Assistant Director of Nursing

Job Details: Salary Range: Undisclosed, Support the Director of Nursing in planning, developing, organizing, directing and evaluating services and activities of the Nursing Department.

Work harmoniously with other departments and disciplines to meet facility goals while ensuring a holistic and rehabilitative approach in assisting each Resident to attain maximal independence.

Accept supervisory responsibility of the Nursing Department in the absence of the Director of Nursing  Unencumbered, active RN or LPN licensure in the state of permanent residence (must be from a state within the Nurse Licensure Compact).  Advanced education and/or experience in nursing management/administration (one-year experience recommended).  Sincere desire to work with elders and others who have a limited capacity for self-care.  Mental and physical capacity to perform the essential job functions with or without reasonable accommodations.  Work with and provide care to individuals of a wide range of personality types and maturity levels.  Demonstrate creative initiative and mature judgment in making competent decisions.  Consistently maintain courteous, empathetic, and professional attitude.  Communicate and comprehend orally and in writing to effectively receive and share information as necessary to perform job duties.  Transportation accessible to enable flexibility of work schedule.  Knowledge of computer applications relating to job.  Will provide ongoing staff development functions, regular and mandatory in-service training for all staff members.  Conduct monthly Consultant Compliance internal self-audits of Quality Indicators using designed audit tools.  Implement standards of care, policies and procedures.  Determine what individual needs can be accomplished at this facility.  Provide comfortable, clean, orderly and safe environment for Residents by making daily rounds to observe environment and obtaining feedback.  Ensure clinical competency of employees.  Ensure that the total nursing needs of Residents are met by assuring that a sufficient number of professional and para-professional nursing personnel are scheduled on duty on a daily basis.  Promote preservation of dignity, individuality and independence by adhering to current policy defining Residents’ Rights.  Ascertain that Residents, employees, and families have awareness of established rights.  Ensure that appropriate restorative/rehabilitative aspects of care are included in interdisciplinary care plan.  Maintain professional relationship with each physician.  Provide physician with information necessary to ensure timely response.  Assure that significant changes in Residents’ health status are reported expediently.  Assist physician with examination and treatment as needed.  Ascertain that physician is aware of necessary signatures on clinical records.  Assure adherence to medical direction from physician.  Confirm accurate transcription of physicians’ orders on a regular basis.  Assure adherence to doctors’ medical plan of care (or when not followed, documentation and notification is accurate, initiating an incident form and forwarding to the Director of Nursing).  Assure updated physicians’ orders, progress notes, MARs, date of physician visits, re-certification dates and re-admission evaluations.  Ascertain that the Executive Director and/or Director of Nursing are aware of any complaints involving the facility.  Prepare and submit reports within established deadlines.  Establish and maintain standards for Resident care.  Participate in committees that impact Resident care.  Effectively utilize personnel process to interview, hire, orientate, discipline and terminate personnel.  Know and comply with all applicable federal and state statutes, rules and regulations.  Provide regular and mandatory educational opportunities for staff.  Maintain records of employee attendance, work performance and educational accomplishments.  Ascertain accuracy and completeness of nursing payroll reports prior to submission to Human Resources Department for processing.  Ascertain that clinical records documentation is orderly, accurate, current, and informative and that Residents’ responses are consistently noted.  Enforce approved policies and procedures.  Participate in Quality Assurance reviews.  Regular attendance, interaction with employees, and provide important and valuable service for the facility’s Residents is an integral requirement for this position to accomplish the work.

In order to accomplish this, it is imperative for the person filling this position to be present and accessible to staff, Residents and Residents’ family members during normal business hours, and as needed for emergencies, unless a business related matter require the employee to be off the premises.

It is anticipated that this position cannot be completed within 40 hours per week.  Resident preferences are followed when providing care and service (i. e. meal times, treatment times, type & time of bathing, sleep & wake times).  Maintain Resident privacy, values and right for decision making.  Legally and safely operate automotive equipment.  Adhere to and comply with any applicable facility insurance guidelines to enable coverage under the policy.  Immediately notify supervisor and Executive Director for any injury, illness, or if develop a condition, that might impact the aptitude to perform job functions.

Ancillary Duties and Responsibilities  Perform duties in compliance with established policies and procedures.  Participate constructively in problem-solving process.  Include other departments in planning changes that may affect interdepartmental functioning and relationships.  Maintain professional courtesy at all times.  Provide constructive feedback to each employee during appraisal process.  Assure implementation of effective employee health program.  Assist in maintaining Safety program, which includes chemical hazards awareness.  Assist in maintaining current PPDs or other health reports.  Assure implementation of fire and disaster protocol during drills or actual events.  Ascertain employee knowledge and use of proper body mechanics.  Enforce infection control policies and procedures.  Provide sufficient supplies or equipment for optimal work performance.  Involved in completing budgetary process.  Make recommendations to Director of Nursing regarding necessary equipment, supplies and personnel to accomplish quality care.  Adhere to budgeted amounts.  Can set priorities for budgeted items.  Plan for acquisition and storage of needed supplies and equipment.  Exert reasonable control over the department’s inventory.  Route needs requests properly through chain of command.  Grant special requests after taking into consideration Residents’ needs and geography of facility.  Assure that schedule reflects consistent staffing pattern for optimal Resident care.  Maintain assignments within scope of established job performance standards and orientation.  Serve as role model in work setting.  Demonstrate competent and mature coping mechanisms.  Demonstrate progressive attitude regarding implementation of change and adaptation to current healthcare trends.  Reflect professional attitude/appearance at all times.  Demonstrate supportive attitude toward Supervisor and Facility Consultants.  Assist employees to meet educational requirements as outlined in regulations.  Assure that educational programs are available on a regular basis to meet minimum requirements.  Ascertain that records reflect employee participation in educational programs.  Conduct ongoing nursing staff development needs.  Conduct and/or assist with facility and department orientation.  Conduct and/or assist with mandatory in-service programs.  Report maintenance needs to Executive Director and appropriate department for corrective action.  Assure a reasonable effort is made to inform Resident and responsible party about physician visits and that they have an opportunity to interact with physician during the visit.  Assist in ensuring effective orientation of all new employees in accordance with the orientation manual.  Evaluate each prospective Resident prior to admission.  Determine feasibility of Resident’s needs in relation to available resources for care.  Require necessary reports prior to accepting new Resident.  Forward significant information to Supervisor in a timely manner.  Keep current list of Residents and conditions and reports to the Executive Director.  Maintain current comprehensive holistic care plan with clearly defined objectives.  May be required to represent facility in the absence of Executive Director and/or Director of Nursing.  Maintain current professional awareness by attending workshops, seminars, conferences and etc. as necessary to keep current.  Read current professional literature regarding Long-Term Care.  Attend professional organization meetings or networks through other agencies.  Promote positive public relations.  Maintain a good working relationship with other agencies and disciplines.  Respond promptly to any deficiencies noted by regulatory agencies.  Respond tactfully to public comments.  Project positive image when representing facility in community activities.  Establish annual objectives.  Establish objectives and personal goals for self-fulfillment.  Achieve a minimum of two (2) objectives in twelve months.  Remain open to constructive feedback from peers and supervisors.  Perform other reasonable duties within the scope of training, education or experience that may be assigned from time to time by the Director of Nursing.

Resident Rights  Maintain the confidentiality of all Resident care information including protected health information. Report known or suspected incidents of unauthorized disclosure of such information.  Ensure that the Resident’s rights to fair and equitable treatment, sel