RN/Charge Nurse

Assesses, plans, implements, and evaluates the nursing care of residents in both skilled nursing and acute care settings. Responsible for ensuring continuity of care of the residents between shifts by providing direct care as well as supervising the care given by CNAs, LVNs and supportive staff members. Participates in resident and family teaching. Maintains role as resident advocate with a focus on the facility’s mission.

• Assesses residents on admission and when conditions change. Documents include resident care plans, restraint assessment tools, fall assessments, behavior logs, wander assessments, pain assessments, skin assessments, safety assessments, nursing progress notes, physician orders, and interdisciplinary notes.
• Ability to adequately assess and reassess pain. Utilizes appropriate pain management techniques. Educates the residents and family regarding pain management. Update primary care physician if current plan is ineffective.
• Assesses the unit’s needs and formulates a daily plan with staff and support staff to maintain smooth daily operations.
• Assures care plans are updated with changes in resident’s health, mobility, safety, psychosocial, behaviors and medications.
• Reviews and assesses intake/output, nutritional intake, weights, wounds, and other resident quality monitors. Notifies physician, director of nursing, dietitian, and/or pharmacist as needed.
• Assure support staff complete daily requirements, such as, documentation of vital signs, weights, showers, alert charting, weekly summaries, meal percentages, behavior logs, and wander/fall assessments.
• Notifies physician of changes in resident’s condition and follows through until appropriate action is taken. This includes weight loss, nutritional concerns, and falls.
• Notes and conducts physician’s orders in a timely manner.
• Obtain a morning report from nursing staff. Assured follow-through is completed regarding resident concerns.
• Assure diagnostic and laboratory physician orders are followed through.
• Attend stand-up, psychotropic drug review, MERP, nutrition at risk and fall program meetings to provide unit input.
• Treats residents and their families with respect and dignity. Identifies and addresses the psychosocial, cultural, ethnic, and religious/spiritual needs of residents and their families.
• Supervises other members of the healthcare team, as needed, to accomplish the plan of care which has been developed.
• Demonstrates competence in technical and manual skills, according to the scope of practice for RNs.
• Functions as a resident advocate by protecting the resident’s rights.
• Administers medications, following the six medication rights and reduces the potential for medication errors.
• Demonstrates creativity in solving problems and looking at situations in new and innovative ways.
• Interact with residents, families, co-workers, managers and other departmental personnel in a kind, knowledgeable and friendly manner.
• Consistently involves unit staff, residents, and family in planning for care, treatment, teaching needs, and discharge plans.
• Functions as a leader for the nursing/unit staff by delegating in a manner that contributes to the excellence of the nursing unit to which RN is assigned.
• Participate in orientation of new personnel and performance evaluations of nursing staff.
• Follows proper infection control procedures and supervises supportive staff in infection control procedures.
• Demonstrates ability to lead and remain calm in emergencies and/or stressful situations.
• Exhibits genuine interest in and appreciation of adults in later years of life.
• Motivated, independent individuals who can organize workload so that all functions are completed appropriately.
• Serve as a clinical resource to unit staff on issues pertaining to resident’s plan of care.
• Perform daily walking rounds of unit with director of nursing when available.
• Communicate with mental health coordinator, staff, physicians, director of nurses, unit staff, activities coordinator and social service designee as appropriate about changes in resident/patient’s clinical/psychosocial condition including results of diagnostic studies and symptomatology.
• Establish and maintain practice standards, provide ongoing staff education.
• Provide the director of nursing with weekly updates regarding SOC’s field, falls, infections, psychotropics and pressure ulcers, if applicable.
• Monitor resident outcomes on an ongoing basis and update the plan of care as needed.
• Acts as a resource person to staff and assume supervisory responsibilities.
• Discuss treatment plans with nursing staff and provide education when needed.
• Use a customer-focused approach when collaborating with Agency costumers including co-workers, patients, residents, physicians, and staff from within the district.
• Assumes responsibility to maintain and upgrade professional knowledge and skills through attendance and participation in continuing education and in-service education programs.
• Demonstrate the knowledge and skills necessary to provide care appropriately to residents/patients served.
• Support Compliance Program by adhering to the Policies, Procedures and Department Manuals of KVHD. Attend all mandatory in-services and annual training programs related to compliance.
• Update nursing shift assignments as needed related to unit needs.
• Assist with IV therapy when needed.
• Preform peripheral, implanted and central line dressing changes when needed.
• Assure staff are following frequent repositioning guidelines for residents receiving skin care and residents at risk of skin breakdown.
• Assist director of nursing services as directed.
• Completes annual education requirements, attends annual review, continuous quality improvement activities (CQI), staff meetings and performs departmental in-service.
• Perform duties in a safety-conscience manner to eliminate or reduce the likelihood of work-related injury or illness. Maintains awareness of staff adherence to safety procedures.
• Represents the organization in a positive and professional manner.
• Maintains a good rapport and cooperative relationship with all staff.
• Complies with all organizational policies regarding ethical business practices.

• Graduate of an accredited school of nursing.
• Current California licensure as a Registered Nurse.
• Current BCLS certification.
• One (1) or more years of previous experience in a skilled nursing facility or in medical surgical setting.
• Able to communicate effectively in English, both verbally and in writing.
• Additional languages preferred.
• Basic computer knowledge.
• Good judgement and problem-solving skills.
• Follow all policies and procedures related to the care of residents.
• Display great leadership skills.
• Good organizational skills.
• Excellent communication skills and the ability to work well with others.