that include assessment skills or techniques needed to complete the assessment functions of the facility.

· Attend annual facility in-service training programs as scheduled

· Report known or suspected incidents of fraud to the Administrator.

Nursing Care Functions

· Conduct or coordinate the interviewing of each resident for the resident’s assessment.

· Ensure that you treat all residents fairly, and with kindness, dignity, and respect.

· Evaluate each resident’s condition and pertinent medical data to determine any need for special assessment activities or a need to amend the admission assessment.

· Assist facility directors and supervisors in scheduling the resident assessment/care plan meetings.

· Assist in scheduling participation by outside members of the care plan team, including the resident’s representative and/or other interested family members.

· Ensure that care provided is in accordance with the resident’s wishes.

· Maintain the confidentiality of all resident care information including protected health information. Report known or suspected incidents of unauthorized disclosure of such information.

· Ensure that resident interviews are conducted in private.

· Ensure that all members of the assessment team and the interdisciplinary care planning/medical and nursing team are knowledgeable of the residents’ responsibilities and rights including the right to refuse treatment.

· Ensure that nursing staff personnel honor the resident’s refusal of treatment request. Ensure that such requests are in accordance with the facility’s policies governing advance directives.

Working Conditions:

· Works in office area(s) as well as throughout the nursing service area (i.e., nurses’ stations, resident rooms, etc.).

· Moves intermittently during working hours and is subject to frequent interruptions.

· Is involved with residents, family members, personnel, visitors, government agencies and personnel, etc., under all conditions and circumstances

· Is subject to hostile and emotionally upset residents, family members, personnel, and visitors.

· Works beyond normal working hours, on weekends and holidays when necessary.

· Is subject to call back during emergency conditions (e.g., severe weather, evacuation, postdisaster, etc.).

· May be necessary to assist in the evacuation of residents during emergency situations.

· Is subject to injury from falls, burns from equipment, odors, etc., throughout the workday, as well as to reactions from dust, disinfectants, tobacco smoke, and other air contaminants.

· Is subject to exposure to infectious waste, diseases, conditions, etc., including TB and the AIDS and Hepatitis B viruses.

· May be subject to the handling of and exposure to hazardous chemicals.

· Maintains a liaison with the residents, their families, support departments, etc., to adequately plan for the residents’ needs.

Physical Job Requirements:  (With or Without the Aid of Mechanical Devices)

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally required to stand; walk; sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel objects, tools or controls; reach with hands and arms; climb stairs; balance; stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl; talk or hear; taste or smell. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 20-50 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by the job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.

Education and Experience:

· Must possess, as a minimum, a Nursing Degree/Diploma from an accredited nursing school, college or university.

· Preferred, as a minimum, two (2) years of experience in a hospital, nursing care facility, or other related health care facility.