Nurse Leader

Colonial Manor Nursing Center is seeking a skilled and compassionate Charge Nurse to join our team. As a Charge Nurse, you will be responsible for providing direct nursing care to residents, supervising nursing assistants, and ensuring the highest quality of care is maintained at all times.

• Direct the day-to-day functions of nursing assistants in accordance with current rules, regulations, and guidelines.
• Ensure all nursing personnel comply with written policies and procedures established by the facility.
• Review department policies, procedure manuals, job descriptions, and make recommendations for revisions.
• Meet with nursing staff and support personnel to plan shifts' services, programs, and activities.
• Ensure the Nursing Service Procedures Manual is current and reflects day-to-day nursing procedures performed in the facility.
• Make written and oral reports/recommendations concerning the activities of your shift as required.
• Cooperate with other resident services when coordinating nursing services to ensure the resident's total regimen of care is maintained.
• Ensure 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 may be requested.
• Review the resident's written discharge plan and participate in the updating of the plan as required.
• Assist in planning the nursing services portion of the resident's discharge plan as necessary.
• Interpret the department's policies and procedures to personnel, residents, visitors, and government agencies as required.
• Admit, transfer, and discharge residents as required.
• Complete accident/incident reports as necessary.
• Write resident charge slips and forward to the Business Office.
• Maintain the Daily Census Report and submit to the Business Office as required.
• Perform administrative duties such as completing medical forms, reports, evaluations, studies, charting, etc., as necessary.
• Agree not to disclose assigned user ID code and password for accessing resident/facility information and promptly report suspected or known violations of such disclosure to the Administrator.
• Agree not to disclose resident's protected health information and promptly report suspected or known violations of such disclosure to the Administrator.
• Report any known or suspected unauthorized attempt to access facility's information system.
• Complete and file required recordkeeping forms/charts upon the resident's admission, transfer, and/or discharge.
• Encourage attending physicians to review treatment plans, record and sign their orders, progress notes, etc., in accordance with established policies.
• Receive telephone orders from physicians and record on the Physicians' Order Form.
• Transcribe physician's orders to resident charts, cardex, medication cards, treatment/care plans, as required.
• Chart nurses' notes in an informative and descriptive manner that reflects the care provided to the resident, as well as the resident's response to the care.
• Fill out and complete accident/incident reports. Submit to Director as required.
• Chart all reports of accidents/incidents involving residents. Follow established procedures.
• Record new/changed diet orders. Forward information to the Food Services Department.
• Report all discrepancies noted concerning physician's orders, diet change, charting error, etc., to the Nurse Supervisor.
• Fill out and complete transfer forms in accordance with established procedures.
• Ensure that appropriate documentation concerning unauthorized discharges is entered in the resident's medical record in accordance with established procedures.
• Perform routine charting duties as required and in accordance with established charting and documentation policies and procedures.
• Sign and date all entries made in the resident's medical record.
• Prepare and administer medications as ordered by the physician.
• Verify the identity of the resident before administering the medication/treatment.
• Ensure that prescribed medication for one resident is not administered to another.
• Ensure that an adequate supply of floor stock medications, supplies, and equipment is on hand to meet the nursing needs of the residents. Report needs to the Nurse Supervisor.
• Order prescribed medications, supplies, and equipment as necessary, and in accordance with established policies.
• Ensure that narcotic records are accurate for your shift.
• Notify the Nurse Supervisor of all drug and narcotic discrepancies noted on your shift.
• Review medication cards for completeness of information, accuracy in the transcription of the physician's order, and adherence to stop order policies.
• Notify the attending physician of automatic stop orders prior to the last dosage being administered.
• Dispose of drugs and narcotics as required, and in accordance with established procedures.
• Participate in employee performance evaluations, determining your shift's staffing requirements, and making recommendations to the Nurse Supervisor concerning employee dismissals, transfers, etc.
• Inform the Nurse Supervisor of staffing needs when assigned personnel fail to report to work.
• Report absentee call-ins to the Nurse Supervisor.
• Review and evaluate your department's work force and make recommendations to the Nurse Supervisor.
• Develop work assignments and/or assist in completing and performing such assignments.
• Provide leadership to nursing personnel assigned to your unit/shift.
• Make daily rounds of your unit/shift to ensure that nursing service personnel are performing their work assignments in accordance with acceptable nursing standards. Report problem areas to the Nurse Supervisor.
• 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.
• Meet with your shift's nursing personnel, on a regularly scheduled basis, to assist in identifying and correcting problem areas, and/or to improve services.
• Ensure that department personnel, residents, and visitors follow the department's established policies and procedures at all times.
• Develop and maintain a good working rapport with inter-departmental 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.
• Review complaints and grievances made or filed by your assigned personnel. Make appropriate reports to the Nurse Supervisor as required or as may be necessary. Follow facility's established procedures.
• Ensure that departmental disciplinary action is administered fairly and without regard to race, color, creed, national origin, age, sex, religion, handicap, or marital status.
• Receive/give the nursing report upon reporting in and ending shift duty hours.
• 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.
• Report known or suspected incidents of fraud to the Administrator.
• Ensure that departmental computer workstations left unattended are properly logged off or the password protected automatic screen-saver activates within established facility policy guidelines.

Requirements:

• Must possess a current, unencumbered, active license to practice as an RN in this state.
• Must be able to read, write, speak, and understand the English language.
• Must demonstrate knowledge and skills necessary to provide care appropriate to the age-related needs of the residents served.
• Must be a supportive team member, contribute to and be an example of team work and team concept.
• Must possess the ability to make independent decisions when circumstances warrant such action.
• Must possess the ability to deal tactfully with personnel, residents, family members, visitors, government agencies/personnel, and the general public.
• Must be knowledgeable of nursing and medical practices and procedures, as well as laws, regulations, and guidelines that pertain to nursing care facilities.
• Must possess leadership and supervisory ability and the willingness to work harmoniously with and supervise other personnel.
• Must possess the ability to plan, organize, develop, implement, and interpret the programs, goals, objectives, policies and procedures, etc., that are necessary for providing quality care.
• Must have patience, tact, a cheerful disposition and enthusiasm, as well as the willingness to handle difficult residents.
• Must be willing to seek out new methods and principles and be willing to incorporate them into existing nursing practices.
• Must be able to relate information concerning a resident's condition.
• Must not pose a direct threat to the health or safety of other individuals in the workplace.