Assistant Director of Nursing

Job Description

Job Description

The Assistant Director of Nursing (ADON) provides hands-on nursing care while supporting in the daily clinical and operational functions of a 6-bed residential mental health program. This position combines direct resident care with nursing leadership, medication management, staff supervision, documentation oversight, regulatory compliance, and coordination with the interdisciplinary treatment team.

The ADON helps ensure residents receive safe, compassionate, trauma-informed, patient-centered care while maintaining compliance with facility policies, state and federal requirements, and applicable accreditation standards.

Direct Resident Care

• Provide direct nursing care and ongoing assessment of residents’ physical and mental health status.
• Administer medications as ordered and accurately complete Medication Administration Records (MARs).
• Monitor residents for medication effectiveness, side effects, adverse reactions, and changes in condition.
• Respond appropriately to medical concerns, psychiatric symptoms, behavioral changes, and emergencies.
• Support crisis intervention, de-escalation, suicide-risk protocols, and other behavioral health interventions.
• Maintain a safe, structured, supportive, and therapeutic residential environment.

Medication Management

• Ensure medications are properly stored, administered, reconciled, and documented.
• Complete and oversee narcotic and controlled-substance counts.
• Identify and report medication errors, discrepancies, or adverse reactions.
• Coordinate with pharmacy providers and assist with maintaining the medication room and medication cart in compliance with facility requirements.
• Ensure adherence to PRN and psychotropic medication monitoring protocols.

Clinical & Documentation Oversight

• Review nursing notes, MARs, shift reports, incident reports, and other clinical documentation for accuracy, completeness, and timeliness.
• Ensure residents receive appropriate medical and psychiatric follow-up.
• Assist with development and implementation of nursing policies, procedures, and resident care plans.
• Participate in treatment-team meetings and contribute nursing observations to individualized treatment planning.
• Coordinate care with psychiatrists, therapists, case managers, medical providers, pharmacies, and other members of the treatment team.

Staff Supervision & Training

• Provide direct supervision and clinical guidance to RNs, LPNs, and other assigned staff.
• Assist with hiring, orientation, onboarding, competency evaluations, and annual staff reviews.
• Train and coach staff on medication administration, documentation, infection control, emergency procedures, de-escalation, and facility protocols.
• Monitor staff performance and provide coaching or corrective action when needed.
• Assist with nursing coverage during call-outs, staffing shortages, or other operational needs.

Compliance, Quality & Safety

• Assist with maintaining compliance with applicable AHCA, DCF, Joint Commission, and other regulatory or accreditation requirements.
• Participate in audits, chart reviews, inspections, licensing surveys, and quality-improvement initiatives.
• Review and follow up on incident reports, emergency transfers, AMA discharges, and identified clinical trends.
• Support infection-control monitoring, emergency preparedness, fire drills, and facility safety procedures.
• Maintain readiness for regulatory and accreditation surveys.

Qualifications

• Active Florida Registered Nurse (RN) or LPN license required.
• Minimum 2 years of nursing experience preferred; behavioral health, psychiatric, residential, or substance-use treatment experience strongly preferred.
• Previous nursing leadership or supervisory experience preferred.
• Current BLS/CPR certification.
• Knowledge of psychiatric medications, behavioral health documentation, crisis intervention, infection control, and medication-management practices.
• Strong communication, organization, clinical judgment, and leadership skills.