Head Nurse - Long-Term Care (LTC) Units

About the role

The Head Nurse of the Long-Term Care (LTC) units at Wood County Norwood Health Center serves as the nurse manager to ensure quality resident care that complies with nursing standards and state and federal nursing home regulations. They work with the Director of Nursing (DON) to supervise, train, and educate nursing staff; act as a role model for the facility standards of care; have an excellent understanding of state and federal regulations; maintain strict compliance with facility policies and procedures and assure staff compliance; identify issues and work with the DON to rectify them.

Responsibilities

• Supervises assigned nursing staff.
• Writes and administers performance evaluations for nursing staff that are assigned to him/her.
• Provides disciplinary action to staff as needed, in collaboration with the DON.
• Identifies problems and collaborates with the Director of Nursing and the interdisciplinary team (IDT) to develop solutions.
• Works closely with the social work team on resident care issues, including admission screening, admissions, discharge planning, and psychosocial issues.
• Attends care conferences as scheduled with residents and the treatment team.
• Conducts unit staff meetings along with the DON.
• Maintains an excellent understanding of infection control practices and monitors staff for compliance.
• Serves as the designated infection control officer which includes monitoring and tracking infections and being the liaison to the physicians in regard to resident infections.
• Maintains an active line list of infections on the LTC units and monitors infection control compliance with the staff.
• Serves as the steward for infection control compliance in accordance to McGeer's standard.
• Provides oversight and monitors wounds and other medical issues of the residents on the units along with the nurses.
• Participates in quality assurance monitoring and auditing and participates in monthly and quarterly QAPI meetings.
• Participates in Quality Assurance Performance Improvement projects, both internally and as required by CMS.
• Schedules and conducts monthly rounding with psychiatrist.
• Participates in the Federal and State survey process, including participating in survey preparation meetings and actions.
• Ensures facility practices and nursing staff are compliant with state and federal regulations and facility policies.
• Collaborates with the DON and other supervisory staff in the nursing department for the educational needs of the nursing staff.
• Schedules and conducts monthly rounding with psychiatrist.
• Participates in the Federal and State survey process, including participating in survey preparation meetings and actions.
• Ensures facility practices and nursing staff are compliant with state and federal regulations and facility policies.
• Collaborates with the DON and other supervisory staff in the nursing department for the educational needs of the nursing staff.
• Ensures relative observations are completed by the nursing staff for the completion of the MDS, and monitors for events that may need capturing in the MDS period such as a change of condition.
• Works in collaboration with the MDS coordinator.
• Will be required to work in the floor nurse role periodically.
• Writes, monitors, and updates nursing care plans.
• Oversees the immunization program on the long-term care units for staff and patients in collaboration with the facility Infection Preventionist.
• Maintains and applies current skills and knowledge through continuing education and in-service programs.
• Models mission, vision, values of the Department in all interactions with employees, patients/residents and the public.
• Responsible to know and practice the Safety policies of the County.
• Performs all job tasks in a safe and prescribed manner.
• Must be familiar with and exemplify the Wood County Core Values and serve with courtesy and respect in accordance with the Wood County Code of Conduct.
• In the absence of the Director of Nursing, would take on other administrative duties as assigned until his/her return.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Nursing (BSN).
• Current Wisconsin RN license.
• Minimum of 5 years of progressive nursing experience in a healthcare setting.
• Experience in long-term care preferred.
• Additional training to include BLS, non-violent crisis intervention training, and supervisory and leadership training to be completed upon hire or within three months as applicable.