Director of Nursing (DON)
Position Summary
The Director of Nursing (DON) is responsible for the overall leadership, direction, and accountability of the nursing department at White Dove Detox. The DON ensures the delivery of safe, high-quality, evidence-based nursing care while maintaining compliance with Utah state licensing regulations, Joint Commission Behavioral Health standards, and all applicable federal and state laws.
This position is responsible for developing nursing leaders, overseeing regulatory readiness, maintaining clinical excellence, improving quality outcomes, and ensuring the nursing department operates efficiently and collaboratively. The DON works closely with the Executive Director, Medical Director, Day Nurse Manager, Night Nurse Manager, and interdisciplinary team to ensure exceptional patient care and operational excellence.
The Director of Nursing is expected to be a visible leader who communicates effectively, follows through on commitments, proactively identifies problems before they become crises, and builds systems that support long-term success rather than short-term fixes. While responsibilities may be delegated, the DON maintains ultimate accountability for the performance, compliance, and effectiveness of the nursing department.
Leadership & Management
- Lead, mentor, and develop the nursing department while fostering a culture of accountability, professionalism, and teamwork.
- Provide direct supervision and support to the Night Nurse Manager and Day Nurse Manager.
- Hold nursing leadership accountable for completing assigned responsibilities and following through on projects and initiatives.
- Assist the Executive Director with recruiting, interviewing, hiring, onboarding, and retaining qualified nurses and technicians.
- Ensure appropriate staffing levels are maintained at all times and proactively address staffing shortages before they affect operations.
- Conduct coaching, performance evaluations, disciplinary actions, and performance improvement plans when necessary.
- Build a positive, solution-oriented culture while maintaining high expectations for performance and patient care.
- Lead by example through professionalism, reliability, organization, and accountability.
- Be available to staff for urgent clinical concerns or ensure appropriate nursing leadership coverage is available.
Clinical Oversight & Patient Care
- Provide oversight of all nursing care delivered within the detox facility.
- Ensure comprehensive nursing assessments are completed accurately and timely.
- Ensure individualized, evidence-based care plans are implemented and updated appropriately.
- Monitor withdrawal management protocols, medication administration, and patient safety throughout each admission.
- Ensure CIWA, COWS, vital signs, assessments, and nursing documentation are completed according to policy.
- Collaborate with providers regarding changes in patient condition and implementation of treatment recommendations.
- Assist with complex clinical situations and provide guidance during medical or behavioral emergencies.
- Ensure patient dignity, compassion, and trauma-informed care remain central to all nursing practices.
Regulatory Compliance & Accreditation
- Maintain continuous readiness for Utah state licensing inspections, Joint Commission surveys, and other regulatory reviews.
- Develop, implement, and monitor policies and procedures that meet or exceed regulatory requirements.
- Ensure compliance with all applicable federal, state, and local regulations, including HIPAA, OSHA, CMS requirements (when applicable), DEA requirements, and professional nursing standards.
- Maintain working knowledge of Joint Commission Behavioral Health standards and implement changes as standards evolve.
- Ensure all nursing documentation meets regulatory, legal, and accreditation expectations.
- Review incident reports, medication errors, adverse events, grievances, and patient safety events to identify trends and implement corrective actions.
- Ensure Plans of Correction are completed promptly and monitored until sustained compliance is achieved.
- Verify nursing licenses, CPR certifications, competencies, annual education, and required credentials remain current.
- Coordinate survey preparation, mock surveys, policy review, environmental rounds, and staff education for all regulatory visits.
Quality Assurance & Auditing
- Oversee the facility's nursing quality assurance program.
- Review chart audits, medication audits, documentation audits, narcotic audits, infection prevention audits, and environmental audits.
- Collaborate with the Night Nurse Manager, who will conduct routine nursing audits and quality reviews.
- Analyze audit findings to identify trends, implement corrective actions, and ensure ongoing compliance.
- Monitor nursing documentation for completeness, accuracy, and timeliness.
- Develop quality improvement initiatives based on audit findings and patient outcomes.
- Track quality indicators including medication errors, falls, incidents, AMA discharges, documentation compliance, infection prevention, and patient satisfaction.
- Ensure corrective actions are completed, documented, and reassessed for effectiveness.
Collaboration & Communication
- Hold weekly leadership meetings with the Executive Director to review nursing operations, regulatory readiness, staffing, quality improvement initiatives, ongoing projects, and organizational priorities.
