Position Purpose:

Directs the licensed and non-licensed staff who provide health care and nursing services to residents of this facility on a 24-hour, 7 day per week basis. 

Summary of Duties:

• Under the direction of the facility Administrator, The Director of Nursing Services’ primary responsibility is to ensure the provision of quality nursing care on a 24-hour basis to the elders of this facility in accordance with Federal, State and Local standards and regulations.
• The Director of Nursing is responsible for the recruitment and hiring of both licensed and non-licensed nursing personnel.
• This position monitors the job performance of the nursing staff, monitors Nursing Department performance evaluations, completes performance evaluations of Assistant Director of Nursing Services, Restorative Care Coordinator, Care Plan Coordinator, Medical Records Clerk, Nurse Supervisors, all Nursing Direct Care Partners and recommends employee promotions and terminations to the Nursing Home Administrator.
• The Director of Nursing Services monitors the staffing levels of various nursing sections; and as necessary, directs staff rotations and reschedules personnel to meet increased or decreased nursing service demands.
• The Director of Nursing Services develops nursing service objectives, policies and procedures and directs the implementation of these objectives.
• The incumbent continuously monitors Federal and State guidelines and requirements and revises Departmental procedures accordingly.
• This position recommends in-service educational programs geared to the specialized needs of geriatric patients.
• This position also monitors on-going staff development programs for all nursing personnel.
• The Director of Nursing Services functions as a liaison between the elders, their families, staff and the general public – responding to inquiries and providing information on nursing care and services, and may screen prospective elders to assure that staff has the ability to provide the care needed.
• The Director of Nursing Services assures that there is compliance with the regulations pertaining to care plans and elder assessments.
• The Director of Nursing Services monitors the quality of care provided to elders with dementia and assists in the assessment process for admission to and exit from the unit.
• This position also monitors the success of the Restorative Care Program in providing restorative nursing that maximizes each elder’s existing abilities.
• This position collaborates with the contract therapy company to enhance the quality of care for the elders.
• This position assists with the preparation of the Departmental annual budget and maintains the operating budgets for personnel and medical equipment and makes budget recommendations as to the purchase of such equipment.
• The Director of Nursing Services is responsible for overseeing and implementing infection control, pharmaceutical and physical/chemical restraining policies and procedures, and assures that committee recommendations are carried out.
• The effectiveness of this position will be measured by the facility successfully fulfilling Kansas Department of Aging and Disability Services licensure/certification requirements, reaching stated goals of elder, family and staff satisfaction levels, and maximizing reimbursement rates.

Position Challenges

• The major challenge of this position is the recruitment and retention of qualified licensed and non-licensed personnel.
  • The Director of Nursing Services is faced with recurrent employee turnover while striving to provide continuity of care and maintain employee morale and motivation levels.
  • The most complex problem the Director of Nursing Services faces is the provision of quality nursing services to the geriatric elders with fluctuating staffing levels and availability.
  • Other challenges encountered include monitoring changes in Federal and Kansas regulations and implementing revised nursing policies and procedures; and completing increased paperwork demands.

Supervision:

The Director of Nursing is under the direct supervision of the facility’s Administrator.

Qualifications and Position Requirements:

The desired minimum requirements necessary to effectively perform position responsibilities include graduation from an accredited School of Nursing; three years of responsible nursing experience, preferably in a long-term care facility; excellent management skills or an acceptable equivalent combination of education and experience, and the ability to communicate in English both orally and in writing, to complete required Nursing Department documentation, and respect for the principles of resident rights, confidentiality, EEO and ADA.

Other Training, Skills and Experience Recommendations:

Computer skills, knowledge of medical terminology, dementia training.  Employee must demonstrate on an ongoing basis the ability to develop and maintain good working relationships with co-workers and other departments.

Essential Functions (with or without reasonable accommodations):

The duties and responsibilities included under the essential functions listing have been determined by management to be essential to the successful performance of this position.  However, this listing may not be inclusive of all the duties and responsibilities that may be required.  The omission or exclusion of duties and responsibilities from this description does not infer that the designated employee will not be required to perform additional job-specific duties if the work is similar, related or becomes an essential function of this position.

