Introduction- A job description is a clear, concisely and clearly communicating written statement of duties and responsibilities and organizational relationship that constitute a given job or position. It is sort of a checklist of what a job involves its non-essential and essential function, job specification, and other applicable information pertaining to the job. Job description to the requirement for a particular job position. These requirement include skill requirement, the level of experience needed, and level of education required, roles and responsibilities attaches with the job position. These are the outcome of the job analysis. Definition- 1) A collected job data is quantify and processed through a computer. After weighing the job content and working condition, a formal job description and specification should be written. 2) Job description refers to the duties and responsibilities of specific job and the characteristics of the individuals needed to perform it successfully. Importance and purposes of job description 1. The job description helps the nurse applicant know about the duties and responsibilities with a particular job position and clarify work function. 2. It facilitates the nurse employee to understand properly the requirements of gob and gives a summary of important function and expectation of particular job position to a potential employee. 3. It aids in job evaluation. 4. It provide basis for manpower planning. 5. It assist in recruitment, selection, placement, orientation, career, planning and evaluation of nurse employee. 6. It helps in benchmarking the performance of standards. 7. For classifying the levels of nursing function according to skill levels. 8. To identify training needs of nurse. 9. Serve as a channel of communication 10. Helps in job evaluation 11. Maintaining nurse employee discipline. 12. Helps in work scheduling. Steps of job description Various steps are taken to develop job description. These are: Steps1: Decide to whom and who is going to develop job descriptions Steps2: Performing job analysis Steps3: Preparing and standardizing the job description Steps4: Evaluating the job description from time to time. Principle in preparing the job description • It should be up to date. Make modification if required. It must correspond accurately to current job requirement. • Job title should indicate the nature of the work and principle demands made by the job. • The summary of duties should be clearly specified and defined and should give an overview of what the job essentially is. • It should be descriptive but short, but sufficiently complete, not overly detailed. • Look at the job from all the angles. Ask others for their opinions concerning proposed job description. • Use clear and concise statement that can be understood by everyone. • Use specific terms. Nursing director Nursing ser

2. Outline
• Introduction
• Definition
• Importance and purposes
• Steps of job description
• Principles
• Nursing director
• Nursing superintendent
• Nursing supervisor
• Head nurse
• Staff nurse
• Standard and norms
• Role and function

3. Introduction
A job description is a clear, concisely and clearly communicating
written statement of duties and responsibilities and organizational relationship that
constitute a given job or position. It is sort of a checklist of what a job involves its
non-essential and essential function, job specification, and other applicable
information pertaining to the job.

4. Definition
1) A collected job data is quantify and processed through a computer.
After weighing the job content and working condition, a formal job description and
specification should be written.
2) job description refers to the duties and responsiblities of specific job
and the characteristics of the individual needed to perform it successfully.

5. Importance and purposes
1. The job description helps the nurse applicant know about the duties and responsibilities with a particular
job position and clarify work function.
2. It facilitates the nurse employee to understand properly the requirements of gob and gives a summary of
important function and expectation of particular job position to a potential employee.
3. It aids in job evaluation.
4. It provide basis for manpower planning.
5. It assist in recruitment, selection, placement, orientation, career, planning and evaluation of nurse
employee.
6. It helps in benchmarking the performance of standards.

6. 7. For classifying the levels of nursing function according to skill levels.
8. To identify training needs of nurse.
9. Serve as a channel of communication
10.Helps in job evaluation
11. Maintaining nurse employee discipline.
12. Helps in work scheduling.

7. Steps of job description
Various steps are taken to develop job description. These are:
• Steps1: Decide to whom and who is going to develop job descriptions
• Steps2: Performing job analysis
• Steps3: Preparing and standardizing the job description
• Steps4: Evaluating the job description from time to time

8. Principle in preparing the job description
 It should be up to date. Make modification if required. It must correspond accurately to current job
requirement.
 Job title should indicate the nature of the work and principle demands made by the job.
 The summary of duties should be clearly specified and defined and should give an overview of what the
job essentially is.
 It should be descriptive but short, but sufficiently complete, not overly detailed.
 Look at the job from all the angles. Ask others for their opinions concerning proposed job description.
 Use clear and concise statement that can be understood by everyone.
 Use specific terms.

9. Nursing director
• Nursing services must function under a senior competent nurse
administrator variously called director nursing, nursing superintendent, principal
of matron or matron in chief. Nursing director is responsible to the hospital
administrator for the overall programme and nursing care activities for all
patients in the hospital. The programme is administered by him or her through
appropriate planning of services, determining nursing policies in collaboration
with hospital management and nursing procedure in collaboration with nursing
staff.

