Director of Nursing

The primary purpose of the Director of Nursing is to plan, organize, develop and direct the overall operation of your 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 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 this facility.

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, as necessary/required, concerning the operation of the nursing service department.
· Develop, maintain, and periodically update written job descriptions for each level of nursing personnel in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, OSHA, 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 Quality Assessment & Assurance Committee in developing and implementing appropriate plans of action to correct identified deficiencies.
· Assist the Discharge Planning Coordinator 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.

Committee Functions:
· Serve on, participate in, and attend various committees of the facility (i.e., Infection Control, Policy Advisory, Pharmaceutical, Budget, Quality Assessment and Assurance, etc.) as required, and as appointed by the Administrator.
· Assist the Pharmaceutical Services Committee in developing, maintaining, implementing, and periodically updating written policies and procedures for the administration, storage, and control of medication and supplies.

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 and/or the Personnel Director in the recruitment and selection of nursing service personnel
· 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 Personnel Director in developing performance evaluation schedules, criteria, and annual reviews for the nursing service department (e.g., RNs, LVNs, CNAs, medication aides, 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.
· Review complaints and grievances made or filed by department personnel.
· 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.
 

Nursing Care Functions:
· Participate in the interviewing and selection of residents for admission to the facility, including PASARR screenings.
· Provide the Administrator with information relative to the nursing needs of the resident and the nursing service department’s ability to meet those needs.
· Provide direct nursing care as necessary.
 

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.
· Develop, implement, and maintain an effective orientation program that orients the new employee to the facility, its policies and procedures, and job position and duties.
· Provide leadership training that includes the administrative and supervisory principles essential for Nurse Supervisors/Charge Nurses
 · Assist the Director of Staff Development in developing annual OSHA and CDC in-service training programs for hazard communication, TB management, and bloodborne pathogens standard.
· Assist the Director of Staff Development in developing advance directive in-service training programs for the staff and community.

Safety and Sanitation:
· Assist the Safety Officer in developing safety standards for the nursing service department.
· Assist the Director and/or Infection Control Coordinator in identifying, evaluating, and classifying routine and job-related functions to ensure that tasks in which there is 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 an adequate supply of personal protective equipment is on hand and 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 nursing service personnel participate in and conduct all fire safety and disaster preparedness drills in a safe and professional manner. 

Equipment and Supply Functions:
· Recommend to the Director the equipment and supply needs of the department.
· Ensure that an adequate 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 department’s equipment and supplies in a safe and operable manner.
· Participate in the development and implementation of the procedures for the safe operation of all nursing service equipment.
· Ensure that appropriate MSDSs are on file for hazardous chemicals used in the nursing service department.

Care Plan and Assessment Functions:
· Participate in the development of written preliminary and comprehensive assessments of the nursing needs of each resident.
 · Assist the Resident Assessment/Care Plan Coordinator in planning, scheduling, and revising the MDS, including the implementation of RAPs and Triggers.
· Participate in the development of a written care plan (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 plan of care.
· Develop and maintain a good rapport with all services involved with the care plan to ensure that a team effort is achieved in developing the resident’s comprehensive care plan.

Budget and Planning Functions:
· Participate in the preparation of and planning of the nursing service department’s budget and submit to the Director for his/her review, recommendations, and/or approval.

Resident Rights:
 · Maintain the confidentiality of all resident care information.
· Monitor nursing care to ensure that all residents are treated fairly, and with kindness, dignity, and respect.
· Review complaints and grievances made by the resident and make a written/oral report to the Director indicating what action(s) were taken to resolve the complaint or grievance. · Follow facility’s established procedures. · Maintain a written record of the resident’s complaints
· Review the facility’s advance directive policies and procedures with resident and/or family members as necessary.

Working Conditions:

· Works in office area(s) as well as throughout the nursing service area (i.e., drug rooms, nurses’ stations, resident rooms, etc.).
· Works beyond normal working hours and on weekends and holidays when necessary.
· Is subject to call-back during emergency conditions (e.g., severe weather, evacuation, post-disaster, etc.).

Education:
· Must possess, as a minimum, a Nursing Degree from an accredited college or university.
 

Experience:
· Must have, as a minimum 5 year(s) of experience as a supervisor in a hospital, long-term care facility, or other related health care facility.
· Must possess a current, unencumbered, active license to practice as a Registered Nurse in the state of Kansas.
· Must be able to read, write, speak, and understand the English language.

· Must be able to lift up to 20 pounds. Requires infrequent lifting of more weight up to 50 pounds. Occasional pushing and pulling of carts.
· May be necessary to assist in the evacuation of residents during emergency situations.