59-Bed Skilled Nursing Facility -

Behavioral Health Department:

Nursing Reports To:

Administrator Status:

Full-Time, Exempt Position Type:

Leadership / Management

POSITION SUMMARY

The Director of Nursing (DON) is responsible for the overall leadership, management, and clinical operations of the Nursing Department in a 59-bed skilled nursing facility serving a behavioral-health population . The DON ensures the delivery of safe, high-quality, person-centered nursing care while maintaining compliance with all federal, state, and local regulations, including applicable CMS, CDPH, and Title 22 requirements. The ideal candidate will have strong prior experience working with behavioral-health patients in a skilled nursing or similar healthcare setting and must be capable of effectively managing the unique clinical, behavioral, safety, and staffing needs of this population. The DON works closely with the Administrator, Medical Director, interdisciplinary team, residents, families, and facility leadership to promote quality outcomes, regulatory compliance, resident safety, staff accountability, and a positive culture of care.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND

RESPONSIBILITIESClinical Leadership Provide overall direction and leadership for the Nursing Department. Ensure residents receive safe, appropriate, timely, and individualized nursing care. Maintain high standards of clinical practice and resident care. Monitor residents' medical, behavioral, and psychosocial needs. Ensure appropriate assessment, care planning, interventions, documentation, and follow-up. Oversee medication management and administration practices. Monitor changes in resident condition and ensure timely physician and family notification when appropriate. Ensure appropriate management of behavioral symptoms, including implementation of individualized behavioral interventions. Promote appropriate use of non-pharmacological interventions and monitor psychotropic medication use in accordance with applicable regulations. Ensure appropriate infection prevention and control practices. Behavioral Health Leadership Demonstrated experience caring for and managing behavioral-health patients is required. Provide clinical leadership related to residents with psychiatric, behavioral, cognitive, and/or emotional needs. Ensure staff are trained to safely manage behavioral symptoms, aggression, agitation, elopement risk, and other behavioral concerns. Establish and maintain appropriate behavioral management strategies and individualized care approaches. Collaborate with physicians, psychiatric providers, social services, rehabilitation, activities, and other members of the interdisciplinary team. Promote trauma-informed, person-centered, and dignity-focused care. Ensure staff understand and follow facility protocols related to behavioral emergencies and resident safety. Staffing & Nursing Department Management Develop and maintain appropriate nursing schedules based on census, acuity, and resident needs. Ensure adequate staffing levels and appropriate staff-to-resident coverage. Participate in recruitment, interviewing, hiring, orientation, and retention of nursing personnel. Hold nursing staff accountable for attendance, performance, clinical competency, and adherence to facility policies. Conduct regular performance evaluations and provide coaching and corrective action when necessary. Ensure nursing staff maintain current licenses, certifications, and required training. Monitor overtime, agency usage, call-offs, and staffing-related expenses. Develop strategies to improve staff retention and reduce turnover. Regulatory Compliance & Quality Assurance Maintain compliance with CMS, CDPH, Title 22, OSHA, and other applicable regulatory requirements. Prepare the Nursing Department for federal and state surveys and other regulatory inspections. Participate in survey preparation, response, and implementation of corrective action plans. Develop, monitor, and maintain the facility's Quality Assurance and Performance Improvement (QAPI) initiatives. Monitor clinical indicators, including falls, pressure injuries, infections, medication errors, hospitalizations, weight loss, accidents, and other quality measures. Identify trends and implement corrective actions to improve resident outcomes. Ensure accurate and timely clinical documentation. Maintain required nursing records, reports, audits, and logs. Risk Management & Resident Safety Ensure appropriate investigation and documentation of incidents, accidents, injuries, abuse allegations, and other significant events. Ensure timely reporting of reportable events to appropriate agencies. Implement measures to reduce resident injuries and preventable adverse events. Monitor fall prevention, elopement prevention, abuse prevention, and emergency preparedness programs. Promote a safe environment for residents, visitors, and employees. Staff Education & Development Develop and implement ongoing nursing education and competency programs. Ensure staff receive required in-service training. Provide education regarding behavioral-health care, dementia care, medication management, infection prevention, emergency response, and resident rights. Identify staff competency gaps and implement appropriate training plans. Promote professional development and accountability throughout the Nursing Department. Interdisciplinary Collaboration Participate in interdisciplinary team meetings and care conferences. Work collaboratively with the Administrator, Medical Director, DON/ADON team, Social Services, Rehabilitation, Dietary, Activities, Admissions, and other departments. Communicate effectively with residents and families regarding clinical concerns and care needs. Support coordination of admissions, transfers, hospital returns, and discharges.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

Current California Registered Nurse (RN) license in good standing. Prior Director of Nursing, Assistant Director of Nursing, or senior nursing leadership experience in a skilled nursing facility required. Behavioral-health patient experience is required. Strong knowledge of skilled nursing facility clinical operations and regulatory requirements. Demonstrated knowledge of CMS, CDPH, and California Title 22 requirements. Strong understanding of nursing staffing, scheduling, clinical documentation, and quality assurance. Experience managing and developing nursing staff. Strong leadership, communication, organizational, and problem-solving skills. Ability to work effectively in a fast-paced environment with a high-acuity and/or behavioral-health population. Ability to respond effectively to emergencies and challenging behavioral situations.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

Bachelor's degree in Nursing (BSN) preferred. Minimum 3-5 years of progressive nursing leadership experience preferred. Experience as a DON in a behavioral-health, psychiatric, locked, secured, or high-acuity skilled nursing environment preferred. Experience successfully managing state and federal surveys. Experience with QAPI and performance improvement initiatives. Experience with electronic medical records (EMR) systems.

KEY LEADERSHIP EXPECTATIONS

The Director of Nursing is expected to: Lead by example and maintain a professional, respectful, and accountable nursing culture. Maintain visibility and presence throughout the facility. Hold staff accountable while providing appropriate support and coaching. Prioritize resident safety and quality of care. Address clinical and behavioral concerns promptly. Maintain strong communication with facility leadership. Identify problems proactively and implement effective solutions. Maintain appropriate staffing and minimize unnecessary overtime and agency utilization. Ensure compliance with all applicable laws, regulations, and facility policies. Promote a culture centered on dignity, respect, compassion, safety, and quality care .

PHYSICAL & WORK REQUIREMENTS

Ability to walk and stand for extended periods throughout the facility. Ability to respond quickly to resident and staff emergencies. Ability to work with residents who may exhibit challenging or unpredictable behaviors. Ability to work weekends, holidays, or after-hours as needed based on facility operational requirements. Ability to lift, push, pull, or assist with resident care activities as required by the position and applicable facility policies.

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY

We are an equal opportunity employer and are committed to providing a workplace free from unlawful discrimination and harassment. Employment decisions are based on qualifications, experience, performance, and business needs, consistent with applicable federal and state law.

Job Type:

Full-time Pay:

$150,000.00 - $160,000.00 per year

Benefits:

Dental insurance Health insurance Life insurance Paid time off Vision insurance

Experience:

Director of Nursing:

4 years (Required)

License/Certification:

RN (Required) Ability to

Commute:

Los Angeles, CA 90011 (Required) Ability to

Relocate:

Los Angeles, CA 90011: Relocate before starting work (Required)

Work Location:

In person