Description
The primary purpose of the Assistant Chief Nursing Officer (ACNO) is to assist the Chief Nursing Officer (CNO) in planning, organizing, developing, and directing the day-to-day functions of the Nursing Department in accordance with current federal, state, and local standards, guidelines, and regulations that govern our facility, and as may be directed by the General Manager, the Medical Director, and/or the Chief Nursing Officer, to ensure that the highest degree of quality care is maintained at all times.
Requirements
ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Assist the Chief Nursing Officer in planning, developing, organizing, implementing, evaluating, and directing the day-to-day functions of the nursing department, in accordance with current rules, regulations, and guidelines that govern the long-term care and assisted living facilities.
- Participate in developing, maintaining, and updating our written policies and procedures that govern the day-to-day functions of nursing department.
- Ensure that reference material maintained at the nurse’s station is current. Recommend to the CNO written material that will assist the nursing department in meeting the day-to-day needs of residents.
- Develop and periodically update nursing service objectives and statements of philosophy.
- Assist in developing and implementing a nursing organization structure. Make written and oral recommendations to the CNO as necessary/required, concerning the operation of the nursing department.
- Assist in developing methods for coordinating nursing services with other resident services to ensure the continuity of the residents’ total regimen of care.
- Ensure that all nursing personnel are following their respective job descriptions. Participate in the development, maintaining, and periodically updating the written job descriptions for each level of nursing personnel in accordance with pertinent laws and regulations.
- Participate in facility surveys (inspections) made by authorized government agencies as requested by the General Manager or Chief Nursing Officer.
- Assist the resident and Director of Care Transitions in planning the nursing portion of the resident’s discharge or transitional plan to different levels of care as needed.
- Perform administrative duties such as completing medical forms, reports, evaluations, studies, charting, etc.
- Monitor the facility’s QI, QM and survey reports and provide the CNO with recommendations that will be helpful in eliminating problem areas.
- Assist the CNO in obtaining staffing information that must be posted on a daily basis.
- Agree not to disclose resident’s protected health information and promptly report suspected or known violations of such disclosure to HIPAA Compliance Officer.
- Service on the Quality Assurance and Assessment Committee as directed.
- Schedule, attend, and participate in developing the agenda for the Care Plan Team Meetings as required.
- Assist the CNO and staffing coordinator in determining the staffing needs of the nursing department. Recommend to the CNO the number and level of nursing personnel to be employed. Assist the CNO in the recruitment and selection of nursing personnel.
- Ensure that a sufficient number of registered and/or licensed practical/vocational nurses or other appropriately certified staff are available for each shift to ensure that routine quality nursing care is provided to meet the daily nursing needs of each resident (ISP/IEP).
- Develop work assignments and schedule duty hours, and/or assist nursing supervisory staff in completing and performing such tasks.
- Delegate to appropriate staff the administrative authority, responsibility, and accountability necessary to perform their assigned duties. Provide education to empower staff to work at their fullest capacity within their scope of practice.
- Assist the CNO in preparing performance evaluations as directed.
- Make daily rounds of the nursing department to ensure that all nursing personnel are performing their work assignments in accordance with acceptable nursing standards. Report findings to CNO.
- Review complaints and grievances made or filed by department personnel. Make appropriate reports to CNO as required or as may be necessary.
- Ensure that departmental disciplinary action is administered fairly and without regard to race, color, creed, national origin, age, sex, religion, handicap, marital status or any other protected class.
- Interpret the department’s policies and procedures to personnel, residents, visitors, and government agencies as necessary.
- Ensure that all personnel participate in the facility’s TB testing program.
- Participate in the interviewing and selection of residents for admission to the facility, as needed. (CBA certification required within 90 days of hire.)
- Inform nursing 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.
- Review nurse’s notes to ensure that they are informative and descriptive of the nursing care being provided, that they reflect the resident’s response to the care, and that such care is provided in accordance with the resident’s wishes.
- Schedule daily rounds to observe residents and to determine if nursing needs are being met.
- Monitor medication passes and treatment schedules to ensure that medications are being administered as ordered and that treatments are provided as scheduled. Report medication errors to the CNO.
- Provide direct nursing care as necessary.
- Report problem areas to CNO. Assist in developing and implementing corrective action.
- Participate in developing, planning, conducting, and scheduling in-service training that provide instructions on “how to do the job” and ensure a well-educated nursing department.
- Participate in the mandatory new hire orientation.
- Assist CNO in scheduling and ensuring completion of annual mandatory in-service training for staff. (OSHA, HIPAA, Abuse Prevention, Infection Control, etc.)
- Assist the Safety Officer in developing safety standards for the nursing department.
- Assist the Chief Nursing Officer in identifying, evaluating, and classifying routine and job-related functions to ensure that tasks in which there is potential exposure to blood/body fluids are properly identified and recorded.
- Ensure that nursing personnel work areas (nurse’s station, medication rooms, etc.) are maintained in a clean and sanitary manner.
- Ensure all resident care rooms, treatment areas, etc., are maintained in a clean, safe, and sanitary manner.
- In collaboration with the Director of Environmental Services, ensure that all nursing personnel participate in and conduct all fire safety and disaster preparedness drill in a safe and professional manner.
- Ensure that an adequate stock level of medications, medical supplies, equipment, etc., is always maintained on premises to adequately meet the needs of the residents.
- Assist the Director of Environmental services in developing a preventive maintenance program for maintaining the nursing department’s equipment and supplies in a safe and operable manner.
- Ensure that only trained and authorized personnel operate the department’s equipment in a safe manner.
- Participate in the development of written preliminary and comprehensive assessments of the nursing needs of each resident. Assist the MDS/CPC in planning, scheduling, and revising the MDS, including the implementation of RAPs and Triggers.
- Encourage the resident and his/her family to participate in the development and review of the resident’s plan of care.
- Be sure that staff members are providing care that reflects the wishes of the resident.
- Maintain confidentiality of all resident care information including protected health information. Report known or suspected incidents of unauthorized disclosure of such information.
- Ensure all nursing personnel are knowledgeable of the residents’ responsibilities and rights include the right to refuse treatment.
- Maintain resident EHR in accordance with regulatory standards to include routine audits and updates of code status, CBA, ISP/IEP, Care Planning, etc.
