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 and the Medical Director, to ensure that the highest degree of quality care is maintained at all times.

Delegation of Authority

As 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.

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.

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 nursing care facilities.
• 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, Regulations, Standards of Practice, 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 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 as necessary or as may be directed.
• 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.
• Monitor the facility’s QI, QM, and survey reports. Assist in developing plans of action to correct potential or identified problem areas.
• Assist in calculating the number of direct nursing care personnel on duty each shift. Report such information to the Administrator or his/her designee to ensure that accurate staffing information is posted.
• 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.

Committee Functions

• Serve on, participate in, and attend various committees of the facility as appointed by the Administrator.
• Evaluate and implement recommendations from established committees as they may pertain to nursing services.
• 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.
• Schedule, attend, and participate in developing the agenda for Care Plan Committee meetings as necessary.
• Participate in regularly scheduled reviews of the Discharge Plans and make such plans available to the Care Plan Committee as required or as may be necessary.

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 HR Director in the recruitment and selection of nursing service personnel.
• Ensure that all nursing assistants are enrolled in or have graduated from an approved training program.
• 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 HR Director in developing performance evaluation schedules, criteria, and annual reviews for the nursing service department e.g., RNs, LPNs, 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.
• Monitor 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 complaints and grievances made or filed by department personnel.
• Provide complaint/grievance reports to the 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.
• Perform background checks on nursing service personnel in accordance with established procedures.
• Ensure that all CNA’s credentials are verified through the State Nurse Aide Registry.
• Ensure that appropriate adverse personnel actions relative to CNA’s employment criteria are reported to the State Nurse Aide Registry.
• Terminate employment of personnel when necessary, documenting and coordinating such actions with the HR Director and/or Administrator.
• Report known or suspected incidents of fraud to the Administrator.
• Ensure that departmental computer workstations left unattended are properly logged off or the password protected automatic screen-saver activates within established facility policy guidelines

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.
• Inform nursing service personnel of new admissions, their expected time of arrival, room assignment, etc.
• Ensure that rooms are ready for new admissions.
• Greet newly admitted residents upon admission. Escort to room as necessary.
• Make rounds with physicians as necessary. Schedule physician visits as necessary.
• Encourage attending physicians to record and sign progress notes, physicians’ orders, etc., on a timely basis and in accordance with current regulations.
• Ensure that direct nursing care be 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.
• Monitor 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.
• Authorize the use of restraints when necessary and 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.
• Develop, implement, and maintain 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 Administrator in developing and revising the nursing assistant training curriculum used by the facility. Submit to state agency for approval as required.
• Assist the In-service Director/Educator in developing annual facility in-service training programs e.g., OSHA, TB, HIPAA, Abuse Prevention, Safety, Infection Control, etc..
• 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. Ensure that these programs meet the continuing education requirements that allow licensed personnel e.g., RNs, LPNs, CNAs, etc. to keep their licenses on an active status.
• Attend and participate in continuing educational programs designed to keep you abreast of changes in your profession, as well as to maintain your license on a current status.
• Must be able to push, pull, move and/or lift a minimum of 25 pounds to a minimum height of 5 feet and be able to push, pull, move, and/or carry such weight a minimum distance of 50 feet.

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.