RN
Duties and Responsibilities
Administrative Functions
- Assist the Director of Nursing Services in directing the day-to-day functions of the nursing activities in accordance with current rules, regulations, and guidelines that govern the long-term care facility.
- Participate in developing, maintaining, and updating written policies and procedures that govern the day-to-day functions of the nursing service department.
- Ensure that reference material (i.e., PDR'S, Federal and State Regulations, etc.) maintained at the nurses' stations is current. Recommend written material that will assist the nursing service department in meeting the day-to-day needs of the resident.
- Ensure that the Nursing Service Procedures Manual is current and reflects the day to day nursing procedures performed in this facility.
- Ensure that all nursing service personnel comply with the procedures set forth in the Nursing Service Procedures Manual.
- Make written and oral reports/recommendations to the Director as necessary/required, concerning the operation of the nursing service department.
- Periodically review the department's policies, procedure manuals, job descriptions, etc. Make recommendations for revisions to the Director.
- Assist in developing methods for coordinating nursing services with other resident services to ensure the continuity of the residents' total regimen of care.
- Ensure that all nursing service personnel are in compliance with their respective job descriptions.
- Participate in the development, maintenance and implementation of the facility's quality assurance program for the nursing service department.
- Participate in facility surveys (inspections) made by authorized government agencies as requested by the Administrator or Director of Nursing Services.
- Periodically review the resident's written discharge plan. Participate in the updating of the resident's written discharge plan as required.
- Assist the Director in planning the nursing services portion of the resident's discharge plan as necessary.
- Meet with the nursing staff, as well as support personnel, in planning the department's services, programs, and activities.
- Admit, transfer, and discharge residents as required.
- Complete accident/incident reports as necessary.
- Interpret the department's policies and procedures to personnel, residents, visitors, and government agencies as required.
- Perform administrative duties such as completing medical forms, reports, evaluations, studies, charting, etc., as necessary.
Committee Functions
- Attend various committee meetings of the facility (i.e., Infection Control, Policy Advisory, Pharmaceutical, Quality Assessment, etc.) as required.
- Assist in preparing written and/or oral reports of the nursing service programs and activities to submit to such committee(s) as directed.
- Provide information to the Quality Assurance and Assessment Committee as requested.
- Participate in developing the agenda for the Care Plan Committee meetings as necessary.
- Participate in regularly scheduled reviews of the discharge plans and make such plans available to the Care Plan Committee as required or as may be necessary.
- Implement recommendations from established committees as instructed by the Director.
QAPI
- Knowledgeable in data collection, data analysis methodology, and performance improvement methods needed to support and lead performance improvement projects.
- Collaborate with the quality committee and senior leaders to prioritize and develop QAPI efforts.
- Lead performance improvement projects and provide education and coaching in order to build needed skills in others to lead PIPs.
- Participate in multidisciplinary QAPI activities.
- Knowledge of current Performance Improvement Initiatives.
Personnel Functions
- Ensure that a sufficient number of licensed practical and/or registered nurses are available for your tour of duty to ensure that quality care is maintained.
- Ensure that a sufficient number of certified nursing assistants are available for your tour of duty to ensure that routine nursing care is provided to meet the daily nursing care needs of each resident.
- Develop work assignments, and/or assist in completing and performing such tasks.
- Delegate to each Charge Nurse the administrative authority, responsibility, and accountability necessary to perform his/her assigned duties.
- Ensure that all nursing assistants are enrolled in or have graduated from an approved nursing assistant training program.
- Ensure that all nurse aide trainees are under the direct supervision of a licensed nurse.
- 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.
- Monitor absenteeism to ensure that an adequate number of nursing care personnel are on duty at all times. Report problem areas to the Director.
- Ensure that established policies and procedures, including dress codes, are followed by all departmental personnel.
- Review complaints and grievances made or filed by department personnel. Make appropriate reports to the Director as required or as may be necessary.
- Develop and maintain a good working rapport with inter-department 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.
- Meet with your shift on a regularly scheduled basis to assist in identifying and correcting problem areas and/or to assist in the improvement of services.
- Review and evaluate your department's work force and make recommendations to the Director.
- Participate in employee performance evaluations, determining your shift's staffing requirements, and making recommendations to the Director concerning employee dismissals, transfers, etc.
- Ensure that departmental disciplinary action is administered fairly and without regard to race, color, creed, national origin, age, sex, religion, handicap, or marital status.
- Report occupational exposures to blood, body fluids, infectious materials, and hazardous chemicals in accordance with the facility's policies and procedures governing accidents and incidents.
Nursing Care Functions
- Inform nursing service 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.
- Make rounds with physicians as necessary.
