Assistant Director - Program Nursing

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Key/Essential Functions & Responsibilities

• Provides overall direction, management and clinical oversight of all day-to-day nursing-related operations and direct nursing services across two (2) or more regions and/or systems, which may include a variety of program(s) and/or system(s), with a focus on quality, compliance and continuity of care.
• Ensures provision of safe and appropriate nursing services and medication administration across assigned caseload by providing leadership and guidance to interdisciplinary teams, nursing and other staff supporting the safety, health and well-being of the people we support through implementation of person-centered, individualized interventions and plans of nursing service by properly trained, certified, licensed and/or otherwise qualified staff in accordance with scopes of practice and following appropriate levels of supervision and safeguards.
• Participates in the development and implementation of recruitment and engagement initiatives in collaboration with nursing leadership and Human Resources, including with the identification or implementation of partnerships and nurse recruitment events to attract and retain nursing staff and assists nursing supervisors with interviews and selection of nurses, including participating in interviews, reviewing and approving offers of employment.
• Travels to programs across assigned caseload to engage with or observe persons supported, program and/or nursing staff or operations at least weekly, including to conduct observations, collect data, facilitate medical in-services and/or attend meetings and increases on-site presence at programs to engage with and support interdisciplinary teams during plans of corrective action and/or in response to statements of deficiency; travels to local headquarters or other regions, as directed.
• Directly supervises nursing supervisors across assigned regions and systems, providing oversight and guidance for nursing and medical support services performed by RNs, LPNs and program staff, ensuring consistent application and enforcement of policies, procedures and productivity standards through appropriate management of concerns or performance issues, including discussions and plans for corrective actions, as needed.
• Ensures supervisors are actively engaging, counseling, coaching and directing nursing staff and that nurses' orientation schedules, required training and supervision are implemented in accordance with all applicable timelines; directly engages with nursing staff across assigned caseload, participating in development, engagement and monitoring through regular meetings, check-ins and/or on-site visits.
• Regularly monitors nursing operations to ensure supervisors are effectively managing, assigning and assessing caseloads of RNs and LPN and reviewing time and attendance to ensure maintenance of appropriate coverage for all services requiring nursing support or oversight and that nursing staff are utilizing the full nursing process with all persons supported while maintaining all documentation, including for persons supported and nurses’ professional credentials (licenses, registrations and certifications).
• Ensures nursing supervisors are appropriately managing and submitting changes in Workday for staff status, work hours, promotions/demotions, transfers and/or other adjustments in a timely manner, reviewing and approving timekeeping records for payroll processing and reporting incidents or other occurrences accordingly, including handling or escalating concerns with attendance, work hours and/or time tracking; processes or handles directly, when appropriate.
• Maintains familiarity with all plans of nursing care across assigned caseload, regularly monitoring and conducting spot checks to assess the quality of implementations and documentation, ensuring incorporation of appropriate supports for new or changing medical needs, including updates to PONS and education relating to changes.
• Regularly reviews and analyzes medical data through monitoring of electronic health record, Electronic Medication Administration Record (eMAR) and/or other systems to identify trends, unmet needs, opportunities and areas of risk across assigned caseload and reports on key indicators, such as medication errors, 911 calls and falls, summarizing trends and changes over time for assigned caseload and by program or system, as needed.
• Proposes and designs tools to evaluate and improve nursing systems, documentation, quality and outcomes for the people we support, proactively identifying and implementing solutions to address concerns and areas of risk across assigned caseload and collaborating with applicable leadership teams to create and implement plans to correct more significant deficiencies or trends across or beyond assigned caseload, including to address audit findings or to implement plans of corrective action.
• Participates in the review and development of nursing services for new, additional or enhanced services across assigned caseload, collaborating with nursing, program and/or agency leadership to assess needs and ensure implementation of appropriate nursing structure to support services; assists with planning, development and implementation of agencywide or new initiatives and/or provides coverage for nursing leadership in other regions or systems, as requested.
• Keeps abreast of Federal, State and/or Local government regulations and standards applicable to assigned programs and/or systems as they relate to nursing care, including memorandum and correspondence from oversight agencies including, but not limited to NYS Office for People with Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD), assisting nursing leadership with analyzing, interpreting developing and/or updating policies, procedures, practices and trainings to support quality, compliance and continuity of care or to address regulatory or other requirements and/or operational needs, including enhancements to the electronic medical record (eMAR) and collaboration with YAI support departments (Quality and Compliance, Information Technology, etc.), as requested.
• Collaborates with nursing leadership to design, organize and implement agencywide or localized medical in-service trainings or assessments for specific content areas and ongoing oversight of services performed by other  staff, including direct care staff performing medication administration and assisting with support of complex or specialized medical needs, such as enteral feeding or other modified diets, positioning, turning and/or using lifts, colostomy, ostomy and catheterization, for eMAR and other nursing-related supports, ensuring appropriate coordination with system leadership for scheduling, attendance and other specific needs.
• Participates in the development of guidance and implementation of agencywide or localized infection control practices and other related plans in collaboration with nursing leadership, including those relating to communicable diseases, OSHA regulations and exposure control.
• Communicates all new, modified and existing codes, rules, regulations, administrative memoranda and/or protocols for nursing/clinical practice and/or new initiatives or programs to nursing staff directly or through nursing supervisors, ensuring dissemination of information to all applicable parties across assigned caseload.
• Actively participates in regional, department and other committees or meetings relating to medical and nursing-related needs of the people we support including but not limited to: Incident Review Committee, Human Rights Committee, Informed Consent Committee, Clinical Consultation Committee and Agency Director Meetings.
• Assists nursing leadership with the oversight and maintenance of systems to support nursing coverage and response to incidents, inquiries or emergencies by appropriate nursing staff at all times, ensuring RN availability 24/7 within 30 minutes in accordance with OPWDD guidelines and participates in the residential nursing on-call system, as needed.
• Complies and ensures staff complies with all Federal, State, Local and other relevant regulatory agency requirements, including the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and cooperation with appropriate entities in any inspection, inquiry or investigation (e.g. OPWDD).
• Performs all other duties as assigned, including performing duties of nursing supervisors and/or direct nursing care in their absence, if required.

