DIRECTOR OF NURSING SERVICES

We're hiring a new DNS at Chamberlain Manor, our 60-bed short-term rehab unit! Join our team today and find your new professional home at our exceptional, family-owned and operated skilled nursing facility.

We offer competitive pay, comprehensive benefits and 401K with employer matching!

Purpose of Your Job Position

The primary purpose of your job position is to plan, organize, develop and direct the overall operation of our Nursing Service Department in accordance with current federal, state, and local standards, guidelines, and regulations that govern our facility, and as may be directed by the Administrator/Asst. Administrator and the Medical Director, to ensure that the highest degree of quality care is maintained at all times.

Delegation of Authority

As the Director of Nursing Services, you are delegated the administrative authority, responsibility, and accountability necessary for carrying out your assigned duties.In the absence of the Medical Director, you are charged with carrying out the resident care policies established by Lord Chamberlain.

Job Functions

Every effort has been made to identify the essential functions of this position. However, it in no way states or implies that these are the only duties you will be required to perform. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related, or is an essential function of the position.

Duties and Responsibilities

Administrative Functions

·Plan, develop, organize, implement, evaluate, and direct the nursing service department, as well as its programs and activities, in accordance with current rules, regulations, and guidelines that govern the long-term care facility.

·Develop, maintain, and periodically update written policies and procedures that govern the day-to-day functions of the nursing service department.

·Maintain a reference library of written nursing material (i.e., PDR'S, Federal and State Regulations, etc.) that will assist the nursing service department in meeting the day-to-day needs of the resident.

·Develop, maintain, and periodically update the Nursing Service Procedures Manual and Nursing Service Objectives and Philosophies.

·Develop and implement a nursing service organization structure.

·Make written and oral reports/recommendations to the Administrator/Asst. Administrator, as necessary/required, concerning the operation of the nursing service department.

·Develop and periodically update Nursing Service Objectives and Statements of Philosophy.

·Develop, maintain, and periodically update written job descriptions for each level of Nursing personnel in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, OSHA, JCAHO, and other pertinent laws and regulations.

·Develop methods for coordination of nursing services with other resident services to ensure the continuity of the residents' total regimen of care.

·Develop, implement, and maintain an ongoing quality assurance program for the nursing service department.

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

·Assist the CQI Committee in developing and implementing appropriate plans of action to correct identified deficiencies.

·Assist the Social Service Department in developing, implementing and periodically updating the written procedures for the Discharge Planning Program.

·Assist the resident and Discharge Planning Coordinator in planning the nursing services portion of the resident's discharge plan.

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

·Completes monthly report for Administrator or DNS meeting.Analyzes data for scheduling of staff.

·Ensures completion of Reportable Events.Verifies that each is numbered and interventions taken as required.

·Ensures that policies and procedures are followed for classification and reporting of reportable events.

·Ensures that policies and procedures are followed for prevention and reporting of abuse and neglect.

Committee Functions

·Serve on, participate in, and attend various committees of the facility (i.e., Infection Control, Policy Advisory, Pharmaceutical, Budget, CQI, etc.) as required, and as appointed by the Administrator/Asst. Administrator.

·Provide written and/or oral reports of the nursing service programs and activities as required, or as may be directed by such committee(s).

·Assist the Pharmaceutical Services Committee in developing, maintaining, implementing, and periodically updating written policies and procedures for the administration, storage, and control of medications and supplies.

·Participate in regularly scheduled reviews of the Discharge Plans.

·Evaluate and implement recommendations from established committees as they may pertain to nursing services.

·Prepare nursing report for Medical Staff Meeting

Personnel Functions

·Determine the staffing needs of the nursing service department necessary to meet the total nursing needs of the residents.

·Recommend the number and level of nursing personnel to be employed.

·Assist the Administrator, Human Resource Director and/or Staffing Coordinator in the recruitment and selection of nursing service personnel.

·Assign a sufficient number of licensed practical and/or registered nurses for each tour of duty to ensure that quality care is maintained.

·Assign a sufficient number of certified nursing assistants for each tour of duty to ensure that routine nursing care is provided to meet the daily nursing care needs of each resident.

·Ensure that all nurse aide trainees are under the direct supervision of a licensed nurse.

·Develop work assignments and schedule duty hours, and/or assist nursing supervisory staff in completing and performing such tasks.

·Delegate to nursing service supervisory personnel the administrative authority, responsibility, and accountability necessary to perform their assigned duties.

·Assist the Human Resource Director in developing performance evaluation schedules, criteria, and annual reviews for the nursing service department (e.g., RNs, LPNs, CNAs, etc.).

·Make daily rounds of the nursing service department to ensure that all nursing service personnel are performing their work assignments in accordance with acceptable nursing standards.

·Oversee absenteeism to ensure that an adequate number of nursing care personnel are on duty at all times.

·Develop, maintain, and periodically update the written procedure for ensuring that professional nursing personnel, including private duty nurses, have valid and current licenses as required by this State.

·Review and investigate complaints and grievances made or filed by department personnel.

·Provide complaint/grievance reports to the Administrator/Asst. Administrator as required or as may be necessary.

·Ensure that departmental disciplinary action is administered fairly and without regard to race, color, creed, national origin, age, sex, religion, handicap, or marital status.

·Assist the Infection Control Coordinator in establishing a TB management program for employees.

·Report occupational exposures to blood, body fluids, infectious materials, and hazardous chemicals in accordance with the facility's policies and procedures governing accidents and incidents.