10. Role and function
The role of nursing director starts in a new hospital, form helping establish the
overall goals and policies of the organization, and suggesting facilities to accomplishing
these goals in the most effective and efficient manner. The functional elements of the role of
the nursing director includes the following:
1. Formation of aims, objectives and policies of nursing services as an integral part of
hospital service
2. Staffing based on nursing requirement in relation to accepted standards of medical care
3. Planning and directing nursing care

11. 4. Coordinating interdepartmental activities
5. Maintaining supplies and equipment
6. Budgeting
7. Keeping records and reports

12. Nursing superintendent-
• Educational qualification –
• General education: as prescribed for a staff nurse
• Professional education: as prescribed for a staff nurse
• Registration: as prescribed for a staff nurse, registered with the state nursing
council
• Experience: should have experience as a senior staff nurse

13. Role and function
• He or she is responsible for developing and supervising nursing
services of a department or a floor consisting of two more wards or units
managed by the senior staff nurses. These units may be inpatient wards, out-
patient department clinics, operation theatres, obstetric units, central supply
department, etc. he or she is responsible to the nursing superintendent grade 1.

14. Patient care and ward management
1. Organizes and plans nursing care activities of the department or floor according to the
hospital policies and service needs.
2. Plans staffing pattern and the other necessary requirements of his or her department
3. Complies and submits nursing statistics to the concerned authorities
4. Conduct and attends to the departmental and interdepartmental meetings/ conference
from time to time.
5. Makes regular rounds of his or her department
6. Ensures the safety and general dealings of the department

15. 7. Looks into general comforts of the patients and their relatives
8. Receives report from the night supervisor
9. Evaluates nature and quantum of care required in each units/ward
10.Makes rotation plan for the nursing staff and domestic staff under his or her jurisdiction
11. Plans ward management with each ward/units
12. Reinforces the principles of good ward management
13. Helps ward / units supervisors to procure their wards / units

16. 14. Supervises the proper use and care of the equipment and supplies in the
department
15. Acts as the public relation officer of the unit and deals with the problems faced
by the ward supervisor, if any, especially with group D employee, cleaners and
sweeper.
16. Keeps the nursing superintendent grade 1 and office informed of the needs of
the nursing units, wards under her/ his charge and of any special problems
17. officiates in the absence of nursing superintendent grade 1

17. Educational functions
1. Arranges classes and clinical teaching of nursing students in the department,
related to the speciality experience
2. Implements the ward teaching programme and clinical experience of the
students with the help of doctors and nurses
3. Does counselling and guidance of staff and students
4. Arranges and conducts staff development programme for his or her department
5. Assists in planning for and participate in the training of auxiliary personnel

18. Nursing supervisor
• Each department or clinical division, e.g. operation theatres, outpatient
department and nurseries, should have a supervisor. As thee may be more than
one nursing units in each division or department, supervisors have a general
administrative and coordinating function within their respective division.
However, supervisors will also have limited function.
• It is generally accepted that a good nursing service depends on strong
supervision, no matter what type of nursing assignment seems best suited to the
new hospital.

19. Head nurse
• A head nurse is assigned to a nursing units, a ward or to one section of a
department. She works under the general direction of the supervisor of the
division.

20. Role and responsibilities
• The head nurse is a nursing officer who is in overall charge of a ward
units. He or he is responsible to the medical officer in charge and to the matron
for efficient performance of his or her own duties and those of nursing personnel
paced under him or her. This dual authority over the activities of the head nurse
sometimes leads to conflicts and a clash of personalities.

21. Important duties of head nurse
1. Carrying out the instruction of the medical officer regarding treatment of patients,
observing and recording the progress of treatment and generally assisting the medical
officer to achieve his therapeutic aim
2. General cleanliness and upkeep of the ward and its surrounding areas to provide a neat
and cheerful environment for the patients
3. Supervision of care; maintenance of buildings, furniture and fittings; and arranging their
reports through the chief medical officer

22. 4. Keeping the ward equipment in optimum state of readiness by prompt repairs and
replacement through condemnation boards.
5. Assigning duties for patients care to the ward staff, taking into consideration the
capabilities of each.
6. Making the indent of various items of medical, quality material and others stores
7. Ensuring that all specimens are sent to the laboratory in time and result
collected when due.

23. 8. Maintaing strict control over accounting and distribution of controlled and
dangerous drugs.
9. Requisition of diet as per instruction of the medical officer and ensuring that the
diet and extras are distributed to patients as per the requisition
10. Ensuring that sufficient linen is available in the ward
11. Maintaining all the registers and documents required in the ward
12. Overall supervision of the ward to ensure that the patient treatments and
recovery is as smooth and pleasant as possible

24. Staff nurse/ nursing officer
• Staff nurse are employed at the floor level for carrying out skilled
bedside nursing. This is the real work force of the hospital upon whose
competency, state of training and dedication depends on the success of the
nursing department. A staff nurse is the first level professional nurse who
provides direct care, to one patients or a group of patients, assigned to her/ him
during the duty shift. The staff nurse assist in the management of wards/ units/
specials departments. She/ he is directly responsible to the senior staff or ward -
in-charge nursing aids.

