The primary purpose of this job position is to assist the Director of Nursing in planning, organizing, developing and directing the overall operation of the Nursing Department in accordance with current federal, state, and local standards, guidelines, and regulations that govern a long-term care facility, and as may be directed by the Director of Nursing, Administrator, and the Medical Director, to ensure that the highest degree of quality care is maintained at all times.

Assist the Director of Nursing in determining the staffing needs of the nursing department.

Assist the Director of Nursing in recruitment and selection of nursing personnel.

Ensure all nursing assistants are enrolled in or have graduated from an approved nursing assistant training program.

Develop work assignments and schedule duty hours, and/or assist nursing supervisory staff in completing and performing such tasks.

Delegate to the Charge Nurses and Nurse Supervisors the administrative authority, responsibility, and accountability necessary to perform their assigned duties.

Make daily rounds of the nursing service department to ensure that all nursing service personnel are performing their work assignments in accordance with acceptable nursing standards. Report findings to the Director.

Provide the Director with information relative to the nursing needs of the resident and to the nursing service department’s ability to meet those needs.

Review nurses’ notes to ensure that they are informative and descriptive of the nursing care being provided, that they reflect the resident’s response to the care, and that such care is provided in accordance with the resident’s wishes.

Monitor medication passes and treatment schedules to ensure that medications are being administered as ordered and that treatments are provided as scheduled.

Participate in facility surveys (inspections) made by authorized government agencies as necessary or as may be directed.

Assist the Quality Assessment & Assurance Committee in developing and implementing appropriate plans of action to correct identified deficiencies.