Acute Care Director of Nursing

Director of Nursing - Acute Care

Department
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Acute Care FLSA Status: Exempt Reports To: CEO

The Director of Nursing (DON) is responsible for the strategic leadership, clinical oversight, regulatory compliance, operational management, and quality performance of the organization's Acute Care Hospital, Swing Bed Program, and Emergency Department. The DON ensures the delivery of safe, high-quality, patient-centered care while maintaining compliance with federal, state, and applicable accreditation standards.

The Director of Nursing serves as the senior nursing leader for inpatient and emergency services and collaborates closely with providers, department leaders, quality and compliance personnel, and executive leadership to achieve organizational goals and improve patient outcomes. The DON promotes excellence in nursing practice, staff development, patient safety, quality improvement, and regulatory readiness.

• Provide overall leadership and direction for nursing services within Acute Care and Emergency Department operations.
• Establish nursing department goals, objectives, and performance measures aligned with organizational strategic initiatives.
• Ensure nursing care is delivered consistent with evidence-based practice, organizational policies, and professional nursing standards.
• Serve as a member of the organization's leadership team and participate in strategic and operational planning.
• Foster a culture of accountability, professionalism, collaboration, and patient-centered care.
• Serve as the nursing representative for leadership committees and Governing Board activities as assigned.

• Direct and oversee acute care nursing operations.
• Ensure appropriate staffing levels and competency requirements are maintained.
• Monitor patient outcomes, quality indicators, and nursing-sensitive measures.
• Collaborate with providers and interdisciplinary teams to improve care coordination.
• Ensure compliance with inpatient care regulations and applicable Conditions of Participation.
• Support implementation of clinical pathways and evidence-based practices.

• Provide resources to the Swing bed Director and Case management team for the Swing Bed Program.
• Ensure compliance with nursing staff with Swing Bed requirements and organizational policies.
• Collaborate with therapy, case management, providers, and social services to facilitate successful transitions of care.
• Providing support on care plans are so they remain individualized and interdisciplinary.
• Monitor and improve quality measures related to Swing Bed services.

• Direct nursing operations of the Emergency Department.
• Ensure ongoing compliance with EMTALA and emergency services requirements.
• Monitor patient flow, triage processes, throughput, and patient experience.
• Ensure emergency nursing staff maintain required certifications and competencies.
• Oversee readiness for trauma, medical emergencies, disasters, and mass-casualty incidents.
• Collaborate with EMS agencies, public health partners, and community emergency-response organizations.

• Lead nursing participation in the Quality Assurance and Performance Improvement (QAPI) program.
• Identify clinical improvement opportunities through data analysis and outcome monitoring.
• Monitor infection prevention indicators, patient falls, medication events, and other nursing quality measures.
• Lead or participate in root cause analyses and corrective action planning.
• Promote a culture of safety and continuous improvement.
• Evaluate the implementation and sustained effectiveness of corrective action plans.

• Maintain nursing-service compliance with CMS requirements, Critical Access Hospital Conditions of Participation, state nursing regulations, EMTALA, OSHA, HIPAA, infection prevention standards, and applicable accreditation requirements.
• Coordinate nursing preparation for surveys, audits, inspections, and regulatory reviews.
• Develop, review, and maintain nursing policies, procedures, and standards of practice.
• Ensure nursing documentation meets regulatory, legal, and professional standards.

• Recruit, mentor, develop, and retain qualified nursing personnel.
• Establish staffing plans and productivity standards.
• Oversee scheduling processes and staffing coverage.
• Conduct or ensure completion of performance evaluations and…