DON Salaries

CapeCodMermaid, RN · May 30, 2008

I have been offered a DON position for a 120 bed facility that has no DON, no ADON, and a brand new administrator.
What is a reasonable salary? This is in New Mexico.

1.Do you have any experience in LTC?

2. Do you have any management experience.

3.Do you have experience as a DON?

4. Whatever it is, it's not enough.

kstec, LPN · May 30, 2008

Make sure you get a full list of job responsibilities. I've known DON's who do alot of administrative work and I've known ones who do adminstrative work, wound care, work the floor, on call all the time and so on. Make sure the facility is not going to chew you up and spit you out when you can't accomodate to all their demands. Get a definitive job description and responsibilities and if they try and go out of that one to many times, get out of dodge. Good luck in whatever you choose, but make sure you interview them as much as they interview you.

husker_rn, RN · May 31, 2008

I agree with the previous posts and would add one more thing. Visit with the new administrator and get a "feel" for her/his managerial style. I say that because I did a 7 month stint as DON with someone who's style was much different from mine and made for a miserable experience. Will you be given the option of really being DON or will the administrator be a micro-manager ? And do get a list of job responsibilities...I didn't know to do that and with on-call 24/7 I made less per hour than my CNAs.

alarla, LPN · May 31, 2008

Thanks to everyone who responded. :bow:

I have 6 months experience in LTC, 15 years as corporate Dir of QI in Home IV Therapy and 10 years in ICU. No DON experience.

The new administrator starts the same day they want me to start so I can't check her out first. The building has gone through 3 or 4 DONs in the past 2 years :scrying: which doesn't bode well for any new DON but I do see it as a challenge. :eek:

I'll find out Monday if they're going to offer me the job. :nurse: