Assistant Director of Nursing (ADON) job description.
The Assistant Director of Nursing (ADON) supports the Director of Nursing in overseeing daily nursing operations in a healthcare or long-term care facility. They help supervise nursing staff, monitor resident or patient care quality, ensure regulatory compliance, and step in for the Director of Nursing as needed to maintain continuity of care.
The Assistant Director of Nursing (ADON) job description · $29
The full editable .docx — role summary, 8 worked responsibilities, qualifications, and skills, formatted for your letterhead. Delivered to your inbox within 24 hours — usually instantly.
Role: Assistant Director of Nursing (ADON) Reports to: Director of Nursing
The Assistant Director of Nursing (ADON) supports the Director of Nursing in overseeing daily nursing operations in a healthcare or long-term care facility. They help supervise nursing staff, monitor resident or patient care quality, ensure regulatory compliance, and step in for the Director of Nursing as needed to maintain continuity of care.
- Assist in supervising nursing staff and daily care operations
- Monitor resident or patient care plans for quality and compliance
- Support staff scheduling, onboarding, and performance evaluations
What's inside the document.
One-paragraph plain-English explanation of the role's outcome and scope.
8 responsibilities phrased the way the work is actually done.
4 qualifications a candidate must have to perform on day 30.
2 qualifications that would make a candidate excellent in year two.
5 skill chips you can copy directly into your ATS.
Director of Nursing
A complete document set.
- Word document (.docx) — fully editable
- PDF — signature-ready
- Google Docs — one-click copy to your Drive
- 12 months of updates to this document
- Commercial-use licence for internal and client work
The work, not the title.
- Assist in supervising nursing staff and daily care operations
- Monitor resident or patient care plans for quality and compliance
- Support staff scheduling, onboarding, and performance evaluations
- Ensure adherence to state and federal healthcare regulations
- Investigate and respond to incident reports and care concerns
- Assist with survey readiness and regulatory inspections
- Provide clinical guidance and mentorship to nursing staff
- Step in for the Director of Nursing during absences
Required — and what would make a candidate excellent.
- Current licensure/board certification as required by state and employer
- 3+ years of nursing experience, including supervisory experience
- Working knowledge of long-term care or healthcare regulations
- Strong leadership and communication skills
- Experience in long-term care or skilled nursing facilities
- Prior experience in a nursing leadership or supervisory role
Eight steps from download to publish.
- 01Open the Assistant Director of Nursing (ADON) job description in Word or your one-click Google Docs copy.
- 02Replace placeholders for company name, reporting line, and location with your specifics.
- 03Tighten the summary to one paragraph that names the team's outcome, not just the role.
- 04Edit the responsibilities to match the actual scope of the seat — aim for 6 to 8 items, not 12.
- 05Separate required qualifications from preferred. Required is what a candidate must have to do the work on day 30; preferred is what would make them excellent in year two.
- 06Add salary range guidance using BLS, Payscale, or your own band data — do not copy generic figures.
- 07Have the hiring manager and one peer read it. Cut anything that wouldn't survive a candidate question.
- 08Publish to your ATS, intranet, and external careers page.
The right document at the right moment.
Use this Assistant Director of Nursing (ADON) job description any time you are opening or reopening a seat at this level. The senior band sets the calibration — copy the document, tighten it to your specific scope, and circulate to the hiring panel before the first interview.
The reporting line (Director of Nursing) and skills list are starting points. Override either if your org structure or stack differs from the norm — the template is a draft, not a contract.
Honest answers before you download.
- What does ADON stand for?
- ADON stands for Assistant Director of Nursing, a supervisory role that supports the Director of Nursing in a healthcare or long-term care facility.
- What licensure does an ADON need?
- Requirements vary by state and facility type; candidates should hold current licensure or board certification as required by the employer's jurisdiction.
Other documents in this neighbourhood.
Director of Nursing
A Director of Nursing leads the nursing department of a hospital, long-term care facility, or health system, overseeing clinical standards, staffing, and patient-care quality.
Certified Nursing Assistant
A Certified Nursing Assistant provides direct hands-on care to patients or residents under the supervision of licensed nursing staff.
Chief Nursing Officer
A Chief Nursing Officer leads nursing strategy, standards, and workforce planning across a healthcare organization.
This Assistant Director of Nursing (ADON) job description is a professionally drafted starting point for your hiring process and is not legal advice. Hiring practice varies by jurisdiction (e.g. pay-transparency laws differ across US states and AU jurisdictions). Adapt this document for your specific location and have employment counsel review any clauses you add before publishing. Salary varies by region, employer type, and experience. Reference BLS or current industry surveys for ranges. Full disclaimer.