Director of Nursing (DON)

Examples of Duties Performed:

• Directs, evaluates, and supervises patient care and initiates corrective action as necessary.
• Assesses patient care needs and the development of individualized plans of patient care.
• Assesses patient needs and making recommendations for special rehabilitation programs.
• Evaluates patient care as related to individualized patient needs, family involvement and the physician's plan of care for the patient
• Maintains effective lines of communication with attending physicians.
• Monitors physician services (documentation and visits etc.) in accordance with current regulations.
• Maintains knowledge of documentation procedures including appropriate use of forms, timelines, and Medicare documentation etc.
• Maintains a working knowledge of current licensure standards and the survey process.
• Conducts or provides that patient care conferences are conducted.
• Assesses patient responses to medication and treatment, and makes appropriate recommendations for nursing action to be implemented.
• Provides that medications, treatments, diets, rehabilitation and restorative care is provided to patients in accordance with physician’s orders and the patient’s individual needs.
• Reports problems to the Administrator, conducts daily patient rounds, and initiates corrective action as necessary.
• Directs and provides implementation of educational programs, quality assurance program and infection control program.
• Establishes open lines of communication with consultants and consistently takes follow up action on recommendations.
• Consistently makes recommendations of level of care determinations, based on physician’s documentation and plan of care.
• Coordinates the care planning/MDS process and committee meetings as necessary.
• Assesses equipment and supply needs and makes recommendations to Administrator.
• Establishes an annual budget for submission to the governing body for approval.
• Provides for the purchase and availability of all necessary supplies.
• Required to participate in the planning and implementation of the nursing service budget.
• Develops relationships with community agencies providing services of benefit to the nursing center.
• Communicates well with patients and family members providing warm and friendly greeting and an approachable attitude to family/visitors/patients/ and responds to expressed concerns while displaying a helpful, caring demeanor, answers questions when appropriate in a professional manner.
• Operates the nursing department in accordance with the organization’s established guidelines, and in compliance with federal, state, and local regulations.
• Demonstrates appropriate/effective supervisory skills that include fair and uniformly applied corrective actions administered without regard to race, color, creed, national origin, age, sex, religion, handicap or marital status.
Attends and participates in continuing educational programs to keep abreast of changes in your field as well as to maintain current license/certification, as required.