Turnaround-Ready Interim Director of Nursing (DON) Solutions

Protect survey performance, elevate resident care quality, and stabilize clinical workflows in post-acute and long-term care environments.

Interim Director of Nursing Placement - image of nurse working with elderly woman in nursing home

In long-term care and post-acute facilities, the Director of Nursing (DON) is the operational backbone of clinical quality and regulatory compliance. An unexpected leadership vacancy instantly leaves a facility exposed to operational paralysis, spiraling care delays, and severe state regulatory penalties.

Without experienced nursing department leadership, skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) and assisted living centers face immediate operational threats:

  • Regulatory Enforcement Actions: High risk of F-Tag citations, Immediate Jeopardy (IJ) designations, civil money penalties, or denial of payment for new admissions (DPNA).

  • Documentation Gaps: Mismanaged Minimum Data Set (MDS) coding and incomplete care plans that compromise clinical care and accurate reimbursement mapping under the Patient-Driven Payment Model (PDPM).

  • Operational Friction on the Floor: Inconsistent shift handoffs, increased medication error rates, and deteriorating charge nurse accountability.

Scion Medical Staffing provides experienced Interim Directors of Nursing who step into high-stakes environments to audit operations, enforce clinical standards, and stabilize shift workflows immediately upon arrival.

Since 2006, healthcare organizations nationwide have trusted Scion Medical to recruit senior healthcare leadership through a strategic and research-driven executive search process. Our firm has earned national recognition and numerous industry awards for recruiting excellence, helping healthcare organizations secure highly accomplished clinical executives who deliver measurable leadership impact and long-term clinical performance.

Specialized Expertise in Long-Term Care & Post-Acute Operations

Interim DON - image of woman interim DON standing in office with arms crossed

Our Interim Directors of Nursing bring deep operational familiarity with state regulations, federal CMS conditions of participation, and daily floor management.

Our interim nursing leaders deliver targeted operational oversight across core operational pillars:

  • CMS Survey Preparation & Plan of Correction (PoC) Execution: Rapid identification of regulatory vulnerabilities, preparation for annual or surprise health surveys, and immediate execution of corrective action plans to resolve cited deficiencies.

  • MDS 3.0 / PDPM Optimization: Auditing clinical charts, Medication Administration Records (MARs), and Treatment Administration Records (TARs) to ensure care plans accurately reflect resident acuity and meet reimbursement criteria.

  • Infection Control & Prevention Governance: Enforcing CDC, OSHA, and state health department protocols under the direction of certified Infection Preventionist (IP) standards.

  • Staff Accountability & Workflow Mentorship: Restructuring shift handoffs, reducing agency nurse dependence, and mentoring charge nurses to establish sustainable care standards.

Uncompromising Vetting for Post-Acute Leadership

Maintaining high clinical quality standards requires rigorous, peer-reviewed candidate screening. Every Interim Director of Nursing presented by Scion undergoes comprehensive evaluation before step-on-site placement:

  • Primary Source License Verification: Confirmation of active, unencumbered Registered Nurse (RN) licenses across state boards.

  • Regulatory Track-Record Review: In-depth evaluation of past state survey results, citation histories, and successful Plan of Correction (PoC) implementations at previous facilities.

  • Specialized Certifications: Verification of Infection Preventionist (IP) training, Director of Nursing Services Certified (AADNS/AANAC), or Certified Assessment Coordinator (RAC-CT) credentials where required.

  • Comprehensive Multi-State Screening: Complete background verification, drug screening, and detailed reference checks from post-acute facility administrators and regional operations directors.

Healthcare Organizations We Serve

Scion Medical Staffing partners with healthcare organizations nationwide seeking experienced interim clinical leadership.

