Director of Nursing

Company: Summit LTC
Location: La Grange
Posted on: May 15, 2022

Job Description:

Description:
POSITION SUMMARY We are looking for an experience Director of Nursing to become a part of our facility's compassionate care-giving team. The successful candidate will be responsible for managing all aspects of nursing responsibilities for the facility. We're looking for a highly competent and well-organized professional who values safety, security and patient wellness above all else. We focus on providing the best care possible while ensuring patient satisfaction in every interaction. The Director of Nursing is responsible for making sure those values are reflected in his or her staff at all times. ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES include the following. Other duties may be assigned.

• Direct the day-to-day functions of the nursing staff in accordance with current rules, regulations, and guidelines that govern the long-term care facility.
• Assumes full responsibility for the operation and management of the facility in the temporary absence of the Facility Administrator or as directed by the Administrator.
• Ensure that all nursing personnel assigned to you comply with the written policies and procedures established by this facility.
• Periodically review the department's policies, procedure manuals, job descriptions, etc. Make recommendations for revisions.
• Meet with your assigned nursing staff, as well as support personnel, in planning the shifts' services, programs, and activities.
• Ensure that the nursing service personnel comply with the company policies and procedures.
• Make written and oral reports/recommendations concerning the activities of your shift as required.
• Cooperate with other resident services when coordinating nursing services to ensure that the resident's total regimen of care is maintained.
• Ensure that all nursing service personnel are in compliance with their respective job descriptions.
• Participate in surveys (inspections) made by authorized government agencies as may be requested.
• Periodically review the resident's written discharge plan. Participate in the updating of the resident's written discharge plan as required.
• Plan the nursing services portion of the resident's discharge plan as necessary.
• Interpret the department's policies and procedures to personnel, residents, visitors, and government agencies as required.
• Admit, transfer, and discharge residents as required per policies and procedures.
• Complete accident/incident reports as necessary per policies and procedures.
• Perform administrative duties such as completing medical forms, reports, evaluations, studies, charting, etc., as necessary.
• Complete and file required recordkeeping forms/charts upon the resident's admission, transfer, and/or discharge.
• Encourage attending physicians to review treatment plans, record and sign their orders, progress notes, etc., in accordance with established policies.
• Receive telephone orders from physicians and record on the Physicians' Order Form.
• Transcribe physician's orders to resident charts, medication cards, treatment/care plans, as required.
• Chart nurses' notes in an informative and descriptive manner that reflects the care provided to the resident, as well as the resident's response to care.
• Record new/changed diet orders. Forward information to the Dietary Department.
• Report all discrepancies noted concerning physician's orders, diet change, charting error, etc.
• Ensure that appropriate documentation concerning unauthorized discharges is entered in the resident's medical record in accordance with established procedures.
• Perform routine charting duties as required and in accordance with established charting and documentation policies and procedures.
• Sign and date all entries made in the resident's medical record.
• Ensure that an adequate supply of floor stock medications, supplies, and equipment is on hand to meet the nursing needs of the residents.
• Order prescribed medications, supplies, and equipment as necessary, and in accordance with established policies.
• Ensure that narcotic records are accurate and report all drug and narcotic discrepancies.
• Review medication cards for completeness of information, accuracy in the transcription of the physician's order, and adherence to stop order policies.
• Notify the attending physician of automatic stop orders prior to the last dosage being administered.
• Dispose of drugs and narcotics as required, and in accordance with established procedures.
• Participate in employee performance evaluations, determining your shift's staffing requirements, and making recommendations concerning employee dismissals, transfers, etc.
• Review and evaluate your department's work force and make.
• Develop work assignments and/or assist in completing and performing such assignments.
• Provide leadership to nursing personnel assigned.
• Make daily rounds of your unit/shift to ensure that nursing service personnel are performing their work assignments in accordance with acceptable nursing standards.
• Meet with your shift's nursing personnel, on a regularly scheduled basis, to assist in identifying and correcting problem areas, and/or to improve services.
• Ensure that department personnel, residents, and visitors follow the department's established policies and procedures at all times.
• Develop and maintain a good working rapport with inter-departmental personnel, as well as other departments within the facility to ensure that nursing services and activities can be adequately maintained to meet the needs of the residents.
• Create and maintain an atmosphere of warmth, personal interest and positive emphasis, as well as a calm environment throughout the unit and shift.
• Turn in complaints and grievances to Social Services Director.
• Ensure that disciplinary action is administered fairly and without regard to race, color, creed, national origin, age, sex, religion, handicap, or marital status.
• Receive/give the nursing report upon reporting in and ending shift duty hours.
• Inform appropriate personnel of new admissions, their expected time of arrival, room assignment, etc.
• Ensure that rooms are ready for new admissions.
• Greet newly admitted residents upon admission. Escort them to their rooms as necessary.
• Participate in the orientation of new residents/family members to the facility.
• Make rounds with physicians as necessary.
