Position Summary

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Plans, develops, organizes, implements, evaluates and directs the nursing services department as well as its programs and activities in accordance with current rules, regulations and guidelines that govern the long-term care facility.
• Develops, maintains and periodically updates the Nursing Service Procedures Manual.
• Develops maintains and periodically updates written policies and procedures that govern the day to day functions of the nursing service department.
• Develops and periodically updates nursing service objectives and statements of philosophy.
• Develops methods for coordination of nursing services with other resident services to ensure the continuity of the residents’ total regiment of care.
• Develops, maintains and periodically updates written job descriptions for each level of nursing personnel.
• Performs administrative duties such as completing medical forms, reports, evaluations etc. as necessary.
• Maintains a reference library of written nursing material (i.e. PDR’s, federal and state regulations, etc.) that will assist the nursing services department in meeting the day to day needs of residents.
• Develops, implements and maintains an on-going quality assurance program for the nursing service department.
• Assists the administrator and discharge planning coordinator in developing, implementing and periodically updating the written procedures for the discharge planning program.
• Assists the discharge planning coordinator in planning the nursing services portion of the resident’s discharge plan.
• Participates in the survey made by the authorized government agencies.
• Develops and implements a nursing service organization structure.
• Makes written and oral reports/communications to the administration as necessary concerning the operation of the nursing services department.

• Serves on, participates in and attends various committees of the faculty (i.e. Infection Control, Policy Advisory, Pharmaceutical, Budget etc.) as required and as appointed by the administrator.
• Provides written and/or oral reports of the nursing service programs and activities as required or as may be directed by such committees.
• Assists the pharmaceutical services committee in developing, maintaining, implementing and periodically updating written policies and procedures for the administration, storage, and control of medications and supplies.
• Schedules, attends and participates in developing the agenda for the Care Plan committee meetings as necessary.
• Participates in regularly scheduled reviews of the discharge plans and makes the plans available to the Utilization Review Committee as required.
• Attends and participates in the Utilization Review Committee functions as is necessary.
• Evaluates and implements recommendations from established committees as they pertain to nursing services.

• Determines the staffing needs of the nursing services department to meet the total nursing needs of the residents.
• Recommends the number and level of nursing personnel to be employed.
• Assists the administrator and/or the personnel director in the recruitment and selection of nursing service personnel.
• Assigns a sufficient number of licensed practical and registered nurses for each tour of duty to ensure that quality care is maintained.
• Assigns a sufficient number of nursing assistants for each tour of duty to ensure that routine nursing care is provided to meet the daily nursing dare needs of each resident.
• Develops work assignments and schedules duty hours and/or assists nursing supervisory staff in completing and performing such tasks.
• Delegates to nursing service supervisory personnel the administrative authority, responsibility and accountability necessary to perform their assigned duties.
• Develops, maintains and periodically updates the written procedure for ensuring that professional nursing personnel (including contract nurses) have valid and current licenses as required by the state.
• Makes daily rounds of the nursing services department to ensure that all nursing service personnel are performing their work assignments in accordance with acceptable nursing standards.
• Monitors absenteeism to ensure that adequate numbers of nursing care personnel are on duty at all times.
• Reviews complaints and grievances made or filed by department personnel.
• Makes appropriate reports to the administrator as required or as many be necessary.
• Ensures that disciplinary action is administered fairly and without regard to race, color, creed, nationality, age, sex, religion, handicap or marital status.

• Participates in the interviewing and selection of residents for admission to the facility.
• Provides the administrator with information relative to the nursing needs of the resident and the nursing services department’s ability to meet those needs.
• Informs nursing service personnel of new admissions, the expected time of arrival, room assignments etc.
• Ensures that rooms are ready for new admissions.
• Greets newly admitted residents upon arrival and escorts them to room as necessary.
• Reviews nurses’ notes to ensure that they are informative and descriptive of the nursing care being provided and that they reflect the resident’s response to the care.
• Makes rounds with physician as necessary.
• Encourages attending physicians to record and sign progress notes, physicians’ orders, etc. in a timely basis and in accordance with current regulations.
• Schedules daily rounds to observe residents and to determine if nursing needs are being met.
• Monitors medication passes and treatment schedules to assure that medications are to be administered as ordered and that treatments are provided as scheduled.
• Provides direct nursing care as necessary.
• Authorizes the use of restraints when necessary and in accordance with our established policies and procedures.

• Develops and participates in the planning, conducting and scheduling of timely in-service training classes that provides instructions on “how to do the job” and ensures a well-educated nursing services department.
• Develops, implements and maintains an effective orientation program that orients the new employee to the facility, its policies and procedures and to his/her job position and duties.
• Provides leadership training that includes the administrative and supervisory principles essential for charge/staff nurses.
• Encourages the nursing supervisory staff to attend and participate in outside training programs and schedule times as necessary.
• Assists support services in develop9ng, implementing, and conducting in-service training programs that relate to the nursing services department.
• Attends and participates in continuing educational programs designed to keep the department abreast of changes in the profession as well as to maintain a current license.