Interim DON Search - image of patients in hospital care area with nurse helping elderly woman in wheelchair

▪ Hospitals and health systems
▪ Academic medical centers and teaching hospitals
▪ Community hospitals and regional healthcare networks
▪ Specialty hospitals and surgical centers
▪ Integrated healthcare delivery systems
▪ Government healthcare systems
▪ Nonprofit healthcare organizations
▪ Clinical research and healthcare innovation organizations
▪ Physician group practices and multispecialty medical groups
▪ Federally Qualified Health Centers and community health centers
▪ Managed care organizations and health insurance providers
▪ Telehealth and virtual care companies
▪ Behavioral health and mental health organizations
▪ Long-term care, rehabilitation, and post-acute care systems
▪ Home health and hospice providers
▪ Urgent care networks and retail clinics
▪ Digital health, biotech, and life sciences organizations


The Scion Advantage: Specialized Post-Acute Sourcing

Managing a post-acute facility requires hands-on crisis management experience. Scion Medical Staffing delivers specialized interim solutions tailored specifically to long-term care environments.

  • Turnaround-Focused Leadership Network: We maintain an active network of veteran Directors of Nursing who specialize exclusively in interim stabilization and regulatory turnaround work.

  • National Reach with Local Regulatory Knowledge: Our recruiters match your facility with leaders who hold active state licenses and possess up-to-date knowledge of your specific state department of health mandates.

  • Flexible Engagement Models: Whether your facility requires 60 days of emergency coverage following a sudden resignation or extended leadership during a permanent search, our contracts adapt to your timeline.

Why Healthcare Organizations Choose Scion Medical Staffing

Healthcare organizations across the United States trust Scion Medical Staffing to deliver exceptional clinical leadership through a proven executive search process.

▪ Nearly 20 years of healthcare recruiting experience
▪ Nationwide network of healthcare executive talent
▪ Award-winning executive search firm
▪ U.S.-based healthcare executive recruiters
▪ Proven track record recruiting healthcare leadership nationwide

Our team works closely with each organization to understand its clinical environment, leadership priorities, and long-term goals. This collaborative approach allows us to present highly qualified interim candidates who bring both immediate leadership impact and long-term strategic value.



Frequently Asked Questions

What care settings do Scion’s Interim Directors of Nursing serve?

Scion provides Interim Directors of Nursing (DON) and Directors of Nursing Services (DNS) across Skilled Nursing Facilities (SNFs), Long-Term Care (LTC) centers, Assisted Living Communities, Inpatient Rehabilitation Facilities (IRFs), Memory Care units, and Continuing Care Retirement Communities (CCRCs).

Can an Interim DON help our facility clear a CMS Plan of Correction?

Yes. Our interim DONs specialize in crisis management, regulatory deficiency remediation, and implementing robust Plans of Correction (PoC) to clear state health department citations and restore full CMS compliance quickly.

How are Scion’s Interim DON candidates vetted for regulatory competency?

Candidates undergo primary-source license checks, historical state survey audits, verification of infection control credentials, and background reviews. We also evaluate detailed professional references from previous facility administrators and regional directors of operations.

How quickly can an Interim Director of Nursing start at our facility?

We can present pre-screened candidate profiles within 24 to 48 hours of receiving your staffing request. Depending on state credentialing requirements, an interim DON can arrive on-site within 3 to 5 business days for emergency placement.

What is the difference between an Interim CNO and an Interim DON?

An Interim CNO (Chief Nursing Officer) operates at the executive enterprise level, managing multi-department budgets, board communications, and overarching clinical strategy for acute care hospitals or health systems. An Interim DON (Director of Nursing) focuses specifically on daily clinical operations, resident care management, MDS documentation, and state survey compliance within post-acute, skilled nursing, or long-term care facilities.

Stop Deficiencies Before They Start

Protect your facility’s rating, operational license, and resident care quality. Partner with Scion Medical Staffing to deploy a turnaround-ready Interim Director of Nursing today.

Connect with our dedicated search team to discuss your interim staffing needs and review candidate profiles today.

Healthcare Executive Leadership Roles We Recruit

Scion Medical Staffing recruits senior healthcare executives across a range of critical leadership positions.

▪ Chief Executive Officer (CEO)
▪ Chief Medical Officer (CMO)
▪ Chief Nursing Officer (CNO)
▪ Chief Clinical Officer (CCO)
▪ Chief Operating Officer (COO)
▪ Chief Financial Officer (CFO)
▪ Chief Technology Officer (CTO)
▪ Chief Information Officer (CIO)