Minimum Qualification Requirements including education, experience, licensure/certification, etc. and essential physical capabilities (e.g. lifting, assisting lifting, standing, etc.)

• Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree; and
• Valid, active Registered Nursing (RN) license and registration to practice as an RN issued by the New York State Education Department; and
• Current Basic Life Support (BLS) certification for Healthcare Providers; and
• Five (5) years of nursing experience including experience working with individuals with intellectual/developmental disabilities (I/DD) and/or behavioral health needs, which includes or is supplemented by two (2) years of supervisory/administrative experience; or
• Satisfactory equivalent combination of education, experience and/or training. However, all incumbents must hold a current active license and registration as a Registered Nurse in State of New York and current BLS.
• Sound clinical judgment, informed by knowledge of developmental disabilities, cooccurring behavioral/mental health diagnoses and/or related clinical syndromes.
• Knowledge of applicable Federal, State, Local regulations applicable to medical services and nursing.
• Exceptional interpersonal, verbal and written communication skills, including the ability to effectively collaborate, negotiate and make well informed recommendations.
• Exceptional supervisory and leadership skills, including the ability to effectively direct, coach and support nursing and program staff across multiple sites by adapting leadership style to address a variety of team and/or individual challenges.
• Solid analytical and problem-solving skills, including the ability to identify trends and create systems to resolve concerns and mitigate risk.
• Ability to respond to calls and/or work beyond regular work hours/be on-call, as needed.
• Proficiency with computers and experience using electronic medical records, billing and other I/DD-related electronic systems (e.g. Digital Agency), email, Microsoft Office Suite and/or Workday (or other HCM systems) and ability to learn to operate or use new computer equipment, software and/or electronic programs.
• Ability to report on-site to programs or other YAI locations across assigned regions and/or systems at least weekly and more frequently when needed to observe and address caseload needs and to report to NYC Headquarters or other locations serviced by YAI Network, as requested.
• Ability to meet essential physical demands of position, including using hands to finger, handle or feel objects, tools or controls; sitting, standing and moving around the office or programs; and ability to perform direct nursing duties if/as needed, as described in Registered Nurse job description.

Preferred Qualification Requirements (desired requirements beyond MQRs above)

• Master of Science in Nursing degree
• At least three (3) years of experience working with individuals with I/DD, including knowledge of Office of Persons with Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD) regulations
• Valid Driver's License

Compensation

• $119,000-$125,350 annually

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, or status as a Vietnam or disabled veteran. YAI is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

To ensure fairness, safeguard transparency, and promote an equitable workforce environment, YAI Network prohibits the practice of nepotism in the workforce and hiring process.