- Maintain consistent communication with the Executive Director regarding operational concerns, staffing issues, regulatory risks, and patient safety matters.
- Work collaboratively with the Medical Director, Nurse Practitioners, therapists, case managers, admissions, and administrative staff to ensure coordinated patient care.
- Collaborate closely with the Night Nurse Manager, who oversees routine nursing audits, chart reviews, medication audits, and clinical quality monitoring.
- Collaborate closely with the Day Nurse Manager, who oversees HR-related nursing responsibilities including onboarding, orientation, competencies, performance evaluations, employee coaching, education, and recognition initiatives.
- Ensure continuity of communication between day and night leadership teams.
- Promote transparency, accountability, and timely communication throughout the organization.
- Serve as the primary nursing liaison between clinical staff, administration, providers, surveyors, and regulatory agencies.
Staff Development & Education
- Ensure all nursing staff receive appropriate orientation and competency validation.
- Coordinate annual competencies, skills validations, and continuing education.
- Develop and provide education regarding withdrawal management, medication safety, documentation, infection prevention, emergency procedures, and regulatory compliance.
- Mentor nursing leaders and staff to strengthen clinical judgment and leadership skills.
- Foster a culture of continuous learning and professional growth.
Human Resources Oversight
- Partner with the Day Nurse Manager on HR-related nursing operations.
- Participate in employee coaching, corrective action, investigations, and performance management.
- Ensure employee files remain compliant with licensing and accreditation standards.
- Verify completion of annual evaluations, competencies, mandatory education, and required certifications.
- Support employee engagement, recognition, retention, and professional development initiatives.
Operations & Resource Management
- Ensure adequate nursing supplies, medications, emergency equipment, and clinical resources are available.
- Assist with budgeting and responsible allocation of nursing department resources.
- Monitor vendor needs, supply utilization, and equipment maintenance.
- Participate in strategic planning and operational improvements that support organizational growth.
Emergency Preparedness & Risk Management
Oversee the facility's emergency preparedness program to ensure ongoing compliance with state licensing and Joint Commission requirements.
- Review emergency preparedness activities coordinated by the Night Nurse Manager, including fire drills, disaster drills, evacuation planning, emergency equipment inspections, and after-action reviews.
- Ensure corrective actions identified during drills, incidents, or regulatory surveys are implemented and sustained.
- Monitor incident reporting, patient safety events, medication errors, and risk trends while developing strategies to reduce future risk.
- Ensure emergency policies and procedures remain current and consistent with regulatory standards.
- Collaborate with the Night Nurse Manager to maintain continuous survey readiness related to emergency management and environmental safety.
- Report significant risk management concerns to the Executive Director and participate in organizational quality improvement efforts.
- The Director of Nursing maintains executive oversight of emergency preparedness and risk management while partnering closely with the Night Nurse Manager, who coordinates the day-to-day operational aspects of these programs.
Skills & Competencies
- Strong leadership with the ability to build accountability while maintaining a supportive team culture.
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
- Exceptional organizational skills with outstanding follow-through.
- Extensive knowledge of addiction medicine, detoxification, withdrawal management, and behavioral health nursing.
- Thorough understanding of Joint Commission Behavioral Health standards and Utah state licensing requirements.
- Experience leading quality improvement initiatives and regulatory compliance programs.
- Ability to identify problems proactively and implement sustainable solutions.
- Strong critical thinking and decision-making skills in high-pressure situations.
- Ability to effectively delegate while maintaining accountability for outcomes.
- High level of integrity, professionalism, and attention to detail.
- Compassionate, patient-centered approach with a deep understanding of substance use disorders and recovery.
- Ability to maintain order, efficiency, and consistency throughout White Dove Detox.
- Ability to communicate and model White Dove Detox's mission, vision, values, and culture while ensuring alignment across all nursing staff.
Core Expectations
- Demonstrates ownership of the nursing department and follows through on all assigned responsibilities.
- Maintains a proactive approach to regulatory compliance rather than reacting to deficiencies.
- Builds trust through reliability, consistency, and accountability.
- Addresses issues promptly instead of allowing them to escalate.
- Leads with humility, collaboration, and a commitment to continuous improvement.
- Understands that the Director of Nursing is ultimately accountable for the performance, compliance, and success of the nursing department, regardless of delegated responsibilities.