- Encourage attending physicians to record and sign progress notes, physicians' orders, etc., on a timely basis and in accordance with current regulations.
- Inform the Director when physician visits are not made in a timely manner.
- Consult with the resident, his/her family, and the resident's physician in planning the resident's care, treatment, rehabilitation, etc., as necessary.
- Notify the resident's attending physician and next-of-kin when there is a change in the resident's condition.
- Visit residents on a daily basis in order to observe and evaluate each 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.
- 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.
- Provide direct nursing care as necessary.
- Start IVs, obtain sputum, urine and other specimens for lab tests as ordered.
- Take TPRs, blood pressures, etc., as necessary.
- Admit, transfer and discharge residents as necessary.
- Report problem areas to the Director. Assist in developing and implementing corrective action.
- Keep the Director informed of the status of residents and other related matters through written/oral reports.
- Assist the Charge Nurse in monitoring seriously ill residents.
- Authorize the use of restraints when necessary and in accordance with our facilities policies and procedures.
- Ensure that all RNs and LPNs on your shift comply with written procedures for the administration, storage, and control of medications and supplies.
- Monitor medication passes and treatment schedules to ensure that medications are being administered as ordered and that treatments are provided as scheduled.
- Review medication cards for completeness of information, accuracy in the transcription of physician orders, and adherence to stop order policies.
- Inspect the nursing service treatment areas daily to ensure that they are maintained in a clean and safe manner.
- Ensure that residents who are unable to call for help are checked frequently.
- Meet with residents, and/or family members, as necessary. Report problems to the Director.
- Assist in arranging transportation for discharged residents as necessary.
- Inform family members of the death of the resident.
- Call funeral homes when requested by the family.
Staff Development
- Participate in developing, planning, conducting, and scheduling in-service training classes that provide instructions on "how to do the job," and ensure a well-educated nursing service department.
- Develop, implement, and maintain an effective orientation program that orients the new employee to your shift, its policies and procedures, and to his/her job position and duties.
- Provide leadership training that includes the administrative and supervisory principles essential for your Charge Nurses.
- Encourage your Charge Nurses to attend and participate in outside training programs. Schedule times as appropriate.
- Assist the Director in developing and revising the nursing assistant training curriculum used by the facility.
- Assist the Director in planning clinical supervision for nurse aide trainees.
- Assist the Clinical Educator in developing annual OSHA and CDC in-service training programs for hazard communication, TB management, and bloodborne pathogens standard.
- Assist the Clinical Educator in developing advance directive in-service training programs for the staff and community.
- Assist support services in developing, implementing, and conducting in-service training programs that relate to the nursing service department.
- Assist the Clinical Educator in the development of in-service training programs for the nursing staff. Ensure that these programs meet the continuing education requirements which allow licensed personnel (e.g., RNs, LPNs, CNAs, etc.) to keep their license on an active status.
- Attend and participate in continuing education programs designed to keep you abreast of changes in your profession, as well as to maintain your license on a current status.
Safety and Sanitation
- Assist the Safety Officer in developing safety standards for the nursing service department as necessary.
- Assist the Director and/or Infection Preventionist in 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 all personnel performing tasks that involve potential exposure to blood/body fluids participate in appropriate in-service training programs prior to performing such tasks.
- Ensure that an adequate supply of personal protective equipment is on hand and readily available to personnel who perform procedures that involve exposure to blood or body fluids.
- Ensure that personnel follow established procedures for the use and disposal of personal protective equipment.
- Monitor your shift's personnel to ensure that they are following established safety regulations in the use of equipment and supplies.
- Ensure that all nursing service personnel comply with established departmental policies and procedures.
- Ensure that nursing service work areas (i.e., nurses' stations, medicine preparation rooms, etc.) are maintained in a clean and sanitary manner.
- Ensure that all resident care rooms, treatment areas, etc., are maintained in a clean, safe, and sanitary manner.
- Ensure that nursing service personnel follow established hand washing procedures.
- Ensure that nursing service 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 nursing service personnel follow established infection control procedures when isolation precautions become necessary.
- 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, mechanical lifts, etc.) when lifting or moving residents.
- Report missing/illegible labels and MSDSs to the safety officer or other designated person.
Equipment and Supply Functions
- Recommend to the Director the equipment and supply needs of the department.
- Ensure that an adequate stock level of medications, medical supplies, equipment, etc., is maintained on premises at all times to meet the needs of the resident.
- Assist the Maintenance Director in developing a preventive maintenance program for maintaining the nursing service department's equipment and supplies in a safe and operable manner.
- 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 the nursing service department'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.
- Ensure that appropriate MSDSs are on file for hazardous chemicals used in the nursing service department.
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