The Director of Nursing (DON) provides clinical leadership, oversight, and cultural stewardship for nursing services in Assisted Living and Memory Care service lines. The DON ensures care is delivered with compassion, integrity, and respect for individuality-supporting not only health and safety, but purpose, connection, and joy in daily living.
Living Life Together, the DON leads teams to create an engaging, supportive, and enriching environment where residents are empowered to live fully and team members feel valued, supported, and accountable to shared excellence.
The DON is a guardian of both care quality and community culture. By blending compassionate clinical leadership with purpose driven living, the DON ensures every resident feels respected, connected, and truly at home-while empowering teams to deliver care that celebrates life, legacy, and integrity every day.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES INCLUDE:
Clinical Leadership & Whole-Person Care:
- Oversee nursing services to ensure safe, ethical, high-quality care aligned with resident needs and preferences
- Direct assessments, care planning, medication management, and ongoing clinical monitoring
- Integrate physical, emotional, cognitive, and social well-being into care delivery
- Support memory care best practices that promote dignity, reduce distress, and encourage engagement
- Ensure compliance with clinical standards, regulations, and organizational values
- Implement evidence-based practices and innovative approaches to care
Resident Experience & Purposeful Living:
- Partner with Life Enrichment, Culinary, and Operations teams to support a vibrant, resident-centered community
- Ensure staff promote meaningful engagement, social connection, and participation in daily activities
- Support dining as a key component of wellness, dignity, and quality of life
- Reinforce that quality care and exceptional resident experience go hand in hand
Team Leadership & Culture Building:
- Lead, coach, and develop nursing staff through support, accountability, and visibility
- Foster a culture of collaboration, compassion, and continuous improvement
- Ensure staff are trained in person-centered care, memory support, and service excellence
- Promote employee engagement, retention, and professional growth
Regulatory Compliance & Risk Management:
- Ensure compliance with all federal, state, and local regulations
- Maintain survey readiness and lead corrective actions as needed
- Oversee infection control, incident reporting, and quality assurance efforts
- Monitor trends and implement improvements to enhance safety and care outcomes
Communication & Operations:
- Serve as a clinical liaison for residents, families, providers, and partners
- Collaborate with leadership on staffing, budgeting, and operational goals
- Support community performance, quality outcomes, and census growth
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:
- Previous experience in a nursing leadership role within an Assisted Living community
- Active and unencumbered Registered Nurse (RN) license
- Minimum of two (2) years' experience as an RN in a healthcare facility
- Experience supporting memory care residents strongly preferred.
GENERAL REQUIREMENTS:
- Must submit to a TB test in accordance with state regulations.
- The Director of Nursing is accountable for 24/7 clinical oversight and is expected to serve in an on-call capacity as assigned, ensuring timely response to emergencies, staff concerns, and resident care needs to maintain quality outcomes and regulatory standards.
HME Care is an Equal Opportunity, Affirmative Action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran. Applicants who would like to request reasonable accommodation to the application or interview process should call Human Resources at 1-605-736-2732 or email hrdept@hmecompanies.net.
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