DIRECTOR OF NURSING

Slovene Home for the Aged is seeking an experienced and compassionate Director of Nursing (DON) to lead our nursing department and oversee the delivery of high-quality, resident-centered care in our skilled nursing facility.

The Director of Nursing will provide clinical, operational, and strategic leadership for the nursing department. This position is responsible for ensuring that residents receive safe, effective, compassionate, and individualized care while maintaining compliance with applicable Ohio Department of Health (ODH) requirements, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) regulations, facility policies, and professional nursing standards.

The ideal candidate is a strong clinical leader who understands the unique demands of skilled nursing and long-term care. The successful candidate will be comfortable balancing clinical priorities, staffing needs, regulatory requirements, quality initiatives, resident and family concerns, and the development of a high-performing nursing team.

This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced nursing leader who wants to make a meaningful impact on resident outcomes, staff engagement, clinical quality, and overall facility performance.

Key Responsibilities

Clinical Leadership

• Provide overall leadership, direction, and oversight for nursing services throughout the facility.
• Establish a culture of resident-centered care, clinical excellence, accountability, and teamwork.
• Ensure nursing care is delivered in accordance with current standards of practice, facility policies, resident preferences, and applicable regulatory requirements.
• Oversee the assessment, planning, implementation, and evaluation of nursing care.
• Ensure timely identification, assessment, intervention, documentation, and follow-up of changes in resident condition.
• Monitor the clinical status of residents and ensure appropriate communication with physicians, advanced practice providers, residents, and responsible parties.
• Promote effective management of high-risk residents and complex clinical conditions.
• Oversee clinical programs related to falls, wounds, pressure injuries, pain management, nutrition and hydration, dementia care, behavioral health, infection prevention, and rehospitalization reduction.
• Ensure appropriate coordination of care during hospital transfers, admissions, readmissions, and discharges.
• Conduct regular nursing rounds and maintain a visible leadership presence throughout the facility.
• Promote resident dignity, independence, safety, choice, and quality of life.

Nursing Department Management

• Direct and oversee the daily operations of the nursing department.
• Provide leadership to the Clinical Coordinator, Nurse Supervisors, RN/LPN staff, and Certified Nursing Assistants.
• Establish clear expectations for clinical performance, professionalism, communication, and accountability.
• Develop, implement, and monitor nursing policies, procedures, and clinical protocols.
• Conduct regular leadership meetings and communicate organizational priorities to nursing staff.
• Provide coaching, mentoring, and performance feedback to nursing leaders and employees.
• Address performance issues promptly and consistently in accordance with facility policies.
• Promote teamwork and positive relationships among nursing staff and other departments.
• Develop future nursing leaders through mentoring, education, delegation, and succession planning.

Workforce Management

• Develop nursing staffing plans with the Staff Coordinator that appropriately reflect resident census, acuity, care needs, regulatory requirements, and facility operations.
• Monitor staffing levels across all shifts and respond proactively to coverage concerns.
• Oversee nursing schedules, call-offs, overtime, agency utilization, and staffing-related expenses.
• Participate in onboarding and retention of nursing personnel.
• Develop strategies to reduce nursing turnover, absenteeism, overtime, and reliance on temporary staff.
• Ensure new employees receive appropriate orientation and competency-based training.
• Monitor staff competencies and ensure employees have the knowledge and skills necessary to safely perform their assigned duties.
• Work collaboratively with Human Resources and facility leadership to address employee relations and staffing challenges.
• Promote employee engagement and recognition.

Regulatory Compliance and Survey Readiness

• Maintain ongoing compliance with applicable federal and Ohio requirements governing skilled nursing facilities.
• Ensure nursing operations are prepared for Ohio Department of Health surveys, CMS surveys, complaint investigations, and other regulatory reviews.
• Maintain continuous survey readiness rather than relying solely on preparation immediately before a survey.
• Review survey findings and participate in the development, implementation, and monitoring of corrective action plans.
• Ensure timely and accurate completion of clinical documentation and required records.
• Monitor compliance with requirements related to resident rights, abuse prevention, medication management, infection control, quality of care, staffing, documentation, and clinical services.
• Keep current with changes to federal and Ohio nursing facility regulations and incorporate applicable changes into facility practices.
• Work closely with the Administrator, Assistant Administrator and interdisciplinary leadership to identify and mitigate regulatory risk.

Quality Assurance and Performance Improvement (QAPI)

• Provide nursing leadership for the facility's Quality Assurance and Performance Improvement program.
• Monitor key clinical and quality indicators and identify trends requiring intervention.
• Analyze data related to falls, pressure injuries, infections, rehospitalizations, medication errors, weight loss, accidents, wounds, and other adverse outcomes.
• Lead or participate in root-cause analyses following significant clinical events.
• Develop measurable improvement plans and establish timelines for corrective action.
• Monitor the effectiveness of interventions and adjust strategies when outcomes do not improve.
• Promote a culture in which staff are encouraged to identify problems and participate in sustainable solutions.
• Communicate quality outcomes and improvement initiatives to facility leadership and appropriate committees.

Infection Prevention and Control

• Ensure nursing staff comply with the facility's infection prevention and control policies and procedures.
• Collaborate with the Infection Preventionist and interdisciplinary team to monitor infection trends and implement preventive measures.
• Support appropriate infection surveillance, documentation, investigation, and reporting.
• Ensure appropriate use of personal protective equipment and adherence to standard and transmission-based precautions.
• Participate in outbreak response and emergency infection-control measures.
• Ensure nursing employees receive required infection prevention education and competency training.
• Promote hand hygiene, environmental safety, respiratory hygiene, and other infection prevention practices.

Medication Management

• Ensure safe medication administration practices throughout the nursing department.
• Monitor medication errors, adverse drug events, and medication-related trends.
• Collaborate with physicians, advanced practice providers, pharmacists, and nursing staff to promote appropriate medication management.
• Ensure appropriate medication reconciliation during admission, transfer, and discharge.
• Monitor compliance with medication administration policies and applicable regulatory requirements.
• Implement corrective action and education when medication-related concerns are identified.

Staff Education and Development

• Develop and oversee an effective nursing education and in-service program.
• Identify educational needs based on resident outcomes, regulatory findings, clinical trends, staff performance, and changes in standards of care.
• Ensure completion of required training and competency assessments.

Provide Ongoing Education Regarding

• Changes in resident condition
• Falls prevention
• Pressure injury prevention
• Infection prevention
• Dementia and behavioral care
• Medication safety
• Documentation
• Emergency procedures
• Abuse, neglect, and exploitation prevention
• Resident rights
• Person-centered care
• Clinical risk management
• Mentor charge nurses, unit managers, and emerging nursing leaders.
• Encourage continuing professional development and career advancement.

Resident and Family Relations

• Establish and maintain positive relationships with residents and their families.
• Respond promptly and professionally to clinical concerns and complaints.
• Participate in care conferences and interdisciplinary meetings as appropriate.
• Ensure residents and responsible parties receive appropriate communication regarding significant changes in condition and care plans.
• Promote resident choice and participation in decisions regarding care.
• Investigate clinical concerns and complaints and ensure appropriate follow-up.
• Maintain a culture in which residents and families feel heard, respected, and supported.

Interdisciplinary Collaboration

• Work closely with the Administrator, Assistant Administrator, Medical Director, physicians, advanced practice providers, rehabilitation team, social services, dietary services, activities, pharmacy, and other departments.
• Participate in interdisciplinary team meetings and care planning.
• Promote effective communication between nursing and other departments.
• Ensure clinical information is communicated accurately and timely across disciplines.
• Support facility-wide initiatives designed to improve resident outcomes and satisfaction.

Emergency Preparedness

• Participate in the development and implementation of emergency preparedness plans.
• Ensure nursing staff understand emergency procedures and resp