Director of Nursing at Independence Health System – Perryville, Missouri

SUMMARY: The Director of Nursing (DON) is an RN who works full time and has the responsibility for taking all reasonable steps to ensure a high quality of care is delivered to the residents. The DON shares a large responsibility toward creating an environment that individualizes each resident. The DON has administrative responsibility and is held accountable for functions and activities of the nursing staff. These functions and activities should also integrate with the departments in the facility that contributes to resident care. The DON must perform all the duties and responsibilities outlined below using available resources to assist in effectively attaining the highest well-being possible for each resident. The DON organizes and directs nursing administration and is responsible for the supervision of all resident care; is responsible for the quality of resident care and is responsible for effective supervision of personnel rendering resident care. The DON is responsible for maintaining nursing service objectives, and standards of nursing practice, nursing services policies and procedures and sees that such are carried out to provide the highest quality of care to all residents.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES/RESPONSIBILITIES:

1. Represent Independence Care Center in a positive and professional manner.
2. Know and practice Resident’s rights.
3. Demonstrate a caring attitude in all interactions with residents.
4. Abide by Independence Care Center Personnel Policies and Procedures as outlined in the Employee Handbook.
5. Know and practice emergency policies and procedures.
6. Demonstrates leadership and supervisory skills in area of nursing administration, practice and employee relations.
7. Knowledge of State and Federal regulations related to residential care.
8. Employee evaluations and discipline.
9. Ensures that Resident/Family concerns, complaints or conflicts are dealt with appropriately.
10. Ensures staff concerns, complaints or conflicts are dealt with appropriately.
11. Review and update Nursing Policies and Procedures as needed.
12. Assessment of new admissions for care needs.
13. Available during the State survey process and develop a plan of correction.
14. Investigation of resident abuse or complaints.
15. Waste scheduled meds per policy.
16. Performs administrative duties in the absence of the Administrator.
17. Review resident falls and intervene as needed.
18. Is responsible for all nursing service and its administrative and clinical supervision.
19. Is responsible for the implementation of nursing objectives, standards of nursing care, nursing policy and procedure manual, and reviews and revises such as necessary but at least annually.
20. Interprets all nursing policies and procedures to nursing personnel. Determines that nursing care standards and nursing policies and procedures are being followed according to written guidelines.
21. Gives clinical guidance to nursing staff.
22. Makes rounds with a purpose and visits residents on each workday.
23. Works under direction of Administrator for seeing that all nursing personnel complete the required orientation and attend the necessary in services, and that appropriate documentation is maintained.
24. Responsible for nursing assessment on monthly or as needed basis, documenting assessments, notifying physicians and families of change in condition, obtaining appropriate orders and implementing orders. Responsible for supervising personal hygiene of residents.
25. Is responsible for seeing that all the necessary written documents such as the Admission Nursing Assessment, Nursing Notes, and other required information is kept current in the resident record system. (Records are kept current following facilities policies, standards and/or State and Federal regulations.)
26. Is responsible for determining that the medication system meets the needs of the resident, is an efficient type administration system, and is set up according to State regulations and pharmaceutical guidelines.
27. Keeps administrator informed of significant changes in resident’s conditions, transfer of residents to the hospital, expirations or any pertinent information regarding the residents and/or employees.
28. Assists in determining the type of residents to be admitted to the facility using established nursing care criteria as a guideline. Make decisions as to placement of residents and transfer to other rooms, as necessary.
29. Schedules and conducts nursing meetings and maintain records of such.
30. Assesses supply and equipment needs for nursing department and sees that adequate stocks are maintained.
31. Determines that incident reports are made out as necessary or as indicated and reviews such on a routine basis.
32. Is available for call when needed by the staff members on duty in matters pertaining to nursing care.
33. Cover nursing staff shortages when arise.
34. Performs any other duties as may be necessary as specified by the administrator of the facility.

QUALIFICATIONS:

1. RN with current licensure in the State of Missouri.
2. Previous experience in long term care preferred.
3. Previous experience in nursing supervision desired.
4. Ability to develop and effectively manage personnel.
5. Skill in identifying problems and planning their solutions.
6. Understanding. Patience and tact in dealing with people.
7. A sincere desire to work with the aged and those with a limited capacity for self-care.
8. Capacity to grasp new theories and principles and implement these.
9. The ability to maintain a good working relationship with all levels of personnel, residents and families.
10. Initiative and good judgement.
11. Must be able to read, write, and speak fluently in English.
12. To assist residents in time of emergency, must be able to move quickly from one part of the building to another.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

1. Must be able to move intermittently throughout the workday.
2. To assist residents in a time of emergency, must be able to move quickly from one part of the building to another.
3. Must be able to lift 20-25lbs, carry, stand, bend, squat, crawl, reach, and kneel using good body mechanics for sustained periods of time.
4. Must be able to lift 75-100lbs on occasion.
5. Must be in good general health and demonstrate emotional stability in order to cope with the mental and emotional stress of the position.
6. Must possess sight/hearing senses or use prosthetics that will enable these senses to function adequately so that the requirements of this position can be fully met.