Accountability Objective:

The primary purpose of your job is to provide nursing care to the residents, and to supervise the day-to-day nursing activities performed by nursing assistants. Such supervision must be in accordance with current federal, state, and local standards, guidelines, and regulations that govern our facility, and as may be required by the Director of Nursing Services, Resident Care Manager or Nurse Supervisor to ensure that the highest degree of quality care is maintained at all times.

Qualifications:

Must be at least 18 years of age.
Must be a graduate of an accredited school of nursing and licensed as a RN or LPN in the state the facility is located.
Must possess the skills to perform techniques and practices of a licensed nurse.
Must have knowledge of and interest in the care of the geriatric resident.

Delegation of Authority:

As Charge Nurse you are delegated the administrative authority, responsibility, and accountability for carrying out your assigned duties.

Skills Required:

Problem Solving: Identifies and resolves problems in a timely manner, gathering and processing information to develop alternative solutions both alone and with groups.

Customer Service: Manages difficult or emotional resident, family member, and employee situations, responding promptly to their request for service and assistance, while soliciting feedback to improve service insuring that commitments are met.

Interpersonal: Focuses on solving conflict and not blaming. Maintains confidentiality. Listens to others without interrupting and keeps emotions under control. Remains open to others’ ideas and try new things.

Oral Communication: Speaks clearly and respectfully in positive or negative situations. Listens carefully and gets clarification. Responds well to questions

Team Work: Balances team and individual responsibilities, exhibiting objectivity and openness to others’ views. Contributes to building a positive team spirit.

Planning and Time Utilization: Consistently plans/coordinates work to achieve maximum and efficient productivity without sacrificing quality, accuracy and customer service. Meets deadlines in completing job assignments and special projects.

Written Skills: Writes clearly and informatively and is able to read and interpret written information

Computer Skills: Basic

Performance Requirements:

Carries out duties in accordance with the facility mission and philosophy.
Demonstrates knowledge of and respect for the rights, dignity and individuality of each resident in all interactions.
Appreciates the importance of maintaining confidentiality of resident and facility/employee information.
Demonstrate honesty and integrity at all times in the care and use of resident and facility property.
Knowledge of emergency and disaster procedures of facility.
Demonstrates respect for coworkers and responds to needs of residents by complying with facility policies on attendance and punctuality and dress code. Able to arrive and begin work on time and to report for duty as scheduled on all shifts, weekends and holidays.
Able to interact effectively with individuals who are cognitively impaired and/ or physically impaired.
Working knowledge and ability to comply with facility policies and procedures for workplace safety including infection control procedures, application of universal precautions for blood borne pathogens, use of personal protective equipment and handling hazardous materials.
Able to carry out essential functions of this job (with or without reasonable accommodations) without posing specific, current risk of substantial harm to health and safety of self and others.
Maintain confidentiality of all resident care information.
Monitor all care and activities of residents to ensure that residents are treated fairly, and with kindness, dignity, and respect.
Report any complaints or grievances made by residents regarding nursing or medical care to the Director of Nursing.

Physical, Psychological Demands:

Must be able to cope with mental and emotional stress of the position. Examples of these stresses include, but not limited to: shift rotation, weekend and holiday duty, unusual or impaired behavior by residents, family reactions to having a loved one in the nursing home, death and dying, oversight of state surveyors, ombudsman and federal officials, presence of consultants and attorneys, and variable involvement of medical staff.

Must be able to work with the ill, disabled, elderly, emotionally upset, and at times hostile people within the facility.

Essential functions are carried out in a variety of positions including standing and sitting, or pursing a resident attempting to leave the facility. To meet residents' needs, virtually all positions require the ability to move freely through the building and, in some cases, in adjacent courtyards or parking lots. Stooping, bending, lifting, carrying and running, as well as other physical demands may be required as described.

Ability to effectively communicate with physicians and other employees.

Must function independently, have flexibility, personal integrity, and the ability to work effectively with personnel.

Able to respond to change productively and to handle additional tasks/projects as assigned.

Must be able to move intermittently throughout the workday.

Must be able to speak and write the English language in an understandable manner.

Must be able to push, pull, move and/or lift a minimum of 50 lbs. (with or without the aide of a mechanical device)

Must be able to push, pull, move, a minimum of 100lbs. (with or without the aide of a mechanical device)

Job Duties: 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 duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related, or is an essential function of the position.

