Director of Nursing

Wi Don Council; Northern (KY); Hybrid; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

The Director of Nursing at Sauk County Health Care Center leads the nursing department, ensuring high‑quality resident care and regulatory compliance across federal, state and local requirements.

The role oversees budgets, policies, staffing, infection control, and quality improvement initiatives; serves as resident advocate and liaison among staff, physicians, residents and families; responds to emergencies and surveys as needed.

Qualifications

• Associate's degree in Nursing as a minimum requirement.
• RN license in good standing and Wisconsin license preferred (if applicable).
• 7 years of nursing experience with supervisory background required.
• Bachelor's degree in Nursing preferred.
• Ability to manage budgets, staff development, and policy updates.

Responsibilities

• Interview, train, direct, advise, evaluate, coach and discipline nursing personnel.
• Develop and update nursing policies to meet regulations; coordinate with other departments.
• Oversee care plans and ensure high-quality resident care and resident advocacy.
• Develop long-term nursing goals; lead performance improvement initiatives.
• Develop unit budgets and manage nursing department expenses.
• Oversee admissions, Medicare status, and coordination with social services.
• Implement infection control policies and prepare audits; ensure compliance.
• Lead responses during surveys and inspections; act as liaison with staff, physicians, and families.

Skills

Nursing leadership

Budget management

Staff training

Regulatory compliance

Infection control

Resident advocacy

Education

Associate's degree in Nursing

Bachelor's degree in Nursing

Tools

Word processing

Spreadsheets

Job description

As a key member of the interdisciplinary leadership team, the DON fosters a culture of clinical excellence, manages nursing budgets, and mentors staff to improve resident outcomes.

The Director of Nursing (DON) is responsible for the overall management, leadership, and quality of the nursing department at the Sauk County Health Care Center. The primary goal is to ensure the delivery of high-quality resident care while maintaining compliance with federal, state, and local regulations.

Job Duties andResponsibilities

• Interview, train, direct, advise, evaluate, coach and discipline nursing personnel, and approve payroll. This includes but is not limited to coordinating ongoing in-service training and competency assessments for clinical staff.
• Develop and update nursing policies and procedures to meet state and federal regulations. Coordinate nursing policies and procedures with other departments.
• Oversee the development and implementation of comprehensive, person-centered care plans for all residents. Monitor care quality consulting with nursing staff regarding resident's condition and nursing staff concerns to ensure residents' needs are met.
• Develop nursing long-term goals and plans facilitating and leading nursing performance improvement plan.
• Develop unit annual budget and recommend equipment purchases. Manage the nursing department budget, including medical supplies and labor costs.
• Review admissions to determine level or care required, approve new admissions, contact referring agency for assessment, assist social services in determining room assignments/transfers, and determine Medicare status.
• Develop and implement infection control policies and procedures, prepare infection control audits, and oversees compliance with infection control program when Assistant Director of Nursing is not present available.
• Coordinate restraint and drug reduction for all residents; review quarterly reviews and minirisk assessments for developing resident problems
• Participate in State and Federal nursing home surveys, recommend and implement deficiencies making sure the facility is always prepared for state and federal surveys in accordance with federal and state regulations; lead the clinical response during inspections/audits.
• Must be prepared to report to the facility in person during emergencies, staffing crises, infection control procedures, infection outbreaks, or significant clinical incidents. Must be reachable by phone during evenings, weekends, and holidays to provide clinical guidance.
• Act as resident advocate and represent the nursing staff to the community.
• Attend, participate, and/or conduct Facility and County committee meetings regarding nursing administration and care.
• Serve as a key liaison between staff, physicians, state surveyors, residents, and families
• And other duties as assigned.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Maintain all relevant certifications.
• To manage, direct, teach, control, counsel, mediate, convince and persuade others.
• Advisory data and information such as physician's orders, medical charts, drug reference manuals, medical books, lab reports, incident/accident reports, care plans, admission and discharge forms for residents, x-ray reports, various manuals, ordinances, laws, statutes, and routine and non-routine correspondence.
• Communicate verbally and in writing with physicians, residents, residents' families, nursing staff, therapists, psychologists, and social workers.
• Explain, demonstrate, and clarify to others established policies, procedures, and standards.
• Computer skills, such as word processing and spreadsheets.
• Calculating percentages, fractions, decimals, volume, ratios, and spatial relationships, and interpreting basic descriptive statistical reports.
• Analyze data and information using established criteria to define consequences and consider and select alternatives.
• Compare, count, differentiate, measure, sort, classify, compute, tabulate, and/or categorize data and/or information.
• Assemble, copy, record, and transcribe data and/or information.
• Apply functional and situational reasoning by exercising judgement, decisiveness, and creativity in everyday routine and non-routine situations.
• Decide the time, place, and sequence of operations within a system or organizational framework and oversee its execution.
• Use fine and gross motor skills to perform tasks such as operating a syringe, one touch glucometer, nebulizer, feeding pumps, nasal tubes, otoscope, sphygmomanometer, and computer keyboard.
• Exert effort in moderate work, such as lifting, carrying, pushing, pulling, stooping, crouching, crawling, climbing, balancing, and standing for long periods of time.
• Recognize and identify degrees of similarity and differences between characteristics of colors, forms, sounds, odors, textures, etc. associated with objects, materials, and ingredients.
• Know SNF state and federal regulations.
• Know how to write state plans of correction.
• Occasionally unsafe and uncomfortable in respects to temperature variations, odors, toxic agents, noise, and disease.
• Occasionally on call for emergencies.

Required Working Hours

Standard working hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 am until 4:30 pm. Please note these hours are subject to change and additional hours may be needed or required. Compensation for additional hours beyond normal working hours are subject to applicable state and federal regulations.

Education and ExperienceRequirements

Required: Associate's degree in Nursing

7 years of nursing experience, with at least three years being in a supervisory role

Licenses/Certifications: Registered Nursing (RN) License

Valid Wisconsin State Motor Vehicle Operator License

Preferred: Bachelor's degree in Nursing

Nursing experience with the geriatric population

Any combination of education and experience that provides equivalent knowledge, skills and abilities may beconsidered.

Core Value Standards ofBehavior

It is expected that all employees will demonstrate behaviors that support excellence as defined by Sauk County's Personnel Handbook.

Acknowledgement

All requirements of the described position are subject to change over time where I may be required to perform other duties as requested by Sauk County . Further, I acknowledge that this job description is also not an employment contract. I have received, read, and understand the expectations for the successful performance of this job.

1366 E. Summer St. PMB 200
Hartford, WI 53027
[phone]