• Develops and implements nursing service objectives, policies and procedures to maintain quality nursing care in the facility.
• Determines staffing levels and monitors for adequacy in provision of nursing care.
• Oversees administrative functions in Nursing Department.
• Recommends and collaborates in in-service education programs to promote staff development.
• Monitors the quality and type of care provided on all residential units, and the elder outcomes influenced by restorative care programming
• Ensure that the Nursing Service Procedures Manual is current and reflects the day-to-day nursing procedures performed in this facility
• In the absence of the Nursing Home Administrator, the Director of Nursing Services is responsible for the overall operations of the facility
• In the absence of the Director of Nursing, the Assistant Director of Nursing is responsible for the job responsibilities of the Director of Nursing

Physical and Emotional Requirements:

The employee must be able:

• To move intermittently throughout the work day
• See, hear or use prosthetic devices to enable use of the senses adequately
• Assist with the evacuation of elders if necessary
• Sits, bend, stoop, for extended periods of time
• Dexterity of hands and fingers to operate equipment
• Speak English language in an understandable manner
• Able to cope with mental and emotional stress of position
• Function independently and have flexibility, personal integrity, and ability to work effectively with elders, family members, personnel and support agencies
• Be in good general health and demonstrate emotional stability
• Able to relate to and work with ill, disabled, emotionally upset and at times, hostile people within the facility
• Sits, stand, bend, stoop lifts & moves for extended periods of time
• Dexterity of hands and fingers to operate equipment
• Subject to frequent interruptions
• Involved with elders, personnel, visitors, government agencies/personnel under all conditions and circumstances
• Subject to hostile and emotionally upset elders, family members, personnel and visitors
• Communicates with medical staff, nursing personnel and other department supervisors
• Works beyond normal working hours and in other positions temporarily when necessary
• Ability to lift, move, push or pull a minimum of fifty (50) pounds

Work Environment:

• The primary work environment is throughout the facility and at times the work is stressful
• The employee may be exposed to blood, body fluids, infectious diseases and air contaminants
• The employee may be subject to work call-back during times of facility emergency or disaster preparedness functions
• This is an extremely sedentary position where the employee is required to sit for prolonged periods of time
• Employee is able to sit and stand as tolerated
• Employee must be organized and detail-oriented
• Employee may be requested to perform other duties or tasks that are not listed, but are within the competence and training of the individual

Summary of Occupational Exposures:

Bloodborne Pathogens:

Tasks and procedures performed by employee involve risks classified by CDC as: Category III (Task/activity does not entail predictable or unpredictable exposure to blood.)

Specific Task Exposure:

• General Elder Care: Blood, urine, feces, vomitus, wound exudates, semen/vaginal secretions other body fluids-cerebrospinal, synovial, pleural, peritoneal, pericardial
• Handling soiled linens and clothing: Blood, urine, feces, vomitus, wound exudates, semen/vaginal secretions, other body fluids-cerebrospinal, synovial, pleural, peritoneal, pericardial
• Cleaning elder rooms and common areas-Blood, urine, feces, vomitus, wound exudates, semen/vaginal secretions
• Refer to Exposure Control Plan for additional information

Confidentiality of Information:

• The employee in this position may not disclose any record (via any media format, known or unknown
• May not disclose any elder or facility information, any system log-in codes or password assigned or permit any unauthorized access to elder/resident or facility information without express written consent of the facility management

Fair Labor Standards Act:

This facility’s compensation for this position exceeds the mandates of the Fair Labor Standards Act and as such this position is exempt from overtime coverage

Position Acknowledgement:

By accepting this position, the employee agrees to perform the tasks outlined in this job description, as well as other tasks that may become necessary to the position.  Failure to perform the duties in a safe and professional manner and in accordance with the facility established policies and procedures may result in disciplinary action including termination of employment.  The employee will receive a copy of this job description and a signed copy will be placed in the employee’s personnel employment file.