Direct the day-to-day functions of the nursing assistants in accordance with current rules, regulations, and guidelines that govern the long-term care facility.
Ensure that all nursing personnel assigned to you comply with the written policies and procedures established by this facility.
Periodically review the department’s policies, procedure manuals, job description, etc.
Meet with your assigned nursing staff as well as support personnel, in planning the shifts’ services, programs, and activities.
Make written and oral reports/recommendations concerning the activities of your shift as required.
Cooperate with other resident services when coordination nursing services to ensure that the resident’s total regimen of care is maintained.
Participate in the development, 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 may be requested.
Assist in participation in the nursing services portion of the resident’s discharge plan as necessary.
Admit, transfer and discharge residents as required.
Complete accident/incident reports as necessary
Maintain the daily census report and submit to the Business Office as required.
Perform administrative duties such as completing medical forms, reports, evaluation studies, charting, etc., as necessary
Agree not to disclose resident’s protected health information and promptly report suspected or known violations of such disclosure to the Director of Nursing or Administrator.
Report any known or suspected unauthorized attempt to access facility’s information system.

Charting and Documentation:

Complete and file required record keeping forms/charts upon the residents' admission, transfer, and /or discharge.
Encourage attending physicians to review treatment plans, record and sign their orders, progress notes, etc., in accordance with established procedures.
Receive telephone orders from the physician and record on the Physicians' Order From.
Transcribe physician's orders to resident charts, cardex, medication cards, treatment/care plans, as required.
Chart nurses' notes in an informative and descriptive manner that reflects the care provided to the resident, as well as the resident's response to the care.
Fill out and complete accident/incident reports. Submit to the Director of Nursing and/or Quality Assurance Nurse.
Chart all reports of accidents/incidents involving residents. Follow established procedure.
Record new/changed diet orders. Forward information to the Food Service Department.
Perform routine charting duties as required in accordance with established charting and documentation policies and procedures.
Sign and date all entries made in the resident's medical record.

Drug and Administration Functions:

Prepare and administer medications ordered by the physician.
Verify the identity of the resident before administering the medication/treatment.
Ensure that an adequate supply of floor stock medications, supplies, and equipment is on hand to meet the nursing needs of the residents. Report needs to the Nurse Supervisor.
Order prescribed medications, supplies, and equipment, as necessary, and in accordance with established policies.
Ensure that narcotic records are accurate for your shift.
Notify the Nurse Supervisor of all drug and narcotic discrepancies noted on your shift.
Review medication cards/MARS for completeness of information, accuracy in the transcription of the physician's order, and adherence to stop order polices.
Notify the attending physician of automatic stop orders prior to the last dosage being administered.
Dispose of drugs and narcotics as required, and in accordance with established procedures.

Personnel Functions:

Participate in determining your shift's staffing requirements, making recommendations to the Nurse Supervisor employee dismissals, transfers, etc.

Inform the Nurse Supervisor of staffing needs when assigned personnel fail to report to work.

Report absentee call-ins to the Nurse Supervisor or designee.
Develop work assignments and/or assist in completing and performing such assignments.
Provide leadership to nursing personnel assigned to your unit/shift.
Make rounds of your unit/shift to ensure that nursing service personnel are performing their work assignment in accordance with acceptable nursing standards. Report problem areas to the Nurse Supervisor.
Meet with your shift's personnel, on a regular basis, to assist in identifying and correcting problem areas, and and/or to improve services.

Develop and maintain a good working rapport with inter-departmental personnel, as well as other departments departments within the facility to ensure that nursing services and activities can be adequately maintained to to meet the needs of the residents.

Review complaints and grievances made or filed by your assigned personnel. Make appropriate reports to the Nurse Supervisor or Social Service as required. Follow facility's established procedures.

Create and maintain an atmosphere of warmth, personal interest and positive emphasis, as well as a environment calm environment throughout the unit and shift.
Ensure that disciplinary action is administered fairly and without regard to race, color, creed, national origin, age, sex, religion, handicap, or marital status.
Report occupational exposures to blood, body fluids, infectious materials, hazardous chemicals in accordance with the facility's policies and procedures.
Report known or suspected incidents of fraud to the administrator.
Report known or suspected abuse to the Nurse Supervisor and/or Director of Nursing Service.

