Unit Manager RN/LPN

Unit Manager Nurse shall exercise professional judgement in carrying out a variety of activities that maximize the well-being, quality of life, and quality of care of residents in accordance with current federal, state, and local standards, guidelines, and regulations that govern the facility to ensure the highest degree of quality care is maintained at all times. May also be directed by the Administrator, Medical Director, or Attending Physician.

Qualifications

• RN/LPN with an active license to practice in NC
• Current CPR certification
• 3+ years of long-term care experience
• Leadership experience
• Understanding of state and federal regulations governing a nursing home
• Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions through root cause analysis

Responsibilities

• Monitor and direct all aspects of nursing service department with DON oversight
• Assist the DON in developing methods for coordination of nursing services with other resident services to ensure continuity of the resident’s total regimen of care
• Provide staff education as needed; work closely with the SDC to coordinate staff education as related to desired facility outcomes
• Participate in facility surveys made by authorized government agencies
• Develop and implement appropriate plan of action to correct identified QAPI issues
• Participate in the resident admission and discharge process and coordination of those services
• Assist in the event of or in preparation for disaster, including staying at the facility overnight to ensure resident safety and/or evacuating with residents
• Serve on and participate in various committees of the facility
• Assist the DON in preparing written and oral reports of the nursing service programs and activities to submit to such committees as deemed necessary
• Assist in the recruitment and selection of nursing service personnel as directed by DON
• Assure a sufficient number of certified nursing assistants and nurses to meet daily needs of the residents
• Assist in developing work assignments and scheduled duties for nurses and aides
• Assist the DON in developing performance evaluations and annual reviews for nursing service department
• Make daily rounds of the nursing service department to ensure all nursing service personnel are performing their work assignments in accordance with acceptable nursing standards
• Assist in monitoring of absenteeism and tardiness of nursing personnel
• Provide the DON with information relative to the nursing needs of the resident and the nursing service department’s ability to meet those needs
• Inform nursing service personnel of new admissions, their expected time of arrival, room assignment, etc.
• Work with attending physicians to ensure resident needs and regulatory requirements are met
• Oversee nurses and aides to ensure resident needs are being met
• Ensure all resident care rooms, treatment areas, etc., are maintained in a clean, safe, and sanitary manner
• Ensure all nursing service personnel follow established departmental policies and procedures including appropriate dress code
• Ensure nursing service personnel follow established infection control procedures when isolation precautions become necessary
• Assist nursing staff during emergency situations as necessary
• Provide support for families and answer questions they may have regarding care of their loved ones
• Discipline staff and send staff home who are not performing in the manner that is needed; making sure documentation is complete to support actions
• Keep staffing optimal by handling call-outs and assist in finding replacement staff when call-outs occur
• Review medication administration records and medication passes routinely to ensure physician orders are being carried out and regulatory requirements are being adhered to
• Monitor breaks and lunch times of nursing services staff
• Review physician orders and admission orders to ensure accuracy
• Monitor staff use of electronic devices and ensure resident’s right to privacy
• Monitor and maintain acceptable noise levels
• Monitor and encourage walking rounds of nursing staff
• Ensure use of 24-hour reporting process and other documentation process as directed by DON
• May be required to work holidays and weekends
• Attend meetings as deemed necessary by the DON/Administrator
• Perform any other duties felt important to the care and well-being of the residents and staff that are assigned by the DON or Administrator
• Explain, as needed, facility policies and regulatory guidelines to staff, residents, and resident family members
• Administer medications as needed to include charge nurse duties
• Make rounds with physician as needed

Supervisory Responsibilities

• Carry out supervisory/coordination responsibilities in accordance with organization’s policies and applicable regulations
• Responsibilities include training employees, planning, assigning, and directing work, appraising performance, rewarding and disciplining employees, addressing complaints, and resolving problems

Working Conditions

• Works in office area as well as throughout the nursing service area
• Moves intermittently during working hours
• Subject to frequent interruptions
• Involved with residents, personnel, visitors, government agencies/personnel, etc., under all conditions and circumstances
• Subject to hostile and emotionally upset residents, family members, personnel, and visitors
• Communicates with the medical staff, nursing personnel, and other department supervisors
• Work beyond normal working hours, on weekends and holidays when necessary
• Rotate call with other nurses for on-call coverage
• Subject to call-back during emergency conditions such as severe weather, evacuation, post-disaster, etc.
• Attends and participates in continuing education programs
• Subject to injury from falls, burns from equipment, odors, communicable diseases, etc.
• Subject to handling of and exposure to hazardous chemicals

Skills

• Ability to read, analyze, and interpret professional journals, data, technical procedures, government regulations, etc.
• Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from groups of managers, patients, patient families, and the general public
• Read and speak the English language

Physical Demands

• Move intermittently throughout the workday
• Must be able to see and hear or use prosthetics that will enable these senses to function adequately to ensure the requirements of this position can be fully met
• Must function independently and have flexibility, personal integrity, and the ability to work effectively with residents, personnel, and support agencies
• Must be able to relate to and work with the ill, disabled, elderly, emotionally upset, and at times, hostile people within the facility