Director of Nursing (DON) -- Home Health / Private Duty Nursing

Job Description

Job Description

Description:

Director of Nursing (DON) — Home Health / Private Duty Nursing

Location

Playa Del Rey, CA

Job Type

Full-Time, Exempt

Work Location

In Person

Salary Range

$130,000-$135,000 annually, depending on experience and qualifications

Reports To

Owner

Schedule

Full-time, exempt leadership position; includes scheduled leadership on-call/escalation rotation as needed

Supervises

RNs, LVNs, CNAs, Home Health Aides, caregivers, contractors, and assigned clinical staff

About Vitale Nursing, Inc.

Vitale Nursing, Inc. is a concierge-level home health and private duty nursing agency providing high-quality, patient-centered care to clients and families. We are seeking an experienced, operations-focused Director of Nursing who can serve as both our clinical leader and a key second-in-command to ownership.

This role requires more than strong clinical skills. The ideal candidate must be able to manage day-to-day clinical operations, staffing challenges, staff accountability, client concerns, quality assurance, and urgent after-hours issues during assigned leadership on-call/escalation periods without constant supervision.

Position Summary

The Director of Nursing is responsible for the overall leadership, supervision, coordination, quality, compliance, and delivery of clinical services provided by Vitale Nursing, Inc. This position oversees clinical operations, supervises nursing and caregiver staff, ensures regulatory compliance, manages client and family concerns, supports staffing coverage, and leads quality improvement initiatives.

The Director of Nursing must be a hands-on leader who is comfortable making independent decisions, solving problems under pressure, and ensuring continuity of care in a fast-paced home health and private duty nursing environment. The Director of Nursing must also meet applicable California home health agency leadership requirements, as applicable.

Primary ResponsibilitiesClinical Leadership

· Serve as the Director of Nursing and clinical leader for the agency.

· Supervise RNs, LVNs, CNAs, Home Health Aides, caregivers, contractors, and other assigned clinical staff.

· Oversee the delivery of safe, appropriate, and high-quality patient care.

· Review, approve, and oversee patient care plans and clinical documentation.

· Ensure care is provided according to physician orders, agency policies, professional standards, and applicable regulations.

· Conduct or oversee clinical competency assessments, orientation, training, and ongoing staff education.

· Provide clinical guidance and support to field staff, patients, families, and internal team members.

· Promote clinical excellence, patient safety, and compassionate care.

Compliance & Quality Assurance

· Maintain compliance with California home health regulations, Title 22, CDPH requirements, HIPAA, OSHA, infection control standards, and applicable agency policies.

· Maintain survey readiness and support regulatory inspections, audits, and accreditation activities.

· Conduct chart audits, documentation reviews, and quality assurance reviews.

· Investigate incidents, complaints, grievances, adverse events, and clinical concerns.

· Develop and implement corrective action plans when needed.

· Maintain, review, and update clinical policies, procedures, protocols, and standards.

· Oversee quality improvement initiatives to improve patient outcomes, staff performance, documentation quality, and service delivery.

· Promote a culture of compliance, accountability, professionalism, and continuous improvement.

Staff Leadership & Accountability

· Recruit, interview, onboard, train, mentor, supervise, and evaluate clinical staff.

· Conduct performance reviews and provide ongoing coaching and feedback.

· Set clear expectations for staff performance, professionalism, documentation, communication, and accountability.

· Manage disciplinary actions and performance improvement plans when necessary.

· Support staff retention through leadership, training, communication, and accountability.

· Ensure staff maintain required licenses, certifications, competencies, and continuing education.

· Partner with ownership and HR regarding hiring, corrective action, staff concerns, and personnel decisions.

· Lead by example and promote a professional, team-oriented culture.

Operational Leadership

· Manage daily clinical operations for home health, private duty nursing, concierge care, and related services.

· Oversee staffing needs, scheduling challenges, call-outs, coverage gaps, and urgent staffing issues.

· Ensure appropriate staff assignments based on patient needs, staff qualifications, scope of practice, competency, and availability.

· Work closely with scheduling, intake, case management, administrative staff, and ownership to ensure smooth operations.

· Identify operational problems and implement practical solutions.

· Make independent clinical and operational decisions when needed.

· Serve as a key leadership partner to ownership in managing day-to-day agency operations.

· Help protect continuity of care, service quality, client satisfaction, and the agency’s reputation.

Client Management

· Participate in client assessments, reassessments, and care planning as needed.

· Serve as a clinical and operational point of contact for clients and families.

· Resolve client concerns, complaints, service issues, and escalated situations professionally and promptly.

· Maintain high-touch concierge service standards.

· Support strong relationships with clients, families, physicians, referral sources, community partners, and contracted facilities.

