Unit Manager RN

Purpose of Your Job Position

The primary purpose of your position is to assist the Director of Nursing Services in planning organizing, developing, and directing the day-to-day functions of the Nursing Service Department in accordance with current federal, state, and local standards, guidelines, and regulations that govern the Facility, and as may be directed by the Administrator, the Medical Director, and/or Director of Nursing Services, to ensure that the highest degree of quality care is maintained at all times.

Delegation of Authority

As Unit Manager you are delegated the administrative authority, responsibility, and accountability necessary for carrying out your assigned duties.

Job Function

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.

Duties and Responsibilities

Administrative Functions

• Assist the Director of Nursing Services and Assistant Director of Nursing Services in planning, developing, organizing, implementing, evaluating, and directing the day-to-day functions of the Nursing Services Department, in accordance with current rules, regulations, and guidelines that govern the Facility.
• Participate in developing, maintaining, and updating our written policies and procedures that govern the day-to-day functions of the Nursing Services Department.
• Ensure that reference material (i.e., PDR’S, regulations, professional standards of practice, etc.) maintained at the nurses’ stations is current. Recommend to the Director of Nursing Services written material that will assist the Nursing Services Department in meeting the day-to-day needs of residents.
• Ensure that the Nursing Service Procedures Manual reflects the day-to-day nursing care procedures used by the Facility.
• Make written and oral reports or recommendations to the Director of Nursing Services, as necessary or required, concerning the operation of the Nursing Services Department.
• Assist in developing methods for coordinating nursing services with other resident services to ensure the continuity of the residents’ total regimen of care.
• Ensure that all nursing services personnel are following their respective job descriptions.
• Participate in the maintenance and implementation of the Facility’s quality assurance program for the Nursing Services Department.
• Participate in Facility surveys (inspections) made by authorized government agencies as requested by the Administrator or Director of Nursing Services.
• Participate in developing, implementing, and periodically updating the resident’s written discharge plan.
• Assist the resident and Discharge Planning Coordinator in planning the nursing services portion of the resident’s discharge plan.
• Monitor the Facility’s QI, QM, and survey reports and provide the Director of Nursing Services with recommendations that will be helpful in eliminating problem areas.
• Assist the Director of Nursing Services in obtaining staffing information that must be posted on a daily basis.
• Participate in the development, maintenance, implementation, and updating of the written policies and procedures for the administration, storage, and control of medications and supplies.
• Develop, implement, and evaluate protocols and standards of assigned unit(s) while following the proper chain of command (approval channels).
• Supervise and evaluate unit secretary assigned to unit(s).

Committee Functions

• In the absence of the Director of Nursing Services and Assistant Director of Nursing Services, serve on, participate in, and attend various committees of the Facility.
• Serve on the Quality Assurance and Assessment Committee, as directed.
• Assist the Director of Nursing Services in preparing written and/or oral reports of the nursing service programs and activities to submit to such committee(s).
• Attend, and participate in developing the agenda for the 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

• Assist the Director of Nursing Services in determining the staffing needs of the Nursing Services Department.
• Assist in the scheduling of nursing staff in compliance with state guidelines.
• Assist the Director of Nursing Services in the selection of nursing service personnel.
• Ensure that a sufficient number of LPNs and/or RNs are available for each tour of duty to ensure that quality care is maintained.
• Ensure that a sufficient number of CNAs/GNAs are available for each tour of duty to ensure that routine nursing care is provided to meet the daily nursing care needs of each resident.
• Develop work assignments and schedule duty hours, and/or assist nursing supervisory staff in completing and performing such tasks.
• Ensure that all nurse aide trainees are under the direct supervision of a LPN.
• Schedule work assignments.
• Assist the Director of Nursing Services and Assistant Director of Nursing Services in preparing and conducting performance evaluations, as directed.
• Make daily rounds of the Nursing Services Department to ensure that all nursing service personnel are performing their work assignments in accordance with acceptable nursing standards. Report findings to the Director of Nursing Services.
• Monitor absenteeism to ensure that an adequate number of nursing care personnel are on duty at all times. Report problem areas to the Director of Nursing Services.
• Review complaints and grievances made or filed by department personnel. Make appropriate reports to the Director of Nursing Services, 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 in accordance with all applicable laws.
• Ensure that all nursing personnel participate in the Facility’s TB testing program.

Nursing Care Functions

• Participate in the interviewing and selection of residents for admission to the Facility, including the PASARR screenings.
• Provide the Director of Nursing Services with information relative to the nursing needs of the resident and to the Nursing Services 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 them to their rooms, as necessary.
• Make rounds with physicians, as necessary.
• Inform the Director of Nursing Services when physician visits are not made in a timely manner.
• 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 CNAs/GNAs, 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.
• Monitor medication passes and treatment schedules to ensure that medications are being administered as ordered and that treatments are provided as scheduled.
• Report medication errors to the Director of Nursing Services.
• Provide direct nursing care, as necessary.
• Report problem areas to the Director of Nursing Services. Assist in developing and implementing corrective action.
• Authorize the use of restraints when necessary and in accordance with our established policies and procedures and applicable state laws.
• Ensure that residents who are unable to call for help are checked frequently.
• Initiates and conducts periodic meetings with staff among all shifts and with other members of the interdisciplinary team to disseminate information, develop protocols, establish resident care goals, and evaluate performance.
• Participates in developing a program to facilitate continuing of care when residents are transferred to other nursing facilities or hospitals.
• Prepare written reports, reviews records, and participate in collection of data, as required (quality improvement, special assigned projects, billing, medical record chart reviews, etc.).