A nursing home administrator oversees all aspects of a nursing home, like the training, hiring, and supervision of staff. They’re also responsible for building maintenance, meeting with residents and their families, and managing the facility’s budget. The administrator plays a major role in ensuring quality care and preventing issues.
Why the Nursing Home Administrator Matters
When considering different nursing homes, one way to get a sense of their quality is to ask to meet with the administrator.
The administrator oversees hiring, training, policy setting, and complaint management, impacting all aspects of the nursing home.
Families can learn a lot about a nursing home by asking the right questions. For example, by asking an administrator how they prevent abuse in the nursing home, you can learn about their level of commitment to patient safety.
Learn more about the responsibilities of a nursing home administrator and why their presence affects the care residents receive.
The Duties of a Nursing Home Administrator
The nursing home administrator is responsible not only for the care of the residents but also for all other aspects of the facility.
Among the many duties of a nursing home administrator are:
- Handling complaints from residents and staff
- Making business decisions on behalf of the facility
- Managing the budget of the nursing home
- Meeting with residents and their families
- Overseeing the hiring, training, and evaluation of employees
The duties and responsibilities of nursing home administration are wide-reaching and have a direct effect on the quality of care residents receive.
“Being an administrator of a skilled nursing facility is a difficult job. There’s a lot of different hats that you have to wear, there’s a lot of things that you have to do. There’s a lot of problems you have to solve, fires you have to put out.”
– Josh Jergensen, Chief of Operations for PACS Healthcare
While nursing home administrators help to prevent abuse and neglect, unfortunately, it still happens.
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Directing the Hiring and Training Process
One of the most important responsibilities of a nursing home administrator is making hiring and training decisions. Hiring qualified applicants and training them properly is the first step in preventing nursing home injuries and abuse.
These decisions are critical because the quality of staff and their training are factors that directly impact the operating ability of a nursing home and the overall health and well-being of patients.
Understaffing in the nursing home and difficulty finding qualified employees are issues that an administrator must deal with.
It’s important that administrators hire qualified employees for all positions, especially ones that involve direct patient care. These decisions shape the nursing home, and the staff they choose reflects its quality standards.
Proper training is also the responsibility of the nursing home administrator. A poorly-trained staff will be ill-equipped to provide care for residents, so it’s vital that nursing home staff are trained to a high standard.
Developing Standards and Policies for the Nursing Home
Administrators are also responsible for writing, implementing, and enforcing all of the policies staff must follow.
Policies affect every aspect of a nursing home’s operations, and their enforcement reflects the administrator’s presence and skill.
To prevent mistreatment, the administrator can identify the common causes of nursing home abuse and create policies to address and reduce them.
Another detail involved in this duty lies in policy implementation and enforcement. If an administrator writes effective policies but fails to enforce them, employees are less likely to take them seriously.
When developing policies, it’s crucial that the administrator understand and follow applicable state laws and federal laws meant to protect vulnerable residents. This allows them to comply with legal requirements and provide the best possible care for patients.
Between the duties of creating, implementing, and enforcing policy in a nursing home, the administrator has the power to influence every aspect of the business and the care of residents.
Overseeing the Care Provided to All Residents
All contact with and care provided to residents falls under the responsibility of the nursing home administrator. While a medical director may oversee the health care of residents, they ultimately answer to the nursing home administrator.
Part of overseeing the care provided to residents is recognizing signs of abuse and neglect in their facility. For example, an experienced administrator will see red flags like poor hygiene or a sudden increase in urinary tract infections (UTIs) and know they’re possible signs of neglect.
The administrator must also understand the various types of abuse and how to identify each of them. An experienced administrator will see signs like residents seeming afraid of a particular staff member, and immediately know there’s a problem.
Handling Complaints From Staff and Residents
Among the most critical duties of a nursing home administrator is addressing complaints from staff, residents, and the community. It’s up to them to set up communication channels so people can provide feedback.
Responsibly handling comments from staff is useful as it can expose flaws in the operation of the facility. For example, if multiple complaints come in that focus on one single issue or person, the administrator can take steps to fix that problem.
The willingness of an administrator to listen to and respond to complaints can make the difference between a nursing home that provides quality care and a poor one.
Can Nursing Home Administrators Prevent Abuse and Neglect?
Yes, with responsible and skilled use of their powers, there are many ways that an administrator can prevent abuse and neglect in a nursing home.
Here’s how an administrator can prevent abuse in their nursing home:
- Providing training: Abuse is more likely when staff is poorly trained. Regular education on key aspects of patient care helps reduce the likelihood of mistreatment.
- Responding to complaints: If an administrator takes complaints seriously and sets up feedback channels, they can act early to stop situations before they worsen and become abusive.
- Spotting red flags in the hiring process: As the administrator is conducting interviews, watching for signs like a criminal history or short temper can reduce chances of abuse before they even start.
Through actions like responding to complaints, providing training, and hiring quality caregivers, a nursing home administrator plays a major role in preventing abuse.
Why Doesn’t Every Nursing Home Have an Administrator?
If your loved one lives in a nursing home, it’s vital that it meets all requirements and provides quality care. One way to confirm that is by making sure they have a licensed administrator in charge of the nursing home.
What does it take to be a nursing home administrator? Requirements include a college degree, state-approved training, and licensing.
Although it is a requirement that every nursing home in the United States has an administrator, there have been massive problems with turnover and finding qualified replacements for the role. New laws and regulations have also made it difficult for facility owners to comply.
Nursing homes may lack an administrator due to high turnover, as the demanding role often leads to vacancies filled by less qualified staff, resulting in substandard care.
Additionally, new government staffing requirements, like those from the Biden administration, have made it harder for facilities to maintain proper staffing levels.
“As Wall Street firms take over more nursing homes, quality in those homes has gone down and costs have gone up. That ends on my watch.”
— President Joe Biden in March, 2022
While nursing home administrators take a lot of actions to prevent abuse, they can’t prevent all of them. If your loved one shows signs of neglect or abuse, it’s important to get help right away.
Call us at (855) 264-6310 now to learn more about your options.
A Licensed Administrator Can’t Always Prevent Abuse
It’s unfortunate that even with a qualified licensed administrator in a nursing home, abuse and neglect can still happen.
Doing research to ensure the long-term care facility you choose provides quality care is important, but when abuse does occur, it’s important to prioritize your loved one and their safety.
Get a free case review right now or call us at (855) 264-6310. We may be able to help secure the compensation and justice your family deserves.