· Ensure client rights, dignity, privacy, comfort, and preferences are respected.

· Promote excellent communication and service recovery when concerns arise.

After-Hours Clinical Leadership and On-Call Escalation

· Participate in a scheduled leadership on-call/escalation rotation for urgent clinical, staffing, client, regulatory, and operational matters outside regular business hours, including evenings, weekends, and holidays as needed.

· Serve as a designated clinical escalation contact during assigned on-call periods.

· Respond to urgent client situations, staffing emergencies, field staff concerns, and clinical issues as needed to protect patient safety and continuity of care.

· Provide guidance and decision-making support to nurses, caregivers, clients, and families during urgent or unexpected situations.

· Help ensure continuity of care during call-outs, service disruptions, and after-hours issues.

· Make timely leadership decisions to protect patient safety, client satisfaction, regulatory compliance, and agency operations.

Requirements:

Required Qualifications

· Active, unrestricted Registered Nurse license in the State of California.

· Current CPR/BLS certification.

· Valid driver’s license and reliable transportation.

· Current TB clearance.

· Must meet applicable California home health agency Director of Nursing / Director of Patient Care Services leadership qualification requirements, as applicable.

· 5+ years of nursing leadership experience.

· Minimum 2 years of supervisory or management experience in a healthcare setting.

· Home care, home health, hospice, private duty nursing, or related community-based healthcare experience.

· Experience supervising and managing clinical staff, caregivers, or contractors.

· Strong understanding of patient care coordination, clinical documentation, quality assurance, and regulatory compliance.

· Ability to manage staffing challenges, client concerns, employee accountability, and urgent operational issues.

· Strong communication, leadership, problem-solving, and conflict-resolution skills.

· Ability to make sound independent decisions under pressure.

· Ability to work in person and travel as needed for patient visits, staff supervision, facility visits, audits, or regulatory matters.

· Proficiency with electronic medical records, Microsoft Office, Outlook, Google Docs, and related platforms.

· Experience with AlayaCare and CareAcademy preferred.

Preferred Qualifications

· Bachelor of Science in Nursing or bachelor’s degree in a health-related field.

· Master’s degree in Nursing, Healthcare Administration, Business Administration, or related field.

· Concierge healthcare, private-pay healthcare, or private duty nursing experience.

· Startup or growth-stage healthcare organization experience.

· Experience scaling clinical operations, staffing systems, or care delivery programs.

· Experience with specialty pharmacy support services, infusion therapy, complex care coordination, or multidisciplinary care teams.

· Experience preparing for or leading regulatory surveys, audits, inspections, accreditation reviews, and corrective action plans.

· Familiarity with accreditation organizations such as the Joint Commission, ACHC, or URAC.

Required Leadership Expectations

The successful candidate must be able to:

· Function as both a clinical leader and an operations-focused second-in-command.

· Manage staff accountability, performance concerns, and difficult conversations.

· Handle staffing emergencies, client concerns, and urgent operational issues.

· Participate in the scheduled leadership on-call/escalation rotation and respond to urgent clinical, staffing, client, regulatory, or operational matters during assigned periods.

· Make independent decisions without constant supervision.

· Maintain professionalism and composure in high-pressure situations.

· Lead with accountability, urgency, compassion, and sound judgment.

Schedule Expectations

This is a full-time, exempt leadership position. Regular business hours are generally Monday through Friday; however, the Director of Nursing must have flexibility to respond to urgent clinical, staffing, client, regulatory, or operational needs outside regular business hours. The position includes participation in a scheduled leadership on-call/escalation rotation, including evenings, weekends, and holidays as needed.

Physical and Travel Requirements

Must be able to sit, stand, walk, bend, reach, and perform duties associated with office, field-based, and clinical leadership responsibilities. Must be able to occasionally lift, carry, push, or pull up to 25 pounds. Must be able to visit patient homes, clinical settings, and community locations as needed. May occasionally assist with patient mobility, transfers, or urgent patient-care situations in accordance with safety protocols, proper body mechanics, and available assistance or equipment. Reasonable accommodations may be made in accordance with applicable law.

Benefits

Eligible full-time employees may receive:

· 401(k)

· Health insurance

· Dental insurance

· Vision insurance

· Paid vacation after one year of employment

Work Environment

This position is performed in person and may include work in the office, patient homes, contracted facilities, healthcare facilities, and community settings. The Director of Nursing may be required to respond to urgent clinical, staffing, client, regulatory, or operational matters during assigned leadership on-call/escalation periods to ensure quality, safety, and continuity of care.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

Vitale Nursing, Inc. is an equal opportunity employer. Employment decisions are based on qualifications, merit, business needs, and compliance with applicable employment laws. Vitale Nursing, Inc. does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other protected status under applicable law.