Mission for the Role
The Director of Nursing (DON) is responsible for ensuring safe, compliant, and high-quality nursing care across both Short Stay Rehabilitation and Traditional Skilled/Long-Term Care services. This role is a highly visible, hands-on clinical leader who sets clear expectations, drives accountability, and develops strong nurse leaders. The DON leads survey readiness, quality outcomes, labor management, and team engagement while fostering a culture of trust, consistency, and clinical excellence.
Key Accountabilities & Success Metrics
The DON is accountable for delivering measurable results in the following areas:
- CMS Five-Star Rating: Maintain or improve to a 5-Star QM rating
- Survey Outcomes: Annual state and federal surveys with fewer than 5 tags
- Quality Measures
- Call Light Response: Average response time of 3 minutes or less
- Retention & Engagement: Visible leadership presence and improved nursing team engagement
- Labor Management: Meet campus-specific HPPD goals
- Hospital Readmissions: Reduced return-to-acute-care percentage
Leadership Expectations & Culture Fit
- Be highly visible on the floor, rounding multiple times daily
- Lead daily clinical stand-ups and participate in campus stand-up meetings
- Chair or actively lead QUAPI, PIP teams, bed management discussions, and quality forums
- Address issues head-on with confidence and clarity
- Coach and mentor nurse leaders through regular 1:1 cadences
- Establish consistent processes and expectations across all shifts
Essential Responsibilities
- Lead and oversee all nursing operations, ensuring high-quality, resident-centered care
- Maintain continuous survey readiness and lead state and federal surveys, including POCs
- Direct quality assurance, risk management, infection prevention, and incident response
- Conduct daily rounding and drive accountability to clinical standards
- Manage nursing staffing, scheduling, labor performance, and HPPD
- Oversee the nursing budget, including supplies, equipment, and capital needs
- Set clear expectations and coach nurse leaders through meetings and 1:1s
- Partner with HR on hiring, onboarding, development, and retention
- Participate in the on-call leadership rotation
Required & Preferred Experience
Required:
- Active, unencumbered Registered Nurse (RN) license in the state of Nebraska
- Extensive experience in Skilled Nursing and Long-Term Care
- Proven leadership experience as a Charge Nurse, Clinical Coordinator, ADON, or similar role
- Strong working knowledge of CMS regulations and survey processes
Preferred:
- Prior DON experience in a skilled nursing or rehabilitation setting
- Demonstrated success improving quality measures, survey outcomes, and labor metrics
Core Competencies
- Clinical leadership and oversight
- Regulatory compliance and survey readiness
- Quality improvement and risk management
- Nurse leader coaching and development
- Labor and staffing management (HPPDs)
- Strong communication and relationship-building skills
- Execution-focused, results-driven leadership
Compensation, Incentives & Schedule
- Compensation: Competitive annual salary commensurate with experience
- Incentive Opportunity: Significant annual incentive potential
- Incentives are earned quarterly and tied to key performance indicators, including:
- Resident and family satisfaction survey outcomes
- Hours Per Patient Day (HPPD) performance
- Return-to-acute-care metrics
- Overall CMS Five-Star Quality Measures
- On-Call Rotation
Why Join Us?
- Competitive benefits package including low premiums, short-term disability, long-term disability, HSA contribution matching, 401(k) with company match, and more!
- Competitive wage scales and tuition reimbursement and scholarship programs up to $3,000 per year!
- Financial wellness and freedom through access to your earned wages prior to your pay date!
- A great culture where we live out our mission "to celebrate life in environments we create by delivering exceptional service and superior value through innovative leadership in personalized care."
In 1989, Nye Health Services was founded on the philosophy that people deserve services that recognize individuality and are tailored to their unique needs. Today, Nye Health Services remains family-owned with campuses in Fremont, Lincoln, Louisville, and Norfolk, Nebraska. Nye Health Services is blessed with dedicated and compassionate people who believe in our vision and deliver on our mission every day. Having a great work environment while providing the best quality services so people feel cared for is of the utmost importance to us. We give passionate people a purpose!
We’re an equal opportunity employer. All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran status, or disability status.
