Interim - Director of Nursing
About The Position
The Interim Director of Nursing will provide steady, visible clinical leadership for the skilled nursing unit at a well-regarded life plan community in the Cedar Rapids, Iowa area. The role leads nursing operations, supports and stabilizes the clinical team, maintains regulatory readiness, and ensures residents receive safe, consistent care during a period of management and nursing leadership change. The position is focused on the skilled nursing operation, not the community’s other care settings. The successful candidate will be an experienced skilled nursing facility Director of Nursing or senior clinical leader who can quickly assess priorities, establish trust with staff, and operate independently while avoiding unnecessary disruption. The unit is rehab-focused, with regular admissions and discharges, and has an experienced interdisciplinary leadership team, strong ADON-level support, and a stable RN MDS nurse. The community reports nursing staffing above the Iowa average and a four-star staffing rating. The environment is described as clean and well maintained, with mostly private rooms and a newer skilled nursing wing. Weekday housing support may be available for a traveling interim leader.
Requirements
- Current Iowa RN license.
- Proven skilled nursing leadership experience, ideally as a Director of Nursing or in a senior skilled nursing clinical leadership role with meaningful operational responsibility.
- Strong working knowledge of skilled nursing survey processes, state and federal regulations, clinical compliance, and quality oversight.
- Ability to enter a new building, assess immediate priorities, and provide stable leadership during change or turnover.
- Experience managing nursing teams in a rehab-focused skilled nursing environment with routine admissions, discharges, and interdisciplinary care coordination.
- Strong interpersonal judgment and a calm, encouraging, accountable leadership style.
- Ability to work onsite consistently in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
Nice To Haves
- Prior interim Director of Nursing experience.
- Experience with PCC.
- Local candidacy is preferred.
Responsibilities
- Lead day-to-day clinical operations for the skilled nursing and rehabilitation unit, including nursing oversight, staffing support, clinical compliance, and resident care quality.
- Provide calm, constructive leadership to nursing staff during a period of transition, reinforcing accountability, communication, and team stability.
- Maintain ongoing survey readiness and ensure compliance with federal, state, and facility requirements for skilled nursing operations.
- Partner with ADON-level leaders and the RN MDS nurse to maintain strong clinical workflows, documentation practices, care planning, and resident outcomes.
- Oversee nursing practices related to admissions, discharges, changes in condition, incident follow-up, infection prevention, medication management, and wound care.
- Support appropriate use of nurse agency staff while promoting consistency, accountability, and integration with the facility's clinical standards.
- Collaborate with the Executive Director and department heads on operational priorities, staffing needs, resident and family concerns, and interdisciplinary care coordination.
- Guide the nursing team through applicable operational changes, including potential staffing-structure adjustments and timekeeping or scheduling system transitions.
- Use PCC and other available systems to monitor clinical documentation, compliance, resident needs, and performance priorities.
- Maintain a visible onsite presence and serve as a credible resource for staff, residents, families, and surveyors.
Benefits
- Weekday housing support may be available for a traveling interim leader.
- Travel support may be available for the right interim leader.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Director
Education Level
No Education Listed
