Director of Nursing (DON) - Traverse Care Center

TITLE: Director of Nursing (DON)

REPORTS TO: Administrator

Job Summary:  The Director of Nursing (DON) manages all functions within the Nursing Department including resident cares, nursing staff and training.  He/She promotes nursing services that help residents maintain integrity, self-esteem and identity. The DON has frequent contact with various members of all Traverse Care Center Departments. He/She also has frequent contact with residents and family, and various members of the medicalcommunity, those providing care to the resident, and professional colleagues.  The DON oversees all nursing staff.

Qualifications: The Director of Nursing must be currently licensed as a Registered Nurse in the State of Minnesota.  Three years of management and geriatric and rehabilitation nursing experience is preferred.  He/She must have a thorough knowledge of MDS processes and excellent clinical skills. The DON must possess strong management, organizational, communication and analytical skills.  The DON must have an ability to lead and work effectively with residents and families, coworkers, and staff who collectively possess a variety of personalities and backgrounds.  The DON must have a solid understanding of federal and state regulations and guidelines affecting nursing home care.  He/She must have strong computer skills.  The Director of Nursing is also required to have an ability to read, write and speak English, and complete and pass a state required background study form which checks for certain criminal convictions or serious/recurring maltreatment.

General Responsibilities:

• Responsible for the overall quality of care provided within the facility
• Coordinate the effort of a variety of internal and external resident care services and disciplines to meet the needs of the resident
• Participate in quality assurance meetings
• Ensure effective utilization of all resources
• Initiate studies to evaluate effectiveness of nursing services in relation to their objectives and costs
• Identify trends and setting standards through benchmarking targets
• Coordinate various surveys initiated by the Department of Health (annual survey, case mix audit, quality of life audit and any OHFC survey)
• Initiate investigations regarding Vulnerable Adult issues and appropriate reporting of any such events
• Organize and direct the nursing services department
• Establish the Nursing Services Department to provide resident care and maintain accurate nursing care records
• Organize and manage departmental functions, recommending equipment purchases, and establishing departmental norms and routines
• Manage the medical treatment and related services executed by nursing personnel
• Keep the Administrator informed on an on-going basis of departmental activities and problems and recommended solutions
• Develop and maintain policies, practices, and procedures
• Coordinate and establish and/or delegates policy development for resident care plans, standards of practice, and departmental policies and procedures
• Responsible for learning, understanding, and implementing legal and regulatory mandates as it affects residents, their care and staff
• Must have excellent knowledge of and ensure licensed staff follows all Medicare and Medicaid guidelines
• Foresee, establish, and/or communicates changes to policies and procedures to meet internal or external demands
• Develop and manage nursing department staffing
• Maintain sufficient nursing department staffing levels as required by state and federal guidelines
• Selection, training, performance, evaluation, and discipline of the nursing department staff
• Provide excellent leadership and visioning to the nursing department staff
• Motivate staff to provide the best possible care
• Recognize staff for their contributions
• Implement and evaluate programs that promote the recruitment and retention of nursing staff
• Offer continuing education programs for nursing staff
• Establish and implement methods for evaluation and feedback of nursing care and techniques
• Participatein planning, decision making and budgeting for nursing care and assists in special projects as needed
• Meet with residents and families to address concerns, issues, ideas or problems
• Represent and promote Minnewaska Lutheran Home to individuals and groups within the community
• Participate in and assists with resident evacuation procedures in case of fire, disaster or other occurrences requiring the resident be moved or evacuated
• Seek, recommend, and/or implement new methods and means of providing quality service and continuous improvement
• Follow and abide by the HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) privacy policy as administered by Minnewaska Lutheran Home
• Other duties as assigned

In keeping with federal, state and local laws, Minnewaska Community Health Services policy forbids employees and associates from discriminating against anyone based on race, religion, color, creed, gender, age, marital status, national origin, sexual orientation, status with regard to public assistance, veteran status, familial status, disability or any other characteristic protected by law. Minnewaska Community Health Services is committed to establishing and maintaining a workplace free of discrimination. We are fully committed to equal employment opportunity. We will not tolerate unlawful discrimination in the recruitment, hiring, termination, promotion, salary treatment or any other condition of employment or career advancement. Minnewaska Community Health Services also provides reasonable accommodations to disabled employees and applicants as required by law.