·Oversee background checks and verify licensure on Nursing Service personnel in accordance with established procedures.

·Ensure that appropriate adverse personnel actions relative to CNA's employment criteria are reported to the State Nurse Aide Registry.

Nursing Care Functions

·Participate in the selection of residents for admission to the facility, including pre-admission screenings.

·Provide the Administrator/Asst. Administrator with information relative to the nursing needs of the resident and the nursing service department's ability to meet those needs.

·Meet weekly with Medical Director to discuss nursing issues.

·Ensure that direct nursing care is provided by a licensed nurse, a CNA, and/or a nurse aide trainee qualified to perform the procedure.

·Review nurses' notes to ensure that they are informative and descriptive of the nursing care being provided, that they reflect the resident's response to the care, and that such care is provided in accordance with the resident's wishes.

·Schedule daily rounds to observe residents and to determine if nursing needs are being met in accordance with the resident's request.

·Oversees the monitoring of medication passes and treatment schedules to ensure that medications are being administered as ordered and that treatments are provided as scheduled.

·Provide direct nursing care as necessary.

·Ensure that the use of restraints, when necessary, are in accordance with our established policies and procedures.

·Ensure that residents who are unable to call for help are checked frequently.

Staff Development

·Develop and participate in the planning, conducting, and scheduling of timely in-service training classes that provide instructions on "how to do the job," and ensure a well-educated nursing service department.

·Oversees the development, implementation, and maintenance of an effective orientation program that orients the new employee to the facility, its policies and procedures, and to his/her job position and duties.

·Provide leadership training that includes the administrative and supervisory principles essential for Nurse Supervisors/Charge Nurses.

·Encourage the nursing supervisory staff to attend and participate in outside training programs.Schedule times as appropriate.

·Assist the In-service Director/Educator in developing annual OSHA and CDC in-service training programs for hazard communication, TB management, and bloodborne pathogens.

·Assist the In-service Director/Educator in developing advance directive in-service training programs for the staff and community.

·Assist support services in developing, implementing, and conducting in-service training programs that relate to the nursing service department.

·Assist the In-service Director/Educator in the development of in-service training programs for the nursing staff.

·Attend and participate in continuing educational programs designed to keep you abreast of changes in your profession.

·Assist the Infection Control Coordinator in the development of a TB management program.

Safety and Sanitation

·Assist the Safety Officer in developing safety standards for the nursing service department.

·Ensure that the department's policy and procedure manuals identify safety precautions and equipment to use when performing tasks that could result in bodily injury.

·Assist the Infection Control Coordinator in identifying, evaluating, and classifying routine and job-related functions to ensure that tasks in which potential exposure to blood/body fluids are properly identified and recorded.

·Ensure that all personnel performing tasks that involve potential exposure to blood/body fluids participate in appropriate in-service training programs prior to performing such tasks.

·Ensure that adequate supplies of personal protective equipment are on hand and are readily available to personnel who perform procedures that involve exposure to blood or body fluids.

·Monitor nursing service personnel to ensure that they are following established safety regulations in the use of equipment and supplies.

·Ensure that nursing service work areas (i.e., nurses' stations, medicine preparation rooms, etc.) are maintained in a clean and sanitary manner.

·Ensure that all resident care rooms, treatment areas, etc., are maintained in a clean, safe, and sanitary manner.

·Ensure that all nursing service personnel follow established departmental policies and procedures, including appropriate dress codes.

·Ensure that nursing service personnel participate in and conduct all fire safety and disaster preparedness drills in a safe and professional manner.

·Assist the Infection Control Committee in the development, implementation, and revising of written aseptic and isolation techniques.

·Oversees the implementation and maintenance of a program for monitoring communicable and/or infectious diseases, including TB, among the residents and personnel.

·Ensure that nursing service personnel follow established infection control procedures when isolation precautions become necessary.

·Oversees the development, implementation, and maintenance of a procedure for reporting hazardous conditions or equipment.

·Ensure that personnel wear and/or use safety equipment and supplies (e.g., back brace, mechanical lifts, etc.) when lifting or moving residents.

·Report missing/illegible labels and MSDSs to the safety officer or other designated person.

RHMLC

Equipment and Supply Functions

·Recommend to the Administrator/Asst. Administrator the equipment and supply needs of the department.

·Ensure that a stock level of medications, medical supplies, equipment, etc., is maintained on premises at all times to adequately meet the needs of the resident.

·Assist the Maintenance Director in developing a preventive maintenance program for maintaining the nursing service department's equipment and supplies in a safe and operable manner.

·Develop and implement procedures for the safe operation of all nursing service equipment.

·Ensure that only trained and authorized personnel operate the department's equipment.

·Ensure that all personnel operate nursing service equipment in a safe manner.

·Develop and implement procedures that ensure nursing service supplies are used in an efficient manner to avoid waste.

·Ensure that personal protective equipment used in the handling of infectious materials are available and easily accessible to nursing service personnel.

·Ensure that appropriate MSDSs are on file for hazardous chemicals used in the nursing service department.

Care Plan and Assessment Functions

·Assist in the development of preliminary and comprehensive assessments of the nursing needs of each resident.

·Develop a written plan of care (preliminary and comprehensive) for each resident that identifies the problems/needs of the resident, indicates the care to be given, goals to be accomplished, and which professional service is responsible for each element of care.

·Encourage the resident and his/her family to participate in the development and review of the resident's plan of care.

·Ensures that Electronic Transmission of MDS is properly completed as required by HCFA and State of Connecticut regulations.

RHMLC