Nursing Care functions:

Inform nursing personnel of new admissions, their expected time of arrival, room assignment, etc.

Ensure that rooms are ready for admission.

Greet newly admitted residents upon admission. Escort them to their rooms as necessary.

Participate in the orientation of new residents/family members to the facility.

Make rounds with physicians as necessary.

Requisition and arrange for diagnostic and therapeutic services, as ordered by the physician, and in accordance accordance with our established procedures.

Consult with the resident's physician in providing the resident's care, treatment, rehabilitation, etc., as necessary.

Review the resident's chart for specific treatments, medication orders, diets, etc., as necessary.

Implement and maintain established nursing objectives and standards.

Make periodic checks to ensure the prescribed treatments are being properly administered by certified nursing nursing assistants and to evaluate the resident's physical and emotional status.

Ensure that direct nursing care can be provided by a licensed nurse, a certified nursing assistant, and/or a nurse aide trainee qualified to perform the procedure.

Cooperate with and coordinate social and activity programs with nursing schedules.

Notify the resident's attending physician and sponsor when the resident is involved in an accident or incident.
Notify the resident's attending physician and sponsor when there is a change in the resident's condition.
Carry out restorative and rehabilitative programs, to include self-help and care.
Inspect the nursing service treatment areas daily to ensure that they are maintained in a clean and safe manner.
Administer professional services such as : catherization, tube feeding, suction, applying and changing dressings/bandages, packs, colostomy, and drainage bags, taking blood, giving massages and range of motion exercises, care for the dead /dying, etc., as required.
Obtain sputum, urine and other specimens for lab tests as ordered.
Take and record TPRs. Blood pressure, etc., as necessary.
Monitor seriously ill residents as necessary.
Check foods brought to the facility by the resident's family/visitors to ensure that it is within the resident's dietary allowances. Report problems areas to the Nurse Supervisor and Dietary supervisor.
Use restraints when necessary and in accordance with established policies and procedures.
Ensure that personnel providing direct care to residents are providing such care in accordance with the resident's care plan and wishes.
Ensure that residents who are unable to call for help are checked frequently.
Meet with residents, and/or family members, as necessary. Report problem areas to the Nurse supervisor.
Admit, transfer and discharge as necessary.
Assist in arranging transportation for discharged residents as necessary.
Inform family members of the death of the resident.
Call funeral homes when requested by the family. Ensure that established post-mortem procedures are followed.

Staff Development:

Assist the Director of Nursing in planning clinical supervision for nurse aide trainees.
Attend and participate in facility in-service programs as scheduled (e.g. OSHA, TB, HIPPA, Abuse Prevention, Safety, Infection control, etc.)
Attend and participate in advance directive in-service training programs for the staff and community.
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.
Assist in conducting and scheduling in-service training classes that provide instruction on "how to do the job" and ensure a well-educated nursing service department.

Safety and Sanitation:

Ensure that established departmental policies and procedures, including dress codes, are followed by your assigned nursing personnel.
Monitor your assigned personnel to ensure that they are following established safety regulations for the use of equipment and supplies.
Assist the Infection control Nurse in identifying, evaluating, and classifying routine and job-related functions to ensure that tasks in which there are potential exposures to blood/body fluids are properly identified and recorded. Ensure that your assigned personnel follow established procedures in the use and disposal of personal protective equipment.
Ensure that all personnel wear and/or use safety equipment and supplies (e.g., mechanical lifts.) when lifting or moving residents.
Review care plans to ensure that appropriate care is being rendered.
Inform the Nurse supervisor of any changes that need to be made on the care plan.
Ensure that your nurses' notes reflect that the care plan is being followed when administering nursing care or treatments.
Attend care plan meetings when required.
Review the care plans for appropriate resident goals, problems, approaches, and revisions based on nursing needs.
Assist the Resident Assessment/Care Plan Coordinator in planning, scheduling, and revising the NMS, including the implementation of the plan.

Universal Precautions Risk Classification Categories:

Tasks may involve exposure to blood and/or body fluids
Tasks do not involve contact with blood and/or body fluids, but could result in performing category one tasks.
Tasks do not involve any risk of exposure to blood or body fluids.

* The classification for this description is a Category 1.