Director of Nursing (DON)

Indiana Fitness Works•Terre Haute, IN

9d•Onsite

About The Position

The Director of Nursing (DON) at Westridge Health Care Center is responsible for planning, developing, organizing, implementing, evaluating, directing, and managing the nursing services department. This role involves creating and maintaining nursing policies and procedures, addressing deficiencies, completing medical documentation, and overseeing a Quality Assurance program. The DON also participates in resident admissions, ensures timely notification of health status changes to physicians and families, and manages nursing staff through recruitment, hiring, evaluation, and discipline. They advise the Administrator on staffing needs, ensure staff practice within their scope, and delegate authority as needed. Maintaining professional competence and licenses through continuing education is crucial. The position requires treating residents with dignity and respect, upholding Residents' Rights, and promptly addressing complaints. The DON assists in developing and implementing resident care plans, monitors their execution, and collaborates with other departments to ensure comprehensive care. They also manage departmental supplies and equipment, contribute to safety and infection control protocols, and collaborate with the Medical Director and physicians. The role involves monitoring physician compliance, verifying staff credentials, and overseeing personnel management. Additionally, the DON is involved in staff training and education, encouraging resident and family participation in care planning, and ensuring the cleanliness and safety of nursing work areas. Other duties may be assigned by the Administrator.

Requirements

Ability to read and write in English.
Ability to communicate with residents, families, personnel and support agencies.
Ability to remain calm under stress.
Bending, lifting, walking, grasping, fine hand coordination.
Ability to distinguish smells, tastes and temperatures.
Ability to discern colors.
Ability to hear and respond to pages.
Maintain professional competence.
Maintain current licenses.

Responsibilities

Plan, develop, organize, implement, evaluate, direct, and manage the nursing services department.
Develop, maintain, and periodically update written nursing policies, procedures, manuals, objectives and philosophies.
Implement plans of action to correct deficiencies.
Complete medical forms, reports, evaluations, studies, charts, etc.
Maintain a Quality Assurance program.
Participate in surveys and inspections by government agencies.
Serve in executing administrative functions and decision-making in the absence of the facility’s Administrator.
Coordinate nursing services with other services/departments.
Direct the planning, implementing and evaluation of nursing care services for all residents on a 24-hour, 7 day a week basis.
Participate in the interviewing and screening of residents for admission to the facility.
Assure that each resident’s attending physician(s) and family or representative, are promptly notified of any significant change in the resident’s health status.
Recruit, interview, hire, counsel, evaluate, discipline, and terminate nursing services personnel.
Develop work assignments for nursing services personnel in keeping with specific nursing care needs of the residents.
Advise the facility Administrator as to the number and qualifications of nursing personnel required to meet the residents’ needs.
Assure that nursing services personnel are not required to perform any duties or functions outside of their scope of practice.
Delegate administrative authority, responsibility, and accountability to nursing services supervisory personnel as deemed necessary to perform assigned duties.
Maintain professional competence, as well as current licenses, through participation in continuing education programs, seminars, and training programs.
Maintain resident confidentiality and privacy.
Treat residents with kindness, dignity, and respect.
Know and comply with and ensure that all nursing services personnel know and comply with Residents’ Rights.
Monitor nursing services to ensure that Residents’ Rights and are honored.
Promptly report to the Administrator all resident complaints and grievances.
Assist in developing for each resident a preliminary and comprehensive assessment and written care plan that identifies the nursing and medical concern and/or needs of the resident and the goals to be accomplished for each concern and/or need identified.
Ensure that all nursing services personnel are aware of the care plan and availability for use in providing daily nursing services to the resident.
Monitor nurses’ notes and monitor residents to determine if the care plans, are being followed and if each residents’ needs are being met.
Participate in assessing, reviewing and revising care plans as required.
Develop and maintain rapport with all services to ensure that a team effort is achieved in developing comprehensive care plans for all residents.
Recommend to the Administrator the equipment and supply needs of the nursing services department.
Attend and participate in various committees and meetings of the facility.
Assist in developing, implementing and maintaining safety standards, written aseptic and isolation techniques, programs for monitoring communicable and/or infectious diseases among residents and personnel and policies and procedures for reporting hazardous conditions or equipment.
Confirm that nursing services personnel follow established infection control procedures when isolation precautions become necessary.
Confirm that nursing services personnel understand and follow departmental policies and procedures, Universal Precautions, established safety rules and fire and disaster procedures.
Collaborate with the Medical Director and attending physicians regarding resident care services and, when necessary, address specific resident care issues and concerns.
Assist with developing and implementing methods for coordinating nursing services with other resident services.
Assist in planning, developing, implementing and maintaining resident discharge procedures and plans.
Monitor physician compliance in regard to required visits to the resident(s) in accordance with the time frames specified in Federal and State guidelines.
Confirm that all nursing services personnel have valid and current licenses or certifications and are performing duties in accordance with acceptable nursing standards.
Review personnel complaints and grievances and ensure that all personnel are treated consistently with policies and applicable laws.
Participate in planning, implementing, conducting and scheduling orientation, training and in-service educational activities for nursing service personnel.
Encourage residents and their families to participate in the development and review of care plans.
Make periodic inspections of supplies and equipment to ensure that adequate levels are maintained and that equipment is available and working properly.
Monitor to ensure that trained and authorized personnel operate nursing services equipment in a safe manner.
Confirm cleanliness of nursing services work areas, stations, preparation rooms, treatment areas and resident care rooms.
Other duties as assigned by the Administrator.