Director of Nursing

Campbell Street•Iowa City, IA

10d•Onsite

About The Position

Campbell Street is seeking an experienced, compassionate Director of Nursing to lead its nursing team in Iowa City, Iowa. The DON provides overall leadership, management, and clinical oversight of the nursing department, ensuring safe, compassionate, person-centered care in accordance with applicable state and federal regulations, clinical standards, and resident rights. The role works closely with the Administrator and Campbell Street clinical and operational leadership and is accountable for clinical outcomes, regulatory compliance, nursing staff recruitment and retention, staffing effectiveness, employee development, infection prevention, and quality assurance initiatives. The successful candidate will bring extensive long-term care (LTC), skilled nursing facility (SNF), or comparable post-acute care experience; sound clinical judgment; and the ability to assess departmental needs, set priorities, and implement practical solutions. This is a hands-on leadership opportunity requiring initiative, accountability, and the ability to build a strong clinical team and culture of teamwork and continuous improvement. Campbell Street provides a newly implemented DON onboarding process, support from clinical, operations, human resources, and talent acquisition teams, annual leadership development summits, and career growth and succession planning opportunities.

Requirements

Graduation from an accredited school of nursing.
Current, active Registered Nurse (RN) license in the state of Iowa, in good standing.
Extensive experience in long-term care (LTC), skilled nursing facility (SNF), or a comparable post-acute care setting.
Demonstrated clinical leadership experience, including staff supervision, clinical oversight, and nursing operations.
Strong working knowledge of skilled nursing standards of care and applicable state and federal regulations.
Current CPR certification or ability to obtain and maintain required certification.
Ability to evaluate clinical situations, identify risks, and make sound decisions that prioritize resident safety.
Ability to manage competing priorities, assess departmental needs, and implement effective solutions.
Ability to coach, mentor, motivate, and retain nursing professionals.
Willingness to take ownership, address performance concerns, and follow through on commitments.
Strong interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills.
Ability to build trust, navigate difficult conversations, and work effectively with diverse personalities.
Ability to remain composed, resilient, and solutions-oriented in a fast-paced clinical environment.
Commitment to ethical decision-making, transparency, resident rights, and Campbell Street's SMART Values.

Nice To Haves

Previous experience as a Director of Nursing, Assistant Director of Nursing, or in another nursing leadership role within a skilled nursing environment.
Experience with survey preparation, regulatory compliance, QAPI, and clinical performance improvement.
Experience improving staffing stability, employee retention, and clinical outcomes.
Experience managing departmental budgets, staffing plans, and operational performance.
Specialized clinical experience in wound care, dementia care, infection prevention, restorative nursing, or complex resident care.

Responsibilities

Oversee daily nursing operations and delivery of safe, effective, individualized resident care.
Monitor clinical outcomes, resident assessments, care plans, documentation, and changes in condition to ensure timely and appropriate interventions.
Ensure compliance with federal and Iowa state regulations, licensing requirements, clinical standards, and policies and procedures.
Lead quality assurance and performance improvement (QAPI) initiatives, implement corrective actions, and improve resident outcomes.
Oversee infection prevention and control, medication management, restorative nursing, dementia care, and other applicable clinical programs.
Maintain survey readiness; coordinate responses to deficiencies, corrective action plans, and follow-up monitoring.
Collaborate with physicians, residents, families, interdisciplinary teams, other departments, and external healthcare providers to support continuity of care and resident satisfaction.
Lead recruitment, hiring, onboarding, training, coaching, and retention of licensed and non-licensed nursing personnel.
Set clear performance expectations and promote accountability, professionalism, and teamwork.
Monitor staffing levels and resident acuity to maintain appropriate nursing coverage and continuity of care.
Develop strategies to improve employee engagement, reduce turnover, and strengthen staffing stability.
Provide feedback, performance evaluations, and development opportunities for nursing staff.
Identify educational needs and ensure staff maintain appropriate competencies, certifications, and required training.
Provide hands-on clinical leadership and support when needed to maintain care quality and department operations.
Partner with the Administrator and organizational leadership to set clinical priorities, departmental goals, and measurable performance expectations.
Evaluate department processes and implement improvements to support efficiency, quality, and regulatory compliance.
Oversee nursing department budgets, staffing resources, supplies, and equipment.
Ensure accurate and timely clinical documentation and required reporting, and follow up appropriately on incidents, accidents, medication errors, and changes in resident condition.
Maintain emergency preparedness and ensure nursing personnel understand and follow emergency procedures.
Lead by example in demonstrating Campbell Street's SMART Values; build trust through follow-through and transparent communication.
Address challenges proactively, make informed decisions, take ownership of departmental performance, and foster a supportive, accountable, resident-centered culture.
Use Campbell Street's onboarding resources and organizational partnerships to establish priorities and build a foundation for long-term success.