Quality Assurance Nurse Jobs

SUMMARY: The primary purpose of the Quality Assurance Nurse is to assist the Director of Nursing 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 Administrator, the Medical Director, and/or the Director of Nursing, to ensure that the highest degree of quality care is maintained at all times.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Provide direct nursing care as necessary.
• Schedule, attend, and participate in developing the agenda for the Care Plan Team Meetings as required.
• Assist the resident and Discharge Planning Coordinator in planning the nursing portion of the resident’s discharge plan.
• Ensure that all nursing personnel participate in the facility’s TB testing program.
• Ensure that a sufficient number of Certified Nursing Assistants are available for each shift to ensure that routing nursing care is provided to meet the daily nursing care needs of each resident. Also ensure that all nursing assistants are enrolled in or have graduated from an approved nursing assistants program.
• Participate in developing, maintaining, and updating our written policies and procedures that govern the day-to-day functions of nursing department.
• Report problem areas to Director. Assist in developing and implementing corrective action.
• Service on the Quality Assurance and Assessment Committee as directed.
• Participate in the interviewing and selection of residents for admission to the facility.
• Ensure that only trained and authorized personnel operate the department’s equipment in a safe manner.
• Assist the Safety Officer in developing safety standards for the nursing department.
• Assist the Director in preparing performance evaluations as directed.
• Assist the Director of Nursing 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.
• Monitor the facility’s QI, QM and survey reports and provide the Director with recommendations that will be helpful in eliminating problem areas.
• Assist Director in scheduling annual mandatory in-service training for staff. (OSHA, HIPAA, Abuse Prevention, Infection Control, etc.)
• Participate in the mandatory new hire orientation.
• 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 Director.
• 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.
• Assist the Maintenance Director in developing a preventive maintenance program for maintaining the nursing department’s equipment and supplies in a safe and operable manner.
• Assist the Director in determining the staffing needs of the nursing department. Recommend to the Director the number and level of nursing personnel to be employed. Assist the Director in the recruitment and selection of nursing personnel.
• Ensure that a sufficient number of licensed practical and/or registered nurses are available for each shift to ensure that quality care is maintained.
• Be sure that staff members are providing care that reflects the wishes of the resident.
• Ensure that departmental disciplinary action is administered fairly and without regard to race, color, creed, national origin, age, sex, religion, handicap, or marital status.
• Encourage the resident and his/her family to participate in the development and review of the resident’s plan of care.
• 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 maintained on premises at all times to adequately meet the needs of the residents.
• Delegate to the Charge Nurse and Nurse Supervisors the administrative authority, responsibility, and accountability necessary to perform their assigned duties.
• Performs other duties as assigned.
• 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.
• Develop work assignments and schedule duty hours, and/or assist nursing supervisory staff in completing and performing such tasks.
• 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.
• Assist in developing methods for coordinating nursing services with other resident services to ensure the continuity of the residents’ total regimen of care.
• Develop and periodically update nursing service objectives and statements of philosophy.
• Assist the Director in obtaining staffing information that must be posted on a daily basis.
• Assist the Director of Nursing 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 facility.
• 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.
• Assist in developing and implementing a nursing organization structure. Make written and oral recommendations to the Director as necessary/required, concerning the operation of the nursing department.
• Ensure all nursing personnel are knowledgeable of the residents’ responsibilities and rights include the right to refuse treatment.
• Ensure that nursing personnel work areas (nurse’s station, medication rooms, etc.) are maintained in a clean and sanitary manner.
• Maintain confidentiality of all resident care information including protected health information. Report known or suspected incidents of unauthorized disclosure of such information.
• Ensure that reference material maintained at the nurse’s station is current. Recommend to the Director written material that will assist the nursing department in meeting the day-to-day needs of residents.
• Participate in facility surveys (inspections) made by authorized government agencies as requested by the Administrator or Director of Nursing.
• Ensure all resident care rooms, treatment areas, etc., are maintained in a clean, safe and sanitary manner.
• 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 Director.
• Perform administrative duties such as completing medical forms, reports, evaluations, studies, charting, etc.
• Schedule daily rounds to observe residents and to determine if nursing needs are being met.
• Agree not to disclose resident’s protected health information and promptly report suspected or known violations of such disclosure to Administrator.
• 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.
• Interpret the department’s policies and procedures to personnel, residents, visitors and government agencies as necessary.
• Review complaints and grievances made or filed by department personnel. Make appropriate reports to Director as required or as may be necessary.

QUALIFICATIONS: To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required.

• Must be knowledgeable of nursing and medical practices and procedures, as well as laws, regulations, and guidelines that pertain to nursing care facilities.
• Must possess the ability to make independent decisions when circumstances warrant such action.
• Must be able to read, write, speak and understand the English language.
• Must have patience, tact, a cheerful disposition and enthusiasm, as well as at the willingness to handle difficult residents.
• Must be a supportive team member, contribute to and be an example of team work and team concept.
• Must be able to relate information concerning a resident’s condition.
• Must possess the ability to deal tactfully with personnel, residents, family members, visitors, government agencies/personnel, and general public.
• Must have, as a minimum, 2 years of experience as a supervisor in a hospital, nursing care facility, or other related health care facility.
• Must have, as a minimum of 6 months experience in rehabilitative and restorative nursing practices.
• Current CPR Certification is required.
• Must have a current unencumbered state license.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS: The physical demands are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Must be able to cope with the mental and emotional stress of the position.
• May be necessary to assist in the evacuation of residents during emergency situations.
• Must function independently, and have flexibility, personal integrity, and the ability to work effectively with residents, personnel, and support agencies.
• Must be able to move intermittently throughout the day.
• 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 meet the general health requirements set forth by the policies of this facility, which include a medical and physical examination.
• Must be able to push, pull, move and/or lift a minimum of 25 pounds to a minimum height of 5 feet and be able to push, pull, move, and/or carry such weight a minimum distance of 50 feet.

IND789