UNIT MANAGER, RN

POSITION SUMMARY

The primary purpose of UNIT MANAGER is to oversee the nursing care of each resident / patient as prescribed by the physician and in accordance with standards of nursing practice and regulations. Provide supervision to licensed and non-licensed staff in their delivery of quality care.

Delegation of Authority :

The Unit Manager, is delegated the administrative authority, responsibility, and accountability necessary for carrying out assigned duties.

CUSTOMER SERVICE :

Demonstrates positive customer service when performing the role of the Unit Manager, with residents, family member, facility staff and medical staff.

Displays flexibility, team spirit, compassion, respect, honesty, politeness and accountability when dealing with residents, family members and facility staff.

Demonstrates an awareness of and sensitivity for resident’s rights in all interfaces with residents and family members.

Communicates effectively via open, straightforward communication, including use of listening skills and by accessing the appropriate chain of command.

Seeks validation of knowledge base, quality, decision-making and skill level by actively questioning when necessary.

Participates in interdisciplinary communication activities, actively listens and actively contributes.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES :

Administrative Functions :

Develop, maintain, and periodically update written policies and procedures that govern the day to day functions of the nursing unit.

Develop methods for coordination of nursing services with other resident services to ensure the continuity of the resident’s total regimen of care.

Maintain an ongoing quality assurance program for the nursing unit.

Participate in facility surveys (inspections) made by authorized government agencies.

Perform administrative duties such as completing medical forms, reports, evaluations, studies, charting, etc., as necessary.

Committee Functions :

Serve on, participate in, and attend various committees of the facility (i.e., Infection Control, Policy Advisory, Pharmaceutical, Budget, Quality Assessment and Assurance, etc.) as required, and as appointed by the DON.

Provide written and / oral reports of the nursing service programs and activities as required, or as may be directed by such committee (s).

Schedule, attend, and participate in developing the agenda for Care Plan Committee meetings as necessary.

Evaluate and implement recommendations from established committees as they may pertain to the nursing unit.

Personnel Functions :

Day to Day Supervision of Licensed and Non-Licensed staff, including counseling / disciplinary action, evaluations, one-to-one in service, suspension / terminations.

To ascertain Quality of Care delivery, i.e., resident appearance, assuring physician orders followed, treatment plans carried out, etc., report safety hazards, monitor infection control practices, monitor condition of equipment, supplies, room(s), hallways and common areas, and provide homelike environment.

Conforms to expected ethical and legal standards including matters related to resident abuse or neglect, by personally complying with laws, regulations and Corporate Compliance’s Code of Conduct and Business Ethics policy.

When in doubt about whether a particular activity is proper, refrains from the activity and obtains guidance from their supervisor, the Director of Nursing Services, the Administrator, Corporate Compliance Officer or the Company’s Legal Department.

Reinforces through example and, where applicable, training, the expectation that all employees that they supervise conform to these ethical and legal standards, including matters related to resident abuse or neglect.

Responds promptly and thoroughly when problems are reported by other employees.  Assists in planning, implementing and monitoring corrective action, when problems including ethics and compliance problems and resident abuse or neglect are identified.

Recognizes and reports to management potential legal or ethical violations, including resident abuse or neglect .

Determine the staffing needs of the nursing unit necessary to meet the total nursing needs of the residents.

Make daily rounds of the nursing service department to ensure that all nursing service personnel are performing their work assignments in accordance with acceptable nursing standards.

Monitor absenteeism to ensure that an adequate number of nursing care personnel are on duty at all times.

Ensure that departmental disciplinary action is administered fairly and without regard to race, color, creed, national origin, age, sex, religion, handicap, or marital status.

Report  occupational exposures to blood, body fluids, infectious materials, and hazardous chemicals in accordance with the facilities policies and procedures governing accident and incidents.

Nursing Care Functions :

Inform nursing service 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 to room as necessary.

Make rounds with physicians as necessary. Schedule physician visits as necessary.

Encourage attending physicians to record and sign progress notes, physician’s orders, etc., on a timely basis and in accordance with current regulations.

Ensure that direct nursing care is provided by a licensed nurse, a CNA, and / or a nurse aide trainee qualified to perform the procedure.

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 in accordance with the president’s request.

Monitor medication passes and treatment schedules to ensure that medications are being administered as ordered and that treatments are provided as scheduled.

Provide direct nursing care as necessary.

Authorize the use of restraints when necessary and in accordance with our established policies and procedures.

Ensure that residents who are unable to call for help are checked frequently.

Staff Development :

Participate in the planning, conducting, and scheduling of timely in- service training classes that provide instructions on “how to do the job”, and ensure a well-educated nursing service department.

Maintain an effective orientation program that orients the new Employee to the facility, its policies and procedures, and to his / her job position and duties.

Attend and participate in continuing educational programs designed to keep you abreast of changes in your profession, as well as to maintain your license on a current status.

Safety and Sanitation :

Assist the Safety Officer in developing safety standards for the nursing unit.

Ensure that the department’s policy and procedure manuals are available and identify safety precautions and equipment  to use when performing tasks that could result in bodily injury.

Assist the Infection Control Coordinator in identifying, evaluating, and classifying routine and job-related functions to ensure those tasks in which potential exposure to blood / body fluids are properly identified and recorded.

Ensure that all personnel performing tasks that involve potential exposure to blood / body fluids participate in appropriate in-service training programs prior to performing such tasks.

Ensure that adequate supplies of personal protective equipment are on hand and are readily available to personnel who perform procedures that involve exposure to blood or body fluids.

