Wellness Director (Assisted Living and Memory Care)

Primary Duty

The primary purpose of the Wellness Director is to plan, organize, develop, and direct the overall operation of the Nursing Department in accordance with local, state, and federal guidelines and regulations. The position is responsible to ensure that the highest quality of care is delivered consistently to the resident population.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS include the following. Other duties may be assigned. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Defines and maintains the nursing practice within the community, monitoring all aspects of resident care.
• Evaluates the quality and cost-effectiveness of staffing and services in the nursing department.
• Develops the policies and procedures that govern the nursing services within the community, with the oversight of the Executive Director. Periodically reviews and updates these policies and procedures.
• Understands and reviews the community’s Healthcare Clinical Policies and Procedures.
• Ensures compliance with local, state, and federal guidelines and regulations, including Infection Control.
• Conducts frequent rounds on a daily basis to ensure that all nursing service personnel are performing their essential functions in accordance with community clinical policy and state/federal guidelines and regulations.
• Develops and/or oversees in-service education programs in compliance with required in-service regulations.
• Oversees the provision of appropriate medications, treatments, and general nursing services according to the resident’s care plan and physician directed orders.
• Monitors and controls inventories of drugs and supplies.
• Directs the development of coordination of the residents’ plan of care.
• Participates in the assessment of residents to be admitted by evaluating the level and amount of care required by prospective resident in relation to existing nursing capabilities.
• Assures that each resident’s physician and family or responsible party is promptly notified of any significant change in the residents’ health condition.
• Assesses residents’ conditions and vitals to determine and/or modify resident treatment plans, implementing interventions if necessary.
• Reviews resident treatment plans on a routine basis.
• Maintains accurate, detailed reports and records.
• Promotes and supports the greatest possible degree of independence for residents.
• Develops, implements and maintains on going Quality Assurance Program for the Nursing Department. Conducts audits of Nursing Department as necessary/directed in accordance with the QA program.
• Develops nursing staff schedules in accordance with clinical needs of resident populations. Assumes open shifts in the event of call-ins, emergencies, etc. May have on-call duties as necessary.
• Reports any issues or problems that may arise to the Executive Director.
• Complies with state, federal, and all other applicable health care and safety standards.
• Attends/completes required in-services and other required meetings.
• Performs other duties as directed.

SUPERVISORY REQUIREMENTS of this position are generally as follows:

• Oversees the activities of the nursing department to ensure community and departmental goals and standards are met; directly manages all nursing associates. Indirectly supervises all other associates as a Department Head.
• Carries out supervisory responsibilities, including, but not limited to, interviewing, hiring, and training associates; planning, assigning, and directing work; appraising performance; rewarding and disciplining associates; addressing complaints and resolving problems; and terminating associates.

EDUCATION and EXPERIENCE an equivalent combination of education, training and experience will be considered.

• Associate’s degree or equivalent preferred; minimum of 5 years of previous long-term care experience.
• Licensed in the applicable state as a Registered Nurse (RN) or Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN); or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Prior experience managing staff and working in a long-term care and/or assisted living setting preferred.
• Experience with the applicable state Survey Rules & Regulations and Medicaid.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS and ABILITIES which may be representative but not all inclusive of those commonly associated with this position.

• Reading Ability - Able to read and interpret written information.
• Written Communication - Able to write clearly and informatively.
• Verbal Communication - Able to talk to others to convey information effectively.
• Reasoning Ability - Able to apply common sense understanding to carry out detailed written or oral instructions.
• English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language.
• Math Ability - Knowledge of mathematics, including statistics, and their applications.
• Management of Personnel Resources - Motivating, developing, and directing people as they work, identifying the best people for the job.
• Medicine - Knowledge of the information and techniques needed to treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities. This includes symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and preventive healthcare measures.
• Customer and Personal Service - Knowledge of principles for providing customer and personal services. This includes needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
• Judgment and Decision Making - Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
• Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
• Safety and Security - Observes safety and security procedures; determines appropriate action beyond guidelines; reports potentially unsafe conditions; uses equipment and materials properly.
• Problem Solving - Identifies and resolves problems in a timely manner.
• Interpersonal - Focuses on solving conflict, not blaming; maintains confidentiality.
• Delegation - Sets expectations and monitors delegated activities.
• Organizational Support - Follows company policies and procedures.
• Adaptability - Adapts to changes in the work environment; changes approach or method to best fit the situation; Able to deal with frequent changes, delays, or unexpected events.
• Planning/Organizing - Prioritizes and plans work activities; advises for additional resources in needed.
• Attendance/Punctuality - Arrives to work/meetings on time, ensures work responsibilities are covered when absent.
• Dependability - Commits to long hours of work when necessary to reach goals; completes tasks accurately and on time or notifies appropriate person with an alternate plan.
• Professionalism - Treats others with respect and consideration regardless of their status or position; accepts responsibility for own actions.

COMPUTER SKILLS/EQUIPMENT USED TO PERFORM THE JOB which may be representative but not all inclusive of those commonly associated with this position.

• Desktop/Notebook computers
• MS Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.)
• Various medical equipment, including, but not limited to, blood pressure cuff, stethoscope, Accu-Check machine, weight scales, etc.

WORK ENVIRONMENT environmental or atmospheric conditions commonly associated with the performance of the functions of this job.

• The associate is occasionally required to wear protective clothing.
• The associate may be exposed to blood, bodily fluids, odors, airborne particles, dust or fumes, and toxic or caustic chemicals.
• The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

PHYSICAL ABILITIES commonly associated with the performance of the functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• While performing the duties of this job, the associate is frequently required to talk or hear, stand, walk, sit, stoop, kneel or crouch, use hands to use hands to grasp, manipulate or feel objects and reach with hands and arms. The associate is occasionally required to smell.
• The associate must regularly lift and/or move up to 25 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds unassisted.
• Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.
• Maintains confidentiality of all resident information and ensures resident privacy.
• Assists Community Relations Director/Leasing Director with community tours as necessary.
• On-call and Weekend Manager duties may be required as directed by the Executive Director.
• Assists families and other visitors as needed.