Director of Nursing Job Description Template

Director of nursing meeting with a nurse colleague.

When you’re hiring a director of nursing, it’s crucial to find someone with the leadership and operational skills to lead the nursing department toward the goal of providing best-in-class patient care. It’s essential to hire someone with the interpersonal skills, work ethic, and professional values to be a respected leader.

The key to hiring the right person for the role is to write a job description that attracts skilled nurses with leadership experience. It can be helpful to look at director of nursing job postings on Monster to see how other healthcare facilities are hiring for the role.

If you have a vacancy, you’ll likely want to find the right director of nursing as soon as possible. You can save time on the writing process and make a thoughtful hire faster by editing this director of nursing job description sample to meet your hiring needs.

Director of nursing meeting with a nurse colleague.

Director of Nursing

[Intro Paragraph] Think of this section as an elevator pitch for the role and healthcare facility that encourages talented nurses to apply. Candidates considering director-level roles are usually in a prominent position already, so show why your healthcare facility is a smart choice by describing the history, culture, mission, values, and accolades. It can also be helpful to discuss professional development opportunities such as mentorship programs, training programs, and career paths.

Director of Nursing Job Responsibilities: In this section of the director of nursing job description, you’ll share a comprehensive list of the responsibilities so candidates know the expectations and can determine if they have the necessary skills to lead the department. For example, you might be looking for a director of nursing who:

  • Leads daily operations for the nursing department.
  • Sets and tracks departmental goals and objectives.
  • Develops and implements nursing policies and procedures.
  • Supervises, trains, and evaluates nursing staff.
  • Hires and onboards new nurses.
  • Sets the nursing schedule.
  • Provides direct patient care when necessary.
  • Investigates patient complaints.
  • Collaborates with doctors and executives.
  • Oversees the department’s budget.
  • Maintains a stocked inventory.
  • Designs and manages continuous quality improvement (CQI) initiatives.
  • Ensures that all guidelines, regulations, and standards are followed.
  • Uses popular software, including medical database, research, diagnosis, billing, scheduling, and telemedicine software.

[Work Hours and Benefits] This is where you’ll specify whether you’re looking for a director of nursing for the day or night shift and which hours they’ll likely work. Show that hard work will be rewarded by showcasing the benefits and perks your healthcare facility offers, such as health insurance, paid time off, retirement plans, bonuses, and continuing education and tuition reimbursements.

Director of Nursing Qualifications and Skills: Use this section of the director of nursing job description to list the necessary and preferred requirements so candidates know whether they’ll be considered qualified. For example, you may want to include the following:

  • Collaborates with physicians and administrators across departments and seniority levels.
  • Communicates effectively and has strong written and verbal communication skills.
  • Excels at relationship building and has strong leadership skills.
  • Learns quickly and has strong problem solving and critical thinking skills.
  • Develops strong relationships with patients and their families and has an excellent bedside manner.
  • Works calmly in high-pressure situations.

Education and Experience Requirements:

  • A Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) is required.
  • A Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) is strongly preferred.
  • At least [number of years] of management experience and at least [number of years] of nursing experience are required.
  • Must have an active registered nurse (RN) or nurse practitioner (NP) license in [state].

[Call to Action] End your director of nursing job posting on a strong note by inviting interested candidates to apply. Provide instructions for how to apply from the job board or on your organization’s website.

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