Ensure that nursing service work areas (i.e., nurses’ stations, medicine preparation rooms, etc.) are maintained in a clean and sanitary manner.

Ensure that all resident care rooms, treatments areas, etc., are maintained in a clean, safe, and sanitary manner.

Ensure that all nursing service personnel follow established departmental policies and procedures, including appropriate dress codes.

Ensure that nursing service personnel participate in and conduct all fire safety and disaster preparedness drills in a safe and professional manner.

Assist the Infection Control Committee in the development, implementation, and revising of written aseptic and isolation techniques.

Develop, implement and maintain a program for monitoring communicable and / or infectious diseases, including TB among the residents and personnel.

Ensure that nursing service personnel follow established infection control procedures when isolation precautions become necessary.

Follow procedure for reporting hazardous conditions or equipment.

Ensure that personnel wear and / or use safety equipment and supplied (e.g., back brace, mechanical lifts, etc.) when lifting or moving residents.

Report missing / illegible labels and (Safety Data Sheets) SDS’s to the safety officer or other designated person.

Equipment and Supply Functions :

Recommend to the Director of Nursing the equipment and supply needs of the department.

Ensure that a stock level of medications, medical supplies, equipment, etc, is maintained on premises at all times to adequately meet the needs of the resident.

Oversee those procedures for the safe operation of all nursing care equipment is followed.

Ensure that only trained and authorized personnel operate the department’s equipment.

Ensure that all personnel operate nursing service equipment in a safe manner.

Ensure nursing service supplies are used in an efficient manner to avoid waste.

Ensure that personal protective equipment used in the handling of infectious materials is available and easily accessible to nursing service personnel.

Ensure that appropriate SDSs are on file for hazardous chemicals used in the nursing service department.

Care Plan and Assessment Functions :

Monitor daily X-ray and Lab results, medical status, family / physician notification of resident status, carrying out physician orders and plan of care.  Monitor weekly progress notes, ADL documentation, I & O’s, weight and skin condition, follow upon psychiatric recommendations. Monitor monthly physician orders, MAR, TAR recaps, weights, restraint reduction, quality assurance, infection control surveillance, follow up consultant reports, MDS – assign monthly to staff nurses for completion of all annuals, quarterly and new admission. Ensure that all MDS’s are completed within the federal guidelines and the facility’s protocol / guidelines. Review all MDS.  Ensure care plans are completed according to the facility’s guidelines.

Encourage the resident and his / her family to participate in the development and review of the resident’s plan of care.

Ensure that all personnel involved in providing care to the resident are aware of the residents care plan. Ensure that nursing personnel refer to the residents care plan prior to administering daily care to the resident.

Develop and maintain a good rapport with all services involved with the care plan to ensure that a team effort is achieved in developing a comprehensive plan of care.

Ensure that medical and nursing care is administered in accordance with the resident’s wishes, including the implementation of advance directives.

RESIDENTS RIGHTS :

Maintain the confidentiality of all residents care information.

Monitor nursing care to ensure that all residents are treated fairly, and with kindness, dignity and respect.

Ensure that all nursing care is provided in privacy and that nursing service personnel knock before entering the resident’s room.

Ensure that all nursing service personnel are knowledgeable of the resident’s responsibilities and rights including the right to refuse treatment.

Review complaints and grievances made by the resident and make a written / oral report to the Social Service Director / Designee indicating what action(s) were taken to resolve the complaint or grievance. Follow facilities established procedures.

Maintain a written record of the residents’ complaints and / or grievances that indicates the action taken to resolve the complaint and the current status of the complaint.

Report and investigate all allegations of resident abuse and / or misappropriation of resident property.

Ensure that nursing staff personnel honor the resident’s refusal of treatment request. Ensure that such requests are in accordance with facilities policies governing advance directives.

Ensure that the facilities policies and procedures governing advance directives are reviewed with the resident and / or representative.

LEADERSHIP :

Supervises :                                          Licensed and non-licensed staff

Supervisory Authority :                    Has the ability to hire, discipline, assign, appraise and assigned

Supervised by :                                   Director of Nursing

PHYSICAL DEMANDS :   Physical and Sensory Requirements (with or without the aid of mechanical devices)

Must be able to move intermittently throughout the workday.

Must be able to speak and write the English language in understandable manner.

Must be able to cope with the mental and emotional stress of the position.

Must be able to see and hear or use prosthetics that will enable these senses to function adequately to ensure that 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 meet the general health requirements set forth by the policies of this facility, which include a medical and physical examination.

Must be able to relate to and work with the ill, disabled, elderly, emotionally upset and at all times hostile people within the facility.

Must be able to lift, push, pull and move a minimum of 50 pounds.

May be necessary to assist in the evacuation of residents during emergency situations.

WORK ENVIRONMENT :

Works in office areas(s) as well as throughout the nursing service area (i.e., drug rooms, nurses stations, resident rooms, etc.)

Is subject to frequent interruptions.

Is involved with residents, personnel, visitors, government agencies / personnel, etc., under all conditions and circumstances.

Is subject to hostile and emotionally upset residents, family members, personnel and visitors.

Communicates with the medical staff, nursing personnel, and other department supervisors.

Works beyond normal working hours and on weekends and holidays when necessary. On call 24 hours per day. 7 days per week.

Is subject to callback during emergency conditions (e.g., severe weather, evacuation, post-disaster, etc.)

Is involved in community / civic health matters / projects as appropriate.

Attends and participates in continuing educational programs.

Is subject to injury from falls, burns from equipment, odors, etc., throughout the workday, as well as to reactions from dust, disinfectants, to