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If are a current registered nurse and a Director of Nursing (DON) position just opened up, then you may have many questions about this position. While DONs are typically paid higher salaries than the RNs that work under them do, they have many important responsibilities, and all DONs have obtained advanced training in this specialized field.
Read on to learn more about the job responsibilities of a Director of Nursing, whether you would be a good candidate, and your DON training options.
Job Responsibilities
A Director of Nursing is typically responsible for managing the nursing staff of an entire healthcare facility or one or more units of the facility. While the specific tasks a DON must engage in daily can vary from one healthcare facility to another, typically the DON is in charge of hiring new nursing staff members; creating and enforcing nursing staff policies and procedures; and ensuring the facility and staff are compliant with all federal and local healthcare regulations.
Some DONs may also be responsible for performing healthcare supply budgeting performed in their unit and a variety of other tasks the facility owners and/or directors need to be completed.
Candidate Requirements
All DONs must be licensed, registered nurses that hold at least Bachelor of Science degrees from accredited colleges or universities. However, many DONs have Master's degrees in healthcare administration or nursing leadership. For this reason, you may want to obtain your Master's degree before applying for a DON job to increase the chance of being hired for this position.
However, before completing DON training, you must also have two years of full-time experience working in the field of long-term or post-acute care and at least one year of experience in a nurse leadership position.
Training Options
If you meet all of the mentioned requirements, then the last step you need to complete before applying for a DON position is obtaining your Director of Nursing Service-Certified (DNS-C) certification.
You can obtain this certification by attending an in-person DON training class or completing an online class. These classes are split into 10 specific courses that are each accompanied by an exam that you must pass with an 80 percent score or higher. In addition to helping you earn your DNS-C certification, you are also awarded 4 continuing education credits per course completed. Once you obtain your DNS-C certification, it is valid for a full two years.
If you are a registered nurse who is considering applying for a Director of Nursing position, then keep these Director of Nursing training requirements in mind as you determine your upcoming career options.
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