25. Educational qualification-
• General: pre-university course/ 10+2 or equivalent examination
• Professional: three years General Nursing /6-9 months Midwifery/ Psychiatric
Nursing Diploma Certificate, recognized by Indian Nursing Council, Or Revised
General Nursing and Midwifery / Psychiatrics Nursing Diploma/ Certificate
recognized by Indians Nursing Council, or Basic B.sc Nursing from a recognized
universities according to Indian Nursing Council norms
• Registration- registered with the state nursing council/ Indians nursing council

26. Standards and norms (nurse: patient ratio)
1. General ward
• a. 1:3 (hospital attached with school or college of nursing)
• b. 1:5(hospital not attached with school or college of nursing)
1. ICU, ICCU and other speciality areas 1:1 for 24 h
2. Labour room 4 in each shift
3. Operation theatre 3 for 24 h per table
4. Outpatient department 1 in each clinic room of the OPD
5. Casualty and emergency 1:1 in each shift

27. 6. Paediatric unit 1:2 beds
7. Additionally, 30% reserve posts of staff nurses to be kept ready
There cannot be hard and fast rules with regard to the total number of nurses of
different categories. Requirement is influenced by the following factors
1. Size of the hospital: (a). total bed strength, (b). occupancy and (c). turn over
2. Types of services offered: (a). routine (b). specialized (c). superspeciality (d). intensive
care areas

28. • 3. Geographical distribution of beds/ wards and layout of the wards : (a) general ward (b)
cubicles (c) sharing (d) single special room
• 4. Scheduling methods and institutional policies as regard (a) holidays (b) leave (c) overtime
payment
• 5. Availability of nursing assistants/aids or other staff for performing non nursing duties
• 6. Level of competence based on (a) qualification (b) experience (c) efficiency (d) sincerity
• 7. General discipline and work culture of the hospital
• 8. Recommendation of Indian Nursing Council and Government Policy for recruitment in
public hospital

29. Although the number of nurses, i.e, nurse:bed ratio, is variable in different hospitals, general
recommendation made by the nursing council can be adopted. These are as follow:
1. In all the critical care areas, operation theatre, recovery room, medical and surgical intensive care
units, paediatrics and neonatal intensive care units, trauma care units, etc., 1:1 ratio ( nurse per bed ) is
required round the clock
2. In intermediate care areas, i.e., where the patients are still highly dependent and require observation
and assistance, 1:2 ratio (1 nurse for 2 beds ) is required
3. In routine care areas where patients are ambulatory, and fairly stable, 1:3 ratio is required
4. For labour room, 1nurse per delivery is recommended

30. 5. For operation theatre, 1 nurse per table is required.
6. 1 nurse in each outpatient clinic
7. In casually, depending on work load, 2-3 nurses are required.

31. Role and functions
• Ward /unit management
1. Helps the ward in charge to carry out her/his work or act as ward in charge during her/his
absence
2. Maintains general cleanliness of the ward and the sanitation
3. Supervises the duties of group D employees, guided them and reports accordingly
4. Writes the diet register, supervises the distribution of diet and report anything if
necessary
5. Maintains scheduled poisonous drug registers

32. 6. Supervises nursing care and other tasks carried out by the students
7. Maintains duty room trays, sterilizes instruments and sees that procedural trays are in readiness
8. Takes over from duty nurse of the previous shift, new and serious patients, instruments, supplies,
drugs, etc,. and hands over the same accordingly
9. Maintains all the record pertaining to the ward
• a. maintains case papers, investigation reports, etc
• b. maintains vital sign, charts , intake output charts and others special charts as necessary
• c. takes special care of medicolegal case papers and records
• d. writes day and night orders and maintain ward statistics

33. • management of labour room
1. Preparing expectant mother for aseptic safe delivery
2. Conducting normal deliveries and reports
3. Attending and assisting the doctors in all obstetrical emergencies
4. Attending and assisting in difficult and abnormal deliveries
5. Taking care of the new born and premature babies
6. Maintaining records and reports pertaining to labour room
7. Intending and procuring necessary drugs, supplies, linen, etc. for labour room

34. • Management of postoperatives/ICU/Burns unit
1. Indents and procure all the necessary equipment, drugs, and oxygen cylinder
required for the units
2. Operates ECG, EEG, cardiac resuscitation, et., or other sophisticated high-tech
machines whenever needed, or assist the doctors in operating such machines

35. • Management of psychiatric unit-
1. Assist the doctors in admission and discharge of patients
2. Prepare patients for ECT, therapies and other procedures
3. Assists in the management of aggressive, suicidal patients. Handles their
symptoms like grief
4. Maintains record and report of the units

36. • Educational function
1. Helps in orientation of new staff and students
2. Teaches and guides the general duty assistant, housekeeping staff ( group d) for
handling bedpans, urinals, etc
3. Carries out health teaching for individual or groups of patients
4. Participates in clinical teaching, extending full cooperation
5. Provides for and demonstrates methods and procedure whenever needed

37. 6. Participate in in-service educational programmes
7. Plans and implements formal and informal health education programme and
teaching programmes
8. Assists and extends cooperation in medical and nursing research programme