RN

Essential Duties

• Aid the Director of Nursing Services in directing the day-to-day functions of the nursing activities.
• Participate in developing, maintaining, and updating written policies and procedures that govern the nursing service department.
• Ensure that reference material at nurses’ stations is current.
• Recommend written material to assist the nursing service department in meeting its needs.
• Ensure that the Nursing Service Procedures Manual is current and reflective of daily nursing procedures.
• Ensure that all nursing service personnel comply with the procedures outlined in the Nursing Service Procedures Manual.
• Make written and oral reports to the Director as necessary.
• Periodically review department policies, procedure manuals, job descriptions, etc., and make recommendations for revisions.
• Coordinate nursing services with other resident services to ensure continuity of care.
• Admit, transfer, and discharge residents as required.
• Complete accident/incident reports as necessary.
• Interpret departmental policies and procedures to personnel, residents, visitors, and government agencies as needed.
• Perform administrative duties such as completing medical forms, reports, evaluations, studies, charting, etc., as necessary.
• Attend various committee meetings of the facility as required.
• Provide information to the Quality Assurance and Assessment Committee as requested.
• Implement recommendations from established committees as instructed by the Director.

Committee Functions

• Attend and participate in various facility committees (e.g., Infection Control, Policy Advisory, Pharmaceutical, Quality Assessment, etc.) as required.
• Prepare written and/or oral reports of nursing service programs and activities to submit to such committee(s) as directed.
• Provide information to the Quality Assurance and Assessment Committee as requested.
• Develop the agenda for the Care Plan Committee meetings as necessary.
• Review and update resident’s written discharge plans as required.
• Implement recommendations from established committees as instructed by the Director.

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.
• 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 Director when physician visits are not made in a timely manner.
• Inform the Director when there is a change in the resident’s condition.
• Visit residents on a daily basis to observe and evaluate their physical and emotional status.
• Ensure that direct nursing care is provided by a licensed nurse, a certified nursing assistant, and/or a nurse aide trainee.
• Review nurses’ notes to ensure they are informative and descriptive of the nursing care being provided.
• 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.
• Authorize the use of restraints when necessary and in accordance with the facility’s 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.
• Maintain cleanliness and safety of nursing service treatment areas daily.
• Monitor residents who are unable to call for help and check them frequently.
• Assist in arranging transportation for discharged residents as necessary.
• Inform family members of the death of the resident and call funeral homes when requested.

Staff Development

• Develop, plan, conduct, and schedule in-service training classes that provide instructions on “how to do the job.”
• Aid the In-service Director/Educator in developing annual facility in-service training programs (e.g., OSHA, TB, HIPAA, Abuse Prevention, Safety, Infection Control, etc.).
• Aid the Director in planning clinical supervision for nurse aide trainees.
• Attend and participate in continuing education programs designed to keep up with changes in the profession and maintain license status.

Safety and Sanitation

• Aid the Safety Officer in developing safety standards for the nursing service department as necessary.
• Afford proper identification and recording of routine and job-related functions to ensure that tasks involving potential exposure to blood/body fluids are properly identified and recorded.
• Afford personnel participating in procedures involving exposure to blood or body fluids appropriate in-service training programs prior to performing such tasks.
• Afford an adequate supply of personal protective equipment and ensure that personnel follow established procedures for the use and disposal of personal protective equipment.
• Monitor personnel to ensure they are following established safety regulations in the use of equipment and supplies.
• Afford nursing service personnel compliance with established departmental policies and procedures.
• Afford compliance with established departmental policies and procedures for nursing service work areas (i.e., nurse stations).