Assistant Director of Nurses has no Nursing License

Specialties Geriatric

Published

I work in a Skilled nursing facility. The Assistant Director of Nurses has no nursing license. No RN no LVN. Not even a CNA. She uses the title Assistant Director of Nurses. On the board where we have assignments there is the title LVN after her name. She gives the licensed nurses meetings and instructs them what to do in clinical situations like what we need to do before we get a med order and has us sign her inservice. She tells people she is an LVN. The board of vocational nurses says she has no license. Is this even legal?

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Doesn't sound legal to me! I would report to BON.

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What kind of crap is that?! That doesn't make sense.

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Specializes in Geriatrics, Dialysis.

If this is true there's no way in any state that can be legal. I know every BON is different but I doubt there's a single one that has language in their Nurse Practice Act that allows for non licensed staff to fill that role. If she had a different title than Assistant Director of Nursing or if the job description uses language that clearly excludes the role from having any clinical oversight of nursing staff maybe the facility could get away with it.

But from your post it sounds like she is indeed directly supervising nursing staff in a clinical capacity. Where is the actual Director of Nurses in this situation? He or she would be the ADON's direct supervisor and should certainly be aware of the ADON's license status.

It's not a nursing position but ultimately the Administrator had to agree to the ADON being hired into that position. How was the administrator able to sign off on this role being filled by non-licensed staff?

The whole thing makes about zero sense to me.

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Specializes in retired LTC.

Maybe a license in another state and she just hasn't just gotten around to apply/receive your state's license?

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Specializes in School Nursing.

Maybe her license is under her maiden or previous married name? Why not ask her about her credentials?

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Use nursys and verify their license. It's really user friendly.

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Specializes in retired LTC.

It's almost 1 yr since OP responded.

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Sorry, wasn't paying attention to the dates...

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Specializes in retired LTC.

Someone else might be interested in doing some license research. Good info to know.

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