Assistant Director of Nursing - RN

General Purpose

The Assistant Director of Nursing, Registered Nurse (ADON, RN) supports the Director of Nursing in leading nursing services, supervising clinical staff, improving resident outcomes, and maintaining regulatory compliance. This role assists with clinical oversight, quality assurance, staff development, resident care coordination, documentation review, infection prevention, and implementation of nursing policies and procedures.

Responsibilities

Clinical Leadership & Nursing Operations

• Assist the Director of Nursing with planning, directing, and evaluating nursing services and clinical operations.
• Provide leadership, clinical guidance, and support to RNs, LPNs, CNAs, and other nursing personnel.
• Monitor resident care delivery, changes in condition, clinical follow-up, and documentation to support quality outcomes.
• Assist with staffing coordination, clinical assignments, and prioritization of nursing department needs.

Staff Supervision, Education & Development

• Support recruitment, orientation, training, competency validation, and ongoing education of nursing staff.
• Coach and mentor nursing personnel to promote accountability, communication, and adherence to standards of care.
• Assist with performance feedback, corrective action preparation, and leadership development within the nursing team.

Compliance, Quality & Survey Readiness

• Support regulatory compliance, quality assurance, infection prevention, risk management, and survey readiness activities.
• Participate in audits, incident reviews, care plan updates, and quality improvement initiatives.
• Assist with the development, implementation, and communication of nursing policies, procedures, and clinical protocols.
• Assist with working a medication cart, administering medications, and performing floor nurse responsibilities as needed.

Resident, Family & Interdisciplinary Collaboration

• Collaborate with physicians, therapy, social services, dietary, administration, residents, and families to support comprehensive resident care.
• Respond to resident and family concerns professionally and escalate unresolved issues as appropriate.
• Participate in facility leadership meetings, interdisciplinary meetings, and clinical reviews as assigned.

Qualifications

• Basic Life Support (BLS) or Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) certification recommended.
• Regular and reliable attendance is required to perform the essential functions of this position.
• Current, unrestricted Registered Nurse (RN) license in the state of employment, or a current multistate license recognized and accepted by the state of employment.
• Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) preferred; equivalent clinical leadership experience may be considered.
• Minimum of three to five years of nursing experience preferred, with leadership experience in skilled nursing or long-term care strongly preferred.
• Strong knowledge of CMS requirements, state survey processes, clinical documentation, infection prevention, and long-term care standards.
• Demonstrated leadership, communication, analytical, and problem-solving skills.
• Proficiency with electronic health records (EHR) and clinical documentation systems preferred.
• Must be available to serve on-call as needed and provide clinical leadership, guidance, and support during after-hours, weekends, holidays, and emergency situations.

Physical Demands

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Ability to stand, walk, bend, and move throughout the facility for extended periods.
• Ability to lift, push, pull, or assist with moving residents and equipment weighing up to 50 pounds, with or without assistance.
• Visual and auditory acuity sufficient to assess resident conditions and read medical documentation.
• Manual dexterity required to administer medications, perform treatments, and operate medical equipment.
• Ability to respond quickly and effectively in emergency situations.

Work Environment

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• The noise level in the work environment is usually low to moderate.
• Direct or indirect exposure to residents with medical conditions or communicable illnesses.
• Use of personal protective equipment (PPE) and adherence to infection control protocols are required.
• Work is performed in a healthcare, skilled nursing, or long-term care environment.
• Requires professionalism, confidentiality, and collaboration with residents, families, staff, vendors, physicians, and interdisciplinary team members.

Disclaimer

Nothing in this job description restricts management's right to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time. Critical features of this job are described under various headings above. They may be subject to change at any time due to reasonable accommodation or other reasons. The above statements are strictly intended to describe the general nature and level of the work being performed. They are not intended to be construed as a complete list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required of employees in this position.