DON New

SPECIFIC RESPONSIBILITIES AND DUTIES

Responsible for providing nurse leadership in the 24 hour nursing care delivery system

and clinical programming of the hospital.  The hospital’s model for nursing care will be

compatible and reflect the ANA standards for psychiatric-mental health service

provision.

The DON’s responsibilities include working collaboratively with the Director of Social

Services in the development and implementation of a high-quality treatment program,

overall management of the hospital and supervision of nursing staff.

Serves as hospital’s Infection Control Nurse.

Functions as the liaison between the program staff and medical staff of the hospital.

Works with Administrator in budget formulation and staffing guidelines to ensure

provision of professional nursing services to meet patient needs

Adopts and participates in the hospital-wide QAPI plan. Has firm understanding of

standards and ensures important processes and activities are measured, assessed,

improved and reported.      

Assures nursing participates in the development of the Master Treatment Plan in coordination with the multidisciplinary treatment team.

Interprets and facilitates appropriate nursing action in response to administrative directives and a changing healthcare environment.

Performs other duties and special projects as required.

 Assures nursing staff documents thorough and accurate Nursing Assessment on all new patients admitted.

 Assures that nursing staff administers individual nursing care as ordered by the physician.

 Assures nursing staff facilitates nursing psycho-education groups as needed and ordered by the physician.

 Assures that nursing staff provides individual patient education as ordered by the physician.

 Assures nursing staff completes timely and accurate clinical documentation for all nursing services provided.

 Assures nursing staff effectively manages medication administration; monitoring and storage on a daily basis.

 Assures nursing staff assess medical issues and makes appropriate referral.

 Assures nursing staff attends weekly treatment team meetings with input into patient treatment planning.

 Assures nursing staff effectively coordinates with ancillary support services like labs, x-ray and pharmacy.

Assures nursing staff assists multidisciplinary team members with obtaining needed resources, medications, medical treatment, etc.

Accountable for determining qualifications, hiring, assessing competence and utilization of all employees within the hospital.

Responsible for coordinating with any agencies providing contract Nursing and integration of patient care services with the hospital’s primary functions in a manner that contributes to the provision of comprehensive healthcare and achievement of quality cost effective outcomes.   

Provides or obtains resources for on-going nursing education within the hospital. Supports employee and patient education to enhance knowledge, skills and necessary behaviors to achieve quality outcomes.

 Responsible for being an active member on various required hospital committees.

 Responsible for complying with hospital P&P and is actively involved in updating P&P annually or as needed.

 Responsible for all infection control policies and implementation (serves as the infection control nurse).

 Responsible for internal QAPI monitoring (Hospital QAPI director).

 Responsible for facilitating a monthly staff meeting and following agenda as established by QAPI.  

The above statements are only meant to be a representative summary of the major duties and responsibilities performed by incumbents of this job.  The incumbents may be requested to perform job related tasks other than those stated in this description.