• Requisition and arrange for diagnostic and therapeutic services, as ordered by the physician, and in accordance with our established procedures.
• Consult with the resident's physician in providing the resident's care, treatment, rehabilitation, etc., as necessary.
• Review the resident's chart for specific treatments, medication orders, diets, etc., as necessary.
• Make periodic checks to ensure that prescribed treatments are being properly administered by certified nursing assistants and to evaluate the resident's physical and emotional status.
• Ensure that direct nursing care be provided by a licensed nurse, a certified nursing assistant, and/or a nurse aide trainee qualified to perform the procedure.
• Cooperate with and coordinate social and activity programs with nursing service schedules.
• Notify the resident's attending physician and next-of-kin when there is a change in the resident's condition/death.
• Carry out restorative and rehabilitative programs, to include self-help and care.
• Inspect the nursing service treatment areas daily to ensure that they are maintained in a clean and safe manner.
• Administer professional services such as; catheterization, tube feedings, suction, applying and changing dressings/bandages, packs, colostomy, and drainage bags, glueometers, giving massages and range of motion exercises, care for the dead/dying, etc.
• Obtain sputum, urine and other specimens for lab tests as ordered.
• Take and record TPRs, blood pressures, etc., as necessary.
• Monitor seriously ill residents as necessary.
• Ensure that personnel providing direct care to residents are providing such care in accordance with the resident's care plan and wishes.
• Ensure that residents who are unable to call for help are checked frequently.
• Meet with residents, and/or family members, as necessary.
• Assist in arranging transportation for discharged residents as necessary.
• Ensure that discharged residents are escorted to the pick-up area.
• Call funeral homes when requested by the family. Ensure that established post-mortem procedures are followed.
• Standardizing the methods in which work will be accomplished.
• Training department personnel in identifying tasks that involve potential exposure to blood/body fluids.
• Monitor your assigned personnel to ensure that they are following established safety regulations in the use of equipment and supplies.
• Ensure that established departmental policies and procedures, including dress codes, are followed by your assigned nursing personnel.
• Identifying, evaluating, and classifying routine and job-related functions to ensure that tasks in which there is potential exposure to blood/body fluids are properly identified and recorded.
• Ensure that an adequate supply of personal protective equipment are on hand and are readily available to personnel who perform procedures that involve exposure to blood or body fluids.
• Ensure that your assigned work areas (i.e., nurse's stations, medicine preparation rooms, etc.) are maintained in a clean and sanitary manner.
• Ensure that your unit's resident care rooms, treatment areas, etc., are maintained in a clean, safe, and sanitary manner.
• Ensure that your assigned personnel follow established hand-washing techniques in the administering of nursing care procedures.
• Ensure that your assigned personnel participate in and conduct all fire safety and disaster preparedness drills in a safe and professional manner.
• Participate in the development, implementation, and maintenance of the infection control program for monitoring communicable and/or infectious diseases among the residents and personnel.
• Ensure that your assigned personnel follow established infection control procedures when isolation precautions become necessary.
• Ensure that nursing personnel follow established procedures in the use and disposal of personal protective equipment.
• Participate in the development, implementation and maintenance of the procedures for reporting hazardous conditions or equipment.
• Ensure that all personnel wear and/or use safety equipment and supplies (e.g., back brace, lifter, etc.) when lifting or moving residents.
• Ensure that an adequate stock level of medications, medical supplies, equipment, etc., is maintained on your unit/shift at all times to meet the needs of the residents.
• Participate in the development and implementation of the procedures for the safe operation of all nursing service equipment.
• Ensure that only trained and authorized personnel operate your unit/shift's equipment.
• Ensure that all personnel operate nursing service equipment in a safe manner.
• Monitor nursing procedures to ensure that nursing service supplies are used in an efficient manner to avoid waste.
• Review care plans daily to ensure that appropriate care is being rendered.
• Ensure that your nurses' notes reflect that the care plan is being followed when administering nursing care or treatment.
• Review resident care plans for appropriate resident goals, problems, approaches, and revisions based on nursing needs.
• Ensure that your assigned certified nursing assistants (CNAs) are aware of the resident care plans. Ensure that the CNAs refer to the resident's care plan prior to administering daily care to the resident.
• Maintain the confidentiality of all resident care information.
• Monitor nursing care to ensure that all residents are treated fairly, and with kindness, dignity, and respect.
• Ensure that all nursing care is provided in privacy and that nursing service personnel knock before entering the resident's room.
• Ensure that all nursing service personnel are knowledgeable of the residents' responsibilities and rights including the right to refuse treatment.
• Review complaints and grievances made by the resident and make a written/oral report indicating what action(s) were taken to resolve the complaint or grievance.
• Follow the facility's established procedures.
• Report and investigate all allegations of resident abuse and/or misappropriation of resident property.
• Ensure that nursing staff personnel honor the resident's refusal of treatment request. Ensure that such requests are in accordance with the facility's policies governing advance directives.
• Communicates changes in the Nurse Practice Act to nursing personnel.
• Communicates violation of the Nurse Practice Act to the State Board of Nurse Examiners.
• Must attend Care Plan meetings as scheduled for residents. PM21 .
  
