Director of Nursing RN

Director Of Nursing ServicesThe primary purpose of your job position is to plan, organize, develop, and direct the overall operation of our Nursing Department in accordance with current federal, state, and local standards, guidelines, and regulations that govern our facility, and as may be required by the Administrator and Medical Director, to ensure that the highest degree of quality care is maintained at all times. As Director of Nursing Services you are delegated the administrative authority, responsibility, and accountability necessary for carrying out your assigned duties. In the absence of the Medical Director, you are charged with carrying out the patient-care policies established by this facility.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.Administrative Functions:Plan, develop, organize, implement, evaluate, and direct the nursing services department as well as its programs and activities.Maintain written policies and procedures that govern the day-to-day functions of the nursing service department and ensure that personnel comply with such policies and procedures.Make written and oral reports/recommendations to the Administrator as necessary/required, concerning the operation of the nursing service department.Assist in developing methods for coordinating nursing services with other patient services to ensure the continuity of the patients' total regimen of care.Ensure that all nursing service personnel are in compliance with their respective job descriptions.Participate in the maintenance and implementation of the facility's quality assurance program for the nursing service department.Participate in facility surveys (inspections) made by authorized government agencies as requested by the Administrator.Periodically review the patient's written discharge plan. Participate in the planning of the patient's written discharge plan as required.Meet with the nursing staff, as well as support personnel, in planning the department's services, programs, and activities.Interpret the department's policies and procedures to personnel, patients, visitors, and government agencies as required.Perform administrative duties such as admitting, discharging, and transferring patients, completing medical forms, reports, evaluations, studies, charting, including I & A forms, etc., as necessary.Committee Functions:Serve on various committees and attend meetings of the facility (i.e., Infection Control, Policy Advisory, Pharmaceutical, Quality Assessment, etc.) as required.Prepare written and/or oral reports of the nursing service programs and activities to submit to such committee(s) as directed.Provide information to the Quality Assurance and Assessment Committee as requested.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.Implement recommendations from established committees as instructed by the Administrator.Personnel Functions:Determine the staffing needs, and ensure that a sufficient number of licensed practical nurses and certified nursing assistants are available for all shifts to ensure that quality care is maintained.Develop work assignments, and scheduling for the nursing department.Make daily rounds of the nursing service department to ensure that all nursing service personnel are performing their work assignments in accordance with acceptable nursing standards.Ensure that established policies and procedures, including dress codes, are followed by all departmental personnel.Review complaints and grievances made or filed by department personnel. Make appropriate reports to the Administrator as required or as may be necessary.Develop and maintain a good working rapport with inter-department personnel, as well as other departments within the facility to ensure that nursing services and activities can be adequately maintained to meet the needs of the patients.Create and maintain an atmosphere of warmth, personal interest and positive emphasis, as well as a calm environment throughout the unit and shift.Meet with your staff on a regularly scheduled basis to assist in identifying and correcting problem areas and/or to assist in the improvement of services.Ensure that departmental disciplinary action is administered fairly.Report occupational exposures to blood, body fluids, infectious materials, and hazardous chemicals in accordance with the facility's policies and procedures governing accidents and incidents.Interview prospective employees, hire new employees, maintain and carry out disciplinary programs, monitor attendance and job performance, carry out suspensions, and execute employment terminations for nursing department personnel.Nursing Care Functions:Participate in the interviewing and selection of new patients, including PASARR screenings, providing the Administrator with a Nursing Assessment of the patient, and the department's ability to meet his needs.Greet newly admitted patients upon admission. Escort them to their rooms as necessary.Make rounds a minimum of twice daily.Ensure that attending physicians record and sign progress notes, physicians' orders, etc., on a timely basis and in accordance with current regulations.Consult with the patient, his/her family, and the patient's physician in planning the patient's care, treatment, rehabilitation, etc., as necessary.Review nurses' notes to ensure that they are informative and descriptive of the nursing care being provided, that they reflect the patient's response to the care, and that such care is provided in accordance with the patient's wishes.Provide direct nursing care as necessary.Authorize the use of restraints when ordered by a physician as necessary and in accordance with our facilities policies and procedures.Ensure that patients who are unable to call for help are checked frequently.Meet with patients, and/or family members, as necessary.Staff Development Functions:Participate in developing, planning, conducting, and scheduling in-service training classes that provide instructions on "how to do the job," ensure a well-educated nursing service department, and meet OSHA guidelines for required annual in-services.Conduct General and Nursing Departmental orientations for all new employees.Attend and participate in continuing education programs designed to keep you abreast of changes in your profession, as well as to maintain your license on a current status.Safety and Sanitation Functions:Ensure that an adequate supply of personal protective equipment is on hand and readily available to personnel who perform procedures that involve exposure to blood or body fluids.Ensure that personnel follow established procedures for the use and disposal of personal protective equipment, and established safety regulations in the use of equipment and supplies.Ensure that all nursing service personnel comply with established departmental policies and procedures.Ensure that nursing service work areas (i.e., nurses' stations, medicine preparation rooms, etc.) and patient care rooms, treatment areas, etc., are maintained in a clean and sanitary manner.Ensure that nursing service personnel follow established hand-sanitizing procedures.Ensure that nursing service personnel participate in and conduct all fire safety and disaster preparedness drills in a safe and professional manner.Participate in the implementation, and maintenance of the infection control program for monitoring communicable and/or infectious diseases among the patients and personnel.Ensure that nursing service personnel follow established infection control procedures when isolation precautions become necessary.Participate in the development, implementation and maintenance of the procedures for reporting hazardous conditions or equipment.Report missing/illegible labels and MSDSs to the safety officer or other designated person.Equipment and Supply Functions:Recommend to the Administrator the equipment and supply needs of the department.Ensure that an adequate stock level of medications, medical supplies, equipment, etc., is maintained on premises at all times to meet the needs of the patient, and that supplies are used efficiently to avoid waste.Ensure that only trained and authorized personnel operate the nursing service department's equipment, and that they do so in a safe manner.Ensure that appropriate MSDSs are on file for hazardous chemicals used in the nursing service department.Care Plan and Assessment Functions:Participate in the development of written preliminary and comprehensive assessments of the nursing needs of each patient that identifies the problems/needs of the patient, indicates the care to be given, goals to be accomplished, and which professional service is responsible for each element of care as necessary.Encourage the patient to participate in the