The Interim Director of Nursing (Interim DON) provides temporary leadership for the facility's nursing department while a permanent Director of Nursing is recruited, hired, oriented, or returned to duty. The Interim DON is accountable for resident care systems, nursing operations, staff performance, regulatory compliance, quality improvement, and survey readiness. The position stabilizes clinical operations, addresses priority risks, and maintains clear communication with the Administrator and organizational clinical leadership.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
Clinical Leadership and Resident Care
Direct and evaluate nursing services to promote safe, resident-centered care consistent with professional standards, facility policy, resident rights, and applicable federal and state requirements.
Monitor changes in condition, incident response, physician notification, transfers, infection concerns, wounds, falls, high-risk medications, nutrition and hydration concerns, and other priority clinical risks.
Ensure nursing assessments, care plans, physician orders, treatment records, medication administration records, and supporting documentation are complete, accurate, timely, and consistent with each resident's needs.
Participate in resident and family communication, care conferences, grievance resolution, and interdisciplinary decision-making when clinical leadership involvement is needed.
Maintain effective systems for emergency response, code status verification, abuse prevention, neglect prevention, elopement prevention, and immediate protection of residents.
Staffing, Supervision, and Competency
Provide direct supervision, coaching, direction, and performance oversight to nursing leadership and nursing personnel, including RNs, LPNs, CMAs, CNAs, restorative staff, and other assigned team members.
Evaluate daily staffing and skill mix; collaborate with the Administrator and scheduler to maintain safe coverage and address vacancies, call-ins, overtime, agency use, and attendance concerns.
Verify that nursing staff are appropriately licensed, certified, oriented, trained, and competent for assigned duties, and that delegation is consistent with scope-of-practice requirements.
Lead nursing meetings, shift-to-shift communication, stand-up review, clinical rounds, and timely follow-up on identified concerns.
Participate in recruiting, interviewing, selection, onboarding, counseling, corrective action, retention, and recognition of nursing personnel in coordination with Human Resources and the Administrator.
Regulatory Compliance and Survey Readiness
Maintain continuous readiness for standard surveys, complaint investigations, life-safety or emergency reviews, and other regulatory or payer audits.
Review and respond to clinical incidents, allegations of abuse or neglect, medication errors, injuries of unknown source, hospitalizations, and reportable events; ensure immediate protection, investigation, notification, documentation, and corrective action within required timeframes.
Conduct rounds and audits to identify deficient practices; assign corrective actions, verify completion, and monitor sustained compliance.
Assist with plans of correction, directed plans, credible allegation documentation, evidence gathering, and ongoing compliance monitoring when applicable.
Protect resident privacy and confidential information and ensure nursing practices support resident rights, dignity, choice, and freedom from retaliation.
Quality Assurance and Performance Improvement
Lead nursing participation in QAPI and Quality Assessment and Assurance activities, including root-cause analysis, performance improvement projects, data review, corrective action, and monitoring.
Track and trend clinical indicators such as falls, pressure injuries, infections, antipsychotic use, weight loss, hospitalizations, medication errors, grievances, staffing, and other facility-selected measures.
Work with the Medical Director, consultant pharmacist, infection preventionist, MDS team, dietary services, therapy, social services, and other disciplines to improve outcomes and reduce avoidable risk.
Ensure infection prevention and antibiotic stewardship practices are implemented, monitored, and communicated to staff.
Interim Assignment Expectations
Complete an initial clinical and operational assessment promptly after assuming the assignment and provide the Administrator with prioritized findings and an action plan.
Establish short-term goals, responsible owners, deadlines, and monitoring methods for urgent and high-risk issues.
Provide regular written or verbal status updates to the Administrator and regional leadership, including barriers requiring additional resources or executive decisions.
Maintain organized records of active risks, audits, staffing needs, corrective actions, pending investigations, regulatory deadlines, and unresolved clinical matters.
Support recruitment and onboarding of the permanent DON and provide an orderly, confidential handoff at the conclusion of the interim assignment.
Perform other duties reasonably related to the position and facility needs, as assigned.
Required Qualifications
Current, active, and unencumbered Registered Nurse license valid for practice in Oklahoma.
Prior nursing leadership experience in a skilled nursing or long-term care setting; Director of Nursing or Assistant Director of Nursing experience strongly preferred.
Working knowledge of long-term care clinical operations, resident assessment and care planning, infection prevention, quality improvement, and survey processes.
Ability to organize competing priorities, make timely clinical decisions, lead through change, and communicate clearly with staff, residents, families, practitioners, regulators, and organizational leaders.
Current CPR certification and other credentials required by facility policy or applicable law.
Ability to successfully complete required background checks, health screening, and employment verification.
Preferred Qualifications
Bachelor of Science in Nursing.
At least two years of progressive nursing management experience in long-term care.
Experience managing survey correction, immediate jeopardy prevention or removal, clinical stabilization, or leadership transition.
Training or demonstrated experience in QAPI, infection prevention, MDS/RAI, staff development, or risk management.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
Sound nursing judgment and knowledge of geriatric and post-acute care.
Leadership, conflict resolution, coaching, investigation, and performance-management skills.
Ability to analyze clinical data, identify patterns, determine root causes, and verify sustained correction.
Proficiency with electronic health records, email, spreadsheets, scheduling or staffing systems, and routine business technology.
Professional discretion and the ability to safeguard protected health information, personnel information, and investigation materials.
Physical and Work Requirements
The employee must be able to perform the essential functions of the position, with or without reasonable accommodation. The role routinely requires walking and standing throughout the facility; sitting; using hands for documentation and equipment; communicating in person and by telephone; bending, reaching, and assisting during urgent situations; and lifting or moving items consistent with facility safety practices. The employee may be exposed to infectious illness, bodily fluids, emotionally difficult situations, and an active healthcare environment. Regular on-site presence, schedule flexibility, and availability outside normal business hours may be required based on resident needs, staffing, emergencies, surveys, or other facility operations.
Job Type: Full-time
Pay: From $95,000.00 per year
Medical Specialty:
License/Certification:
Ability to Commute:
- Tishomingo, OK 73460 (Required)
Work Location: In person