• Assists the safety officer in developing safety standards for the nursing services department.
• Monitoring nursing service personnel to assure that they are following established safety regulations in the use of equipment and supplies.
• Ensures that nursing service work areas (i.e. nurses’ stations, medicine preparation rooms etc.) are maintained in a clean and sanitary manner.
• Ensures that all resident care rooms, treatment areas, etc. are maintained in a clean, safe and sanitary manner.
• Ensures that all nursing service personnel follow established department policies and procedures.
• Ensures that nursing service personnel participates in and conducts all fire safety and disaster preparedness drills in a safe and professional manner.
• Assists the Infection Control Committee in the development, implementation and revision of written aseptic and isolation techniques.
• Develops, implements and maintains a program for monitoring communicable and/or infectious disease among the residents and personnel.
• Ensures that nursing service personnel follow established infection control procedures when isolation precautions become necessary.
• Develops, implements and maintains a procedure for reporting hazardous conditions or equipment.

• Recommends to the administrator the equipment and supplies needed for the department.
• Assures that a stock level of medications, medical supplies, equipment, etc. is maintained on premises at all times to adequately meet the needs of the resident.
• Assists the maintenance director in developing a preventative maintenance program for maintaining the nursing department’s equipment and supplies in a safe and useable manner.
• Develops and implements procedures for the safe operation of all nursing service equipment.
• Ensures that only trained and authorized personnel operate the department’s equipment.
• Ensures that all personnel operates nursing service equipment in a safe manner.
• Develops and implements procedures that ensure nursing service supplies are used in an efficient manner to avoid waste.

• Develops preliminary and comprehensive assessments of the nursing needs of each resident.
• Develops a written plan of care (preliminary and comprehensive) for each resident that identifies the problems/needs of the resident, indicates the care to be given, goals to be accomplished, and which professional service is responsible for each element of care.
• In so far as practical, encourage the resident to participate in the development and review of his/her element of care.
• Assists in the scheduling of care plans and assessments to be presented and discussed at each meeting.
• Ensures that all personnel involved in providing care to the resident is aware of the care plan and that care plans are used in administering daily care to the resident.
• Reviews nurses’ notes to determine if the care plan is being followed.
• Reviews and revises care plans and assessments as necessary (at least quarterly).
• Develops and maintains a good rapport with all services involved with the care plan to ensure that a team effort is achieved in developing a comprehensive plan of care.

• Prepares and plans the nursing department’s budget and submits to the administrator for his/her review recommendations and/or approval.
• Keeps abreast of economic conditions/situations and recommends to the administrator adjustments in nursing services that ensure the continued ability to provide quality care.
• Recommends to the administrator the equipment needs of the nursing service department.

• Maintains the confidentiality of all resident care information.
• Monitors nursing care to assure that all residents are treated fairly and with kindness, dignity and respect.
• Ensures that all nursing care is provided in privacy and that nursing service personnel knocks before entering the resident’s room.
• Ensures that all nursing service personnel are knowledgeable of the residents’ rights.
• Reviews complains and grievances made by the resident and makes a written/oral report to the administrator indicating what action(s) were taken to resolve the complaint or grievance.
• Maintains a written record of the resident’s complaint and/or grievances that indicates the action taken to resolve the complaint and the current status of the complaint.

Minimum Qualifications (Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities)

• Must possess a valid and current RN license in this state.
• Must be able to write the English language in a legible and understandable manner.
• 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, governmental agencies/personnel and the general public.
• Must be a minimum of twenty-five (25) years of age.
• Must be knowledgeable of nursing and medical practices and procedures, as well as laws, regulations and guidelines that pertain to long-term care.
• Must possess leadership and supervisory ability and the willingness to work harmoniously with professional and non-professional personnel.
• Must possess the ability to plan, organize, develop, implement, and interpret the programs, goals, objectives, policies and procedures etc., that are necessary for providing quality care.
• Must have patience, tact, a cheerful disposition and enthusiasm as well as the willingness to handle difficult residents
• Must be willing to seek out new methods and principles and be willing to incorporate them into existing nursing practices.

Physical Demands and Work Environment

• Works in well-lighted and ventilated office area(s) as well as throughout the nursing service areas (i.e. drug rooms, nurses’ stations and resident rooms)
• Sits, stands, bends, lifts, and moves intermittently during work hours.
• Is subject to frequent interruptions.
• Is invoiced with residents, personnel, visitors, government agencies/personnel, etc. under all conditions and circumstances.
• Is subject to hostile and emotionally upset residents, family members, personnel and visitors.
• Communicates with the medical staff, nursing personnel and other department supervisors.
• Is willing to work beyond normal working hours and on weekends and holidays when necessary.
• Is involved in community/civic health matters/projects as appropriate.
• Amends and participates in continuing educational programs designed to keep everyone abreast of changes in the profession as well as maintain a current license.
• Is subject to falls, burns from equipment, odors, etc. throughout the work day.
• Is subject to exposure to infectious waste, diseases, conditions, etc.
• Maintains a liaison with the residents, their families, support departments, etc. to adequately plan for the resident’s needs.
• Follows dress code of logoed scrubs and closed-toed shoes.

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