Thank you for your interest in the National HealthCare Corporation (NHC) Administrator-in-Training (AIT) program. The following serves as an overview of the program.

PROGRAM MISSION

NHC's comprehensive two-year AIT program was established to provide well-trained professionals with the goal of becoming administrators of NHC-operated long-term care centers.

PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS

The NHC Administrator-In-Training program requires that applicants be able to relocate and to have earned the minimum of a bachelor's degree. Experience and/or knowledge of long-term health care and finance/accounting is highly recommended.

THE COMPANY

NHC operates long-term care centers in the states of Alabama, Georgia, Kansas, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Missouri, New Hampshire, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia. The company also operates homecare programs, retirement centers and assisted living centers. The company is traded with the symbol NHC on the American Stock Exchange. NHC started operations in 1971.

AIT PROGRAM FIRST YEAR

The first year in the program is dedicated to learning the fundamentals of nursing home administration.

A preceptor (health care center administrator) is assigned to the AIT to ensure training goals are met. Under the guidance of the preceptor, the AIT spends time with each department within a health care center learning how successful departments work.

The following chart indicates a sample training schedule for AIT's during the first year. The amount of time that an individual AIT spends within a specific department will depend on the AIT's experience and training prior to entering the program. 

 

The last eight to twelve weeks are spent assisting the administrator/preceptor in the following areas:

bulletFinancial Management
bulletHuman Resources Management
bulletMarketing
bulletLegal Issues
bulletGovernment Regulations
bulletSupervisory and Leadership Training


GETTING LICENSED

During the first year, the AIT will be completing the necessary requirements for taking the national and state long-term care administrator exams.

NHC prefers that AIT's sit for their exam(s) during the first quarter of their second year in the program.

 

AIT PROGRAM SECOND YEAR

In the second year of the AIT program, the AIT's operational accountability and responsibility are increased due to his/her new role as an Assistant Administrator.

SKILLS DEVELOPMENT

Financial
  1. Additional Financial Background - Development of an operating budget for the center where the AIT is working. Followed by the development of a budget for a projected center. Administrator and Regional Vice President critique the AIT's budgeting performance.
  2. Accounting Office - Spend 2-3 weeks in the accounting office with the Regional Accountant to go through book cycle.
  3. During the business office cycle, the AIT becomes more involved in A/R for those 2 months (detailed claim and private pay statement work).
  4. Review and utilize various Home Office reports/management tools.
  5. Research and collect past due accounts.

 

Problem Solving and Employee Relations

  1. Rotate through departments and work with department heads to assist in employee problems. The AIT has the first opportunity to solve a problem and then, if the department head does not feel his/her suggestion is appropriate, an explanation is provided.
  2. Administrator and AIT discuss progress of AIT's decisions and actions on a frequent and consistent basis.
  3. AIT discusses raises, performance evaluations, employment and terminations with department supervisors.
  4. Nursing - Responsible for hiring 2-4 CNA's depending on turnover, and following those employees through the entire term. Develop and review Quality Assurance guidelines in the center. Spend more time with problems and problem-resolution regarding patient care, family complaints, and physician relations.
  5. Employee Relations - Includes more extensive supervisory training and direct experience with hiring and firing, performance coaching and evaluations.
  6. More detailed responsibilities that require direct decision making by the AIT.
  7. Direct responsibility for developing and following up on goals and objectives.
  8. Opportunities to identify problems and work them through to resolution.
  9. Working with the Marketing Program (public speaking, if possible).
  10. Opportunity to conduct meetings and chair various committees/efforts.

 

Additional Training Activities
  1. The AIT should be allowed to attend local seminars concerning topics important to health care, including selected NHC, AHCA, JCAHO, state health care association, and NHC meetings. Also, the AIT will be required to attend the annual AIT/New Administrator Conference.
  2. The AIT is encouraged to visit other NHC facilities to broaden his/her knowledge of health care center operations. Specific dates are set by the Administrator for such "work visits" with other Administrators, Director of Nurses, Registered Dietitians, etc.
  3. The AIT also accompanies the Regional Vice President and/or the NHC Regional team on pre-survey visits to health care center(s). This serves as excellent training in preparation for a state survey.

 

Responsibilities

The second year AIT should begin the year in charge of at least 2-3 departments and gradually assume additional departments over the course of the year. Both the budgeting and the survey process should be the responsibility of the AIT with supervision from the Preceptor. The goals of the second year should be driven by both the needs of the center as well as the skill level of the AIT.

 

SALARY AND BENEFITS

The AIT program does offer a competitive training salary. The salary is based on where the AIT is assigned.  The AIT is eligible for a salary increase at the beginning of the program's second year.

The AIT is also eligible for a benefits package which includes health/dental/life insurance, paid time off, 401k, ESOP, an employee stock purchase plan and other competitive benefits.

APPLYING FOR THE PROGRAM

Please mail your resume and a cover letter explaining why you wish to pursue a career in long-term care administration to:

NATIONAL HEALTHCARE CORPORATION
ATTN: Administrator-In-Training Program
P.O. Box 1398
Murfreesboro, TN 37133-1398