Director of Nursing

Summary

The Director of Nursing (DON) works in conjunction with the Medical Directors of assigned areas and the Vice President (VP) of Nursing to support a culture of health promotion, disease intervention, and professional supervision of the nursing staff for the clients Vinfen serves. The DON exercises clinical and administrative judgment in the service of client care. He/she develops, implements, and monitors program based medical policies and procedures in areas including but not limited to:
Medication Administration Program (MAP), program development/maintenance, implementation, staffing, and compliance; assessment of consumer medical conditions; medical case management of consumers. The DON also coaches, mentors, and models consistent leadership with his/her staff to ensure care is delivered safely, timely, effectively, efficiently, and is always client-centered.

Responsibilities

• Recruits, selects, and supervises nurses for Vinfen programs in conjunction with field managers.
• Provides direction and clinical supervision to nurses assigned to the Restoration Center, Community Based Health Center (CBHC), and outpatient clinics regarding nursing and medical related issues. Collaborates on staff hiring appropriate to the position. Utilizes staff appropriately with the goal of optimizing effort and achieving clinical, operational, and financial goals.
• Ensures Nurse Managers staff clinical areas according to budgeted staffing patterns, including managing overtime, time and attendance, and vacancies.
• Trains or coordinates training of nurses and staff to adhere to nursing related policies, procedures, and regulations. Collaborates with field management, provides coaching, implements recognition and rewards programs, conducts performance planning and review sessions, and provides guidance on career development. Supports continuing education of nursing staff relevant to Vinfen’s mission. Applies counseling, disciplinary, and corrective action programs, in collaboration with human resources, as necessary.
• Develops medication and related policies and procedures to ensure conformance with regulatory and accrediting agencies and Vinfen standard practices. Communicates changes in policies and procedures.
• Provides technical assistance and conducts periodic site reviews and/or coordinates reviews conducted by other nurses; recommends and monitors corrective actions and escalates risks or patterns when necessary.
• Reviews all medication occurrence reports and medically related critical incidents; manages responses as appropriate. Tracks trends, produces and presents monthly reports for medication occurrences; proposes quality improvements as needed.
• Evaluates performance of nursing staff in conjunction with the VP of Nursing, DOSs/VPs.
• Reviews MAP training curriculum and recommends updates, as needed.
• Participates in case conferences on a regular basis to support field staff.
• Participates in agency committees related to health and safety of persons served and employees.
• Develops, with the VP of Nursing and senior leaders, initiatives to promote consumer and employee health and wellness. Develops educational materials that promote prevention and early intervention aligned with Vinfen’s standards for the populations served.
• Serves as a key spokesperson for Vinfen on nursing/medical related issues with DPH, DMH, DDS, and other outside health care agencies in concert with Vinfen’s Medical Director.
• Provides and coordinates 24-hour on-call coverage for nursing related issues.
• Maintains professional knowledge on health care and human service issues and trends related to medical care, medication administration, and emerging best practices for the persons Vinfen serves.
• Consults with other medical professionals as needed to ensure the health and safety of persons served.
• Serves as a liaison to external organizations in nursing/medical related areas.
• Assists other Vinfen departments with related activities.
• Performs other related duties as required.

Knowledge And Skills

• Knowledge of current Medication Administration Program (MAP) policies, procedures, and laws.
• Ability to exercise considerable clinical judgment.
• Knowledge and use of…