Director of Nursing

Hillcrest Health & Living; Hillcrest (NY); On-site; USD 110,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Hillcrest Health & Rehab in Bellevue, NE is seeking an experienced Director of Nursing to lead nursing services, oversee patient care from admission through discharge, and ensure compliance with federal, state, and local regulations.

You will provide clinical and operational leadership, manage staffing and budgets, partner with admissions for timely placement, and pursue continuous quality and readmission-reduction initiatives.

Qualifications

• Strong leadership experience in skilled nursing, post-acute care, rehab, or related healthcare setting.
• Understanding of nursing operations and clinical standards.
• Experience managing nursing teams through changing priorities and complex patient needs.
• Knowledge of federal and state regulatory requirements.
• Experience with survey readiness, compliance, and corrective-action planning.

Responsibilities

• Plan, organize, develop, and direct the nursing department’s overall operations.
• Oversee nursing care from admission through discharge for post-acute patients.
• Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local regulations.
• Maintain focus on quality, safety, and patient-centered care.
• Collaborate with admissions to evaluate patient placement and reduce readmissions.
• Identify process improvements to prevent recurring concerns.
• Manage staffing needs, budget, and staffing development.
• Review and update nursing policies, procedures, and job descriptions.

Skills

Leadership

Nursing operations

Regulatory knowledge

Post-acute care

Budget management

Staffing

Performance management

Admissions collaboration

Readmission reduction

Process improvement

Communication skills

Job description

Director of Nursing – Hillcrest Health & Rehab

Location: Bellevue, NE

Service Line: Hillcrest Health & Rehab

Hillcrest Health & Living is looking for an experienced, collaborative, and patient-centered Director of Nursing to lead nursing services at Hillcrest Health & Rehab in Bellevue, NE.

Hillcrest Health & Rehab provides post-acute rehabilitation and skilled nursing services focused on helping patients recover, regain strength, and transition safely to the next level of care. Our nursing team plays a critical role in delivering high-quality clinical care while supporting patients and families throughout their stay.

At Hillcrest, our mission is simple: Inspiring people to live their best lives. As the Director of Nursing, you will be responsible for planning, organizing, developing, and directing the overall operations of the nursing department. You will oversee patient care from admission through discharge while ensuring nursing services remain compliant with federal, state, and local regulations and focused on the highest level of quality care.

What You’ll Do

As the Director of Nursing, you will provide clinical and operational leadership for nursing services while supporting team performance, patient outcomes, regulatory readiness, and the overall quality of care.

You Will

• Plan, organize, develop, and direct the overall operations of the nursing department.
• Oversee nursing care for post-acute patients from admission through discharge.
• Ensure nursing services operate in accordance with current federal, state, and local regulations.
• Maintain a strong focus on quality, safety, and patient-centered care.
• Make daily rounds throughout the neighborhoods to ensure quality care is being delivered.
• Participate in neighborhood meetings on a regular basis.
• Follow up on patient and family concerns to ensure appropriate resolution.
• Identify process improvements to help prevent recurring concerns.
• Assist in determining departmental staffing need
• Evaluate nursing team performance and support accountability and development.
• Make recommendations to the Administrator regarding hiring, compensation adjustments, and terminations.
• Review and update nursing policies, procedures, and job descriptions according to best practice.
• Develop relationships with area hospitals and key healthcare partners.
• Work collaboratively to meet the needs of incoming patients and help reduce avoidable readmissions.
• Partner with Admissions to evaluate incoming patients and support timely placement.
• Assist with determining clinical admission criteria, equipment needs, and nursing-team education needs.
• Ensure nursing personnel maintain active and valid licensure.
• Assist with development and management of the nursing department budget.
• Coordinate pre-survey readiness activities and respond to survey outcomes.
• Participate in the on-call rotation and remain available for clinical emergencies as required.
• Work closely with administrative nurses and other leaders to maintain consistent nursing coverage and clinical support.
• Assist with additional clinical leadership responsibilities as assigned.

The role combines nursing leadership, quality oversight, staffing, admissions support, regulatory compliance, budget management, survey readiness, and relationship-building with healthcare partners.

What We’re Looking For

We are looking for a nursing leader who can balance clinical excellence with strong operational leadership.

The right candidate will be visible, approachable, and comfortable leading in a fast-paced post-acute environment. You should be someone who sets clear expectations, supports your team, holds people accountable, and stays closely connected to what is happening at the bedside.

Ideal Candidates Will Have

• Strong leadership experience in skilled nursing, post-acute care, long-term care, rehabilitation, or a similar healthcare setting.
• A strong understanding of nursing operations and clinical standards.
• Experience leading nursing teams through changing priorities and complex patient needs.
• Strong knowledge of federal and state regulatory requirements.
• Experience with survey readiness, compliance, and corrective-action planning.
• Strong clinical judgment and the ability to make timely decisions.
• Experience with staffing, performance management, and team development.
• Ability to build accountability while maintaining a supportive and collaborative leadership style.
• Strong communication skills with patients, families, physicians, team members, and community partners.
• Experience partnering with admissions teams on clinical review and patient placement.
• An understanding of readmission reduction and care-transition strategies.
• Strong problem-solving and process-improvement skills.