  Requirements:
  QUALIFICATIONS To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE High school diploma or relevant qualification.
  • Must possess, as a minimum, a Nursing Degree from an accredited college or university, or be a graduate of an approved RN program.
  • Possession of a current valid Texas driver's license or regular means of transportation to and from work.
  • Three (3) years of experience as a Director of Nursing in a skilled rehabilitation, skilled nursing or Long-Term Care (LTC) environment preferred.
  • Experience with electronic medical records preferred. KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES
    • Must be capable of operating a personal computer to enter resident data as required by regulation and facility policy.
    • Ability to read and comprehend simple instructions, short correspondence, and memos.
    • Ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out instructions furnished in written, oral, or diagram form.
    • Ability to communicate orally and in written form effectively with all levels of employees, patients, families, and vendors.
    • Ability to present information in one-on-one and small group situations to employees, patients, families, and vendors.
    • Must be knowledgeable of nursing and medical practices and procedures, as well as laws, regulations, and guidelines that pertain to long-term care.
    • Good understanding of medical and pharmacological terminology.
    • Ability to add and subtract two digit numbers and to multiply and divide with 10's and 100's. Ability to perform these operations using weight measurement, volume, and distance.
    • Excellent problem solving/analysis/judgment skills and high level of attention to detail and accuracy
    • Builds and maintains cooperative working relationships
    • Must possess leadership and supervisory ability and the willingness to work harmoniously with professional and non-professional personnel.
    • Establish and maintain effective working relationships with clients, supervisors, County employees, elected officials, law enforcement, other agencies, and the public.
    • Resourceful, dependable and accountable
    • Able to work a flexible schedule including evenings, weekends, and holidays. CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS Must possess a current and active license to practice as an RN in this state. PHYSICAL DEMANDS/ WORK ENVIRONMENT The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. Physical Requirements:
      • Work requires physical activity including extended periods of walking and standing with occasional climbing, reaching, carrying, balancing, kneeling, crouching and bending.
      • Must have the ability to frequently lift and/or carry equipment, files, and other materials weighing up to 50 pounds as well as push/pull up to 50 pounds of force with grip strength of 65 pounds.
      • Ability to transfer, and reposition a resident to or from a bed, wheelchair, and use a mechanical lift, toilet, tub, shower, occasionally varying degrees of pushing, pulling and lifting due to the differences in resident weights.
      • Must be able to assist in the evacuation of residents during emergency situations.
      • Must be able to continuously perform simple manipulative dexterity tasks such as the equipment listed above as well as safety pin buckles and tie strings. Occasionally perform difficult manipulative tasks.
      • Must be able to detect the smell of smoke, spoiled food, soiled linen, etc.
      • The employee must be able to continuously hear normal sounds and voice patterns with some background noise. Must have adequate verbal instructions. Must be able to hear audible emergency signals, alarms, call, light indicators and to be able to answer the phone.
      • Specific vision abilities required by this job include: Must be able to continuously notice a change in the resident (breathing, color, skin breakdown, etc.) Ability to focus and read a thermometer.
      • Visual abilities, correctable to normal ranges, include close, distance and color vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus. The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those employee encounters while performing functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. Work Environment:
        • Work is performed indoors in a health care facility.
        • Work is performed during assigned shift; however, hours will occasionally include varied days, hours, holidays, weekends, and overtime as needed.
        • The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate, but can occasionally be loud. Subject to frequent interruptions.
        • Incumbents in this position may be exposed to infectious/communicable diseases, blood borne pathogens, and potential risk of injury from distraught individuals.
        • Frequent exposure to chemical compounds of medication and treatments.
        • Frequent exposure to microbial bacteria and other infectious agents inherent to care of ill residents.
        • Continuous exposure to latex, Tyvex, plastic and/or materials which are used for personal protective equipment.
        • May be required to wear a face mask, gown, or gloves.
        • Stress of working with sick residents and their families, combined with the resident who may be confused, irrational, highly agitate mood swings. (Frequently)
        • Subject to involvement with personnel, visitors, state and federal agency personnel and residents. Summit LTC is an equal opportunity employer. All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran or disability status. PI175584045

Keywords: Summit LTC, Austin , Director of Nursing, Executive , La Grange, Texas