Can a LTC not have DON or ADON?

[elprup, BSN, RN]

Curious about this.

My friend took a charge nurse job at a LTC (50-60 residents with a few rehab pts).

They do not have a DON or ADON and have not for some time. Supervisor has ran LTC for decades but has no educational medical background. Other managers who do paperwork and small HR staff are mostly LVN's. I don't know much about the situation, just that they don't have DON or ADON. I cannot find any information stating a LTC/nursing home has to have DON/ADON. What is your knowledge of this?

Curious.

[CoffeeRTC, BSN, RN]

Someone has to be accountable for the nursing staff? Maybe someone has been "acting" DON and doesn't know it?

[Nascar nurse, ASN, RN]

A licensed skilled care facility must have a DON in place per federal regulations. Depending on the number of residents, they must be full time and not a part of the routine nursing schedule.

Maybe this facility is not a licensed skilled care facility?

[elprup, BSN, RN]

That's what I thought. I checked this place out online and it is licensed...and it does list an RN as the DON (but she is never there, friend who is full time, never met her). Totally wierd. Any ideas how to look into this further.

[Nascar nurse, ASN, RN]

I would just walk in & ask the administrator. Everyone should know who the DON is.

[CoffeeRTC, BSN, RN]

Is she there at least 8 hrs a day? By never there, what do you mean?

Call them and ask to speak with the DON?

[elprup, BSN, RN]

wierd situation. No DON. Place can't hire one that will stay. My friend actually likes working at this LTC, but wonders if this, no DON problem, is going to be a big DON problem. Goodness, we just want to work in a decent place, get some experience and make some money. Very wierd situation indeed.

[elprup, BSN, RN]

Nope, no DON...never in the building.

No DON, no ADON works there at all, ever.

Obviously, somebody must sign the paperwork, but nope, no DON works on site.

[Bug Out, BSN]

I know that depending upon the facilities size the regs may be different. Smaller facilites are not required to have the same staffnig. For example my current DON was a DON at two seperate smaller facilities at the same time. Since they were smaller she was legally allowed to have up to two.

In addition the Fed regs only come into play if the facility accepts Fed dollars ie Medicare. Not all facilities accept Fed money.

[elprup, BSN, RN]

They take fed money and have medicare patients. What we found out is that nobody wants the job. Place is accredited and everything.