Director of Nursing DON

Overview
The Director of Nursing plays a pivotal role in overseeing the nursing staff and ensuring the delivery of high-quality patient care. This leadership position requires a deep understanding of nursing practices, regulatory compliance, and effective management strategies. The Director will be responsible for fostering a collaborative environment that promotes professional development and enhances patient outcomes across various care settings, including acute care, home health, and hospice care.

Duties

• Plans, directs, coordinates and monitors the delivery of all direct and indirect services to Agency home care clients.
• Participates in the organization's strategic planning activities. Assists in the planning and development of Agency structure, clinical and administrative policies and procedures, and the annual operating and capital budgets.
• Develops and reviews organizational policy, procedures and assures compliance.
• Establishes and implements systems to inform clients and their families of the scope and nature of home health care services and community resources.
• Maintains liaison relationship with attending physicians.
• Identifies admission criteria for new clients and evaluates eligibility for home health care benefits through third-party payers. Provides clients and families with information about covered services as well as those services requiring private pay.
• Conducts monthly review of records to ensure continuing home health care client’s eligibility for covered services.
• Implements and evaluates the orientation program for new Agency personnel.
• Provides direction and resources to coordinators and supervisors to assist in continuous improvement of services provided by Agency staff.
• Assists supervisors in managing clinical teams and planning.
• Evaluates the performance of clinical supervisors and assists them in developing skills and techniques to evaluate performance of staff that report to them.
• Plans and implements in-service and continuing education programs to meet specific and ongoing training needs of Agency personnel.
• Assures clinical records are maintained in compliance with state and federal laws.
• Oversees data collection for quality management, statistics and reports for evaluating Agency performance.
• Participates in developing and administering Agency budget.
• Participates in hiring, evaluating, and terminating Agency personnel.
• Maintains adequate and appropriate inventory supplies and equipment for providing services to Agency clients.
• Establishes and implements priorities for services within the limitations of available resources.
• Evaluates Agency client base and focuses services toward diagnosis-specific client care needs, when indicated.
• Identifies systems to recognize client needs, respond to client needs, and to measure the outcomes of Agency interventions. Utilizes this data to provide direction for Agency improvements.
• Seeks consultant expertise as needed to ensure Agency strength.
• Establishes Quality Improvement teams to address priorities for improvement activities.
• Identifies data collection requirements and reports to evaluate the effectiveness of programs to ensure quality of client care.
• Must be willing to take nursing and administrative call as needed.
• Must be willing to make patient visits if needed.
• Performs other related duties and responsibilities as deemed necessary. Lead and manage nursing operations to ensure compliance with healthcare regulations and standards.

Skills

• Strong knowledge of physiology to understand patient needs and treatment options.
• Proven experience in nurse management to lead teams effectively.
• Proficiency in medical terminology for clear communication within healthcare settings.
• Experience in acute care environments to address complex patient conditions.
• Familiarity with home care practices to support patients in their residences.
• Expertise in nursing administration to navigate healthcare systems efficiently.
• Effective shift management skills to optimize staffing and resources.
• Knowledge of medical records management for compliance with healthcare regulations.
• Experience in home health services to provide comprehensive patient support.
• Understanding of hospice care principles to ensure compassionate end-of-life services.

This role is essential for maintaining high standards of nursing practice while fostering an environment conducive to professional growth and exceptional patient care.