Assistant Director of Nursing

Assistant Director Of Nursing

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

Essential duties and responsibilities include:

• Assisting the Director of Nursing in planning, developing, organizing, implementing, evaluating, and directing the day-to-day functions of the nursing department, in accordance with current rules, regulations, and guidelines that govern the long-term care facility.
• Participating in developing, maintaining, and updating our written policies and procedures that govern the day-to-day functions of the nursing department.
• Ensuring that reference material maintained at the nurse's station is current. Recommending to the Director written material that will assist the nursing department in meeting the day-to-day needs of residents.
• Developing and periodically updating nursing service objectives and statements of philosophy.
• Assisting in developing and implementing a nursing organization structure. Making written and oral recommendations to the Director as necessary/required, concerning the operation of the nursing department.
• Assisting in developing methods for coordinating nursing services with other resident services to ensure the continuity of the residents' total regimen of care.
• Ensuring that all nursing personnel are following their respective job descriptions. Participating in the development, maintaining, and periodically updating the written job descriptions for each level of nursing personnel in accordance with pertinent laws and regulations.
• Participating in facility surveys (inspections) made by authorized government agencies as requested by the Administrator or Director of Nursing.
• Assisting the resident and Discharge Planning Coordinator in planning the nursing portion of the resident's discharge plan.
• Performing administrative duties such as completing medical forms, reports, evaluations, studies, charting, etc.
• Monitoring the facility's QI, QM and survey reports and providing the Director with recommendations that will be helpful in eliminating problem areas.
• Assisting the Director in obtaining staffing information that must be posted on a daily basis.
• Agreeing not to disclose resident's protected health information and promptly reporting suspected or known violations of such disclosure to Administrator.
• Serving on the Quality Assurance and Assessment Committee as directed.
• Scheduling, attending, and participating in developing the agenda for the Care Plan Team Meetings as required.
• Assisting the Director in determining the staffing needs of the nursing department. Recommending to the Director the number and level of nursing personnel to be employed. Assisting the Director in the recruitment and selection of nursing personnel.
• Ensuring that a sufficient number of licensed practical and/or registered nurses are available for each shift to ensure that quality care is maintained.
• Ensuring that a sufficient number of Certified Nursing Assistants are available for each shift to ensure that routing nursing care is provided to meet the daily nursing care needs of each resident. Also ensuring that all nursing assistants are enrolled in or have graduated from an approved nursing assistants program.
• Developing work assignments and schedule duty hours, and/or assisting nursing supervisory staff in completing and performing such tasks.
• Delegating to the Charge Nurse and Nurse Supervisors the administrative authority, responsibility, and accountability necessary to perform their assigned duties.
• Assisting the Director in preparing performance evaluations as directed.
• Making daily rounds of the nursing department to ensure that all nursing personnel are performing their work assignments in accordance with acceptable nursing standards. Reporting findings to Director.
• Reviewing complaints and grievances made or filed by department personnel. Making appropriate reports to Director as required or as may be necessary.
• Ensuring that departmental disciplinary action is administered fairly and without regard to race, color, creed, national origin, age, sex, religion, handicap, or marital status.
• Interpreting the department's policies and procedures to personnel, residents, visitors and government agencies as necessary.
• Ensuring that all nursing personnel participate in the facility's TB testing program.
• Participating in the interviewing and selection of residents for admission to the facility.
• Informing nursing personnel of new admissions, their expected time of arrival, room assignment, etc. Ensuring that rooms are ready for new admissions. Greeting newly admitted residents upon admission. Escorting them to their rooms as necessary.
• Reviewing nurse's 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.
• Scheduling daily rounds to observe residents and to determine if nursing needs are being met.
• Monitoring medication passes and treatment schedules to ensure that medications are being administered as ordered and that treatments are provided as scheduled. Reporting medication errors to the Director.
• Providing direct nursing care as necessary.
• Reporting problem areas to Director. Assisting in developing and implementing corrective action.
• Participating in developing, planning, conducting, and scheduling in-service training that provide instructions on "how to do the job" and ensure a well-educated nursing department.
• Participating in the mandatory new hire orientation.
• Assisting Director in scheduling annual mandatory in-service training for staff. (OSHA, HIPAA, Abuse Prevention, Infection Control, etc.)
• Assisting the Safety Officer in developing safety standards for the nursing department.
• Assisting the Director of Nursing in identifying, evaluating, and classifying routine and job-related functions to ensure that tasks in which there is potential exposure to blood/body fluids are properly identified and recorded.
• Ensuring that nursing personnel work areas (nurse's station, medication rooms, etc.) are maintained in a clean and sanitary manner.
• Ensuring all resident care rooms, treatment areas, etc., are maintained in a clean, safe and sanitary manner.
• Ensuring that all nursing personnel participate in and conduct all fire safety and disaster preparedness drill in a safe and professional manner.
• Ensuring that an adequate stock level of medications, medical supplies, equipment, etc., is maintained on premises at all times to adequately meet the needs of the residents.
• Assisting the Maintenance Director in developing a preventive maintenance program for maintaining the nursing department's equipment and supplies in a safe and operable manner.
• Ensuring that only trained and authorized personnel operate the department's equipment in a safe manner.
• Participating in the development of written preliminary and comprehensive assessments of the nursing needs of each resident. Assisting the MDS/CPC in planning, scheduling, and revising the MDS, including the implementation of RAPs and Triggers.
• Encouraging the resident and his/her family to participate in the development and review of the resident's plan of care.
• Being sure that staff members are providing care that reflects the wishes of the resident.
• Maintaining confidentiality of all resident care information including protected health information. Reporting known or suspected incidents of unauthorized disclosure of such information.
• Ensuring all nursing personnel are knowledgeable of the residents' responsibilities and rights include the right to refuse treatment.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Qualifications:

• Must possess, as a minimum, a Nursing Degree from an accredited college or university.
• Registered Nurse with current unencumbered state license.
• Must have, as a minimum, 2 years of experience as a supervisor in a hospital, nursing care facility, or other related health care facility.
• Must have, as a minimum of 6 months experience in rehabilitative and restorative nursing practices.
• Current CPR Certification is required.
• Must be able to read, write, speak and understand the English language.
• Must be a supportive team member, contribute to and be an example of team work and team concept.
• Must possess the ability to make independent decisions when circumstances warrant such action.
• Must possess the ability to deal tactfully with personnel, residents, family members, visitors, government agencies/personnel, and general public.
• Must be knowledgeable of nursing and medical practices and procedures, as well as laws, regulations, and guidelines that pertain to nursing care facilities.
• Must have patience, tact, a cheerful disposition and enthusiasm, as well as at the willingness to handle difficult residents.
• Must be able to relate information concerning a resident's condition.

Physical demands: