The Director of Nursing is responsible for the administration and delivery of nursing services for the Skilled Nursing and Assisted Living departments. The Director directs, plans, and coordinators the activities of professional nursing and auxiliary nursing personnel in rendering resident care. The Director oversees administrative functions such as staffing, record keeping, and budgeting. The Director is responsible for maintaining high standards of care and quality..
Responsible to the governing body/licensed administrator for:
1) The overall coordination and execution of nursing services and
2) Monitoring and evaluating the outcomes of nursing care.
B. Providing nursing oversight. The Director of Nursing should:
1. Oversee all staff who provide nursing care to the facility’s residents;
2. Establish rules governing the conduct of nursing staff; and,
3. Ensure that all nursing staff are held accountable for the care they deliver to residents.
C. Defining the scope of nursing services. The Director of Nursing should work with the LNHA to develop written policies and procedures which are approved by the governing body / licensed administrator, related to the scope of nursing services and nursing care that should be provided to a facility’s residents / patients, upon and after admission.
D. Ensuring nursing accountability. The Director of Nursing should implement and enforce policies and procedures that cover essential nursing responsibilities to the residents and the facility including:
1. Accepting responsibility for the care of residents;
2. Supporting resident / patient discharges and transfers; and
3. Providing adequate ongoing nursing coverage;
4. Providing appropriate, timely and pertinent documentation.
E. Care quality assessment and improvement. The Director of Nursing should participate actively in the facility’s quality improvement process. Such participation should include:
1. Regular attendance at, and reporting to, the facility’s quality improvement committee meetings; and
2. Routine participation in ongoing facility efforts to improve the overall quality of the nursing care, including facility efforts to evaluate and address the causes of various care-related problems and deficiencies.
3. Regular monitoring of the Quality Measures and collaborating with the MDS Coordinator and ADON on reviewing these measures for possible interventions.
F. Clinical. The Director of Nursing ensures that nursing practice in the facility reflects the following nursing skills:
1. Skill in resident assessment, critical thinking and nursing interventions;
2. Oversight of the interdisciplinary care planning process to include initial planning (on admission to the unit); interim planning (to include clinical status changes); and the required Resident Assessment Instrument (RAI);
3. Evaluation of whether the nursing care facility can meet each resident / patient’s needs, which includes the potential new admission to the facility, a current resident of the facility, or the transfer of a resident from the facility.
G. Administration. The Director of Nursing should:
1. Develop and implement an organized nursing system for the delivery of care and services which may include but is not limited to:
a. Coordination of nursing services with other services and departments; i.e. pharmacy, dietary, housekeeping, laundry, activities, social services, accounting, maintenance, medical records, medical services, etc;
b. Work with other management personnel to facilitate delivery of nursing services and other services.
2. Utilize the expertise of other departments and services to address nursing issues in facilitating delivery of resident services;
3. Develop the nursing budget for the nursing department to include but not limited to:
a. Hours of care per day per patient;
b. Staffing mix to deliver hours of care;
c. Necessary supplies and technological resources.
4. Direct nursing preparation for review and response to federal, state and local surveys and inspections.
H. Management and Nursing Oversight: The Director of Nursing should:
1. Ensure that nursing practice complies with regulatory and legislative requirements;
2. Help develop and implement immunization programs for patients and staff;
3. Conduct clinical rounds on all nursing units;
4. Promote, establish, and maintain customer relationships with residents, families, staff, community and other professionals;
5. Identify and access available resources to develop and implement an ongoing educational plan appropriate for each level of nursing staff;
Applicable Experience:
3-5 yearsBasic Life Support - American Heart Association or Red Cross, Registered Nurse - VariousBachelor's DegreeJob DetailsFull TimeDay (United States of America)The best place to get care. The best place to give care. Saint Luke’s 12,000 employees strive toward that vision every day. Our employees are proud to work for the only faith-based, nonprofit, locally owned health system in Kansas City. Joining Saint Luke’s means joining a team of exceptional professionals who strive for excellence in patient care. Do the best work of your career within a highly diverse and inclusive workspace where all voices matter.
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