Director of Nursing - DON

Position: Director of Nursing (DON)
Location: Essex, CT
Salary Range: Up to $135,000

Who We Are:
Walk through our doors and see the difference in the future with senior living and care. Set against a beautiful 1,000-acre natural preserve and just minutes from the shoreline, Essex Meadows leads the way in comprehensive senior living in Connecticut. When you work at Essex Meadows, you have a front-row seat to the amazing life stories of the wisest people on earth. What's more, you are part of an extraordinary company-one that's investing in the future of senior living by investing in you. Don't just do a job. Be part of an extraordinary life!

You Will Enjoy: 
•    Medical, dental, and vision insurance
•    Life insurance 
•    AD&D insurance 
•    Long-term disability insurance
•    401(k) with company match
•    Resident sponsored appreciation bonus
•    Resident sponsored educational scholarships
•    Generous PTO and paid holidays
•    Employee assistance program
•    Free electric vehicle charging stations
•    Daily Pay – Work today, get paid today
•    An exceptional work environment that is both engaging and fun!

Essex Meadows is seeking a hospitality-focused Director of Nursing to join our team! This opening comes as we prepare for the upcoming retirement of our current DON, who has served with dedication for 10 years and is retiring in August. Our goal is to onboard the new Director by mid-summer, allowing for a smooth transition and training period.

The DON is responsible for the overall supervision, provision, and quality of nursing care in our 45-bed Health Center. This role is responsible for the selection, training, discipline and supervision for all nursing related Health Center personnel. The DON is also responsible for overseeing the procurement of appropriate supplies and equipment and operating within the departmental budget.

Essential Job Duties: 
•    Responsible for the development, organization and operation of nursing services and assistance-in-living services for the Health Center.
•    Responsible for the coordination of nursing services for the Health Center residents including the procurement of outside sources such as, Home Health Care Services, private duty, hospice, rehabilitation services, psychological, etc. necessary to ensure that residents’ needs are met.  Communicates and meets with outside consultants as necessary to assess and make recommendations for resident care needs.
•    Responsible for the coordination and direction of the total planning for nursing services including recommendation through a staffing plan of the number and levels of licensed and certified nurses' aides to be employed.
•    Recruits and selects, with the Administrator’s approval, nursing services personnel.
•    Develops and maintains a schedule of daily rounds and assignments of duties for all nursing staff to assure 24-hour coverage sufficient to meet federal and state regulatory requirements and Facility standards of care.
•    Participates in the coordination of resident care services through departmental staff meetings.  Attends and prepares necessary information for the Quarterly Assurance Meetings and annual policy review.
•    Participates in a new staff orientation program for his/her employees, including private duty and agency staff.
•    Coordinates with the Staff Development Nurse the required and supplemental in service education programs appropriate for all job categories of Facility staff to increase knowledge of competence in job skills for the benefit of staff and   residents, in cooperation with the Medical Director and Administrator. 
•    Utilizes vendors, consultants and the medical community as appropriate.
•    Maintains clinical skills through nursing education related to geriatrics.
•    Ensures that significant clinical developments of residents are reported to their physicians, the Medical Director, the Administrator and State, as necessary.
•    Reviews the nursing requirements of each resident admitted to the Health Center and assists the attending physician in planning care.
•    Completes written probationary and annual evaluations of all nursing staff.
•    Appoints, with the Administrator’s approval, a nurse to act in his/her behalf during temporary absences.  Designates a nurse in charge each shift.
•    Establishes procedures to ensure that nursing personnel, including private duty nursing staff, have valid and current licenses as required by federal and state regulations.
•    Ensures compliance with all federal, state and local regulations.
•    Maintains high visibility with residents in the Health Center and apartment residents.  Makes frequent tours of reside