Director of Nursing Recruiting
The best Directors of Nursing are rarely looking. We know where to find them.
Premier Search has spent 25 years placing Directors of Nursing across skilled nursing facilities, senior living communities, and healthcare organizations nationwide. Most searches produce qualified DON candidates within 3 to 7 days — including experienced clinical leaders not actively on the market.
25+
Years placing Directors of Nursing nationwide
3–7
Days to Qualified Candidates
100%
Confidential Search
Director of Nursing
•
DON
•
Chief Nursing Officer
•
CNO
•
Assistant Director of Nursing
•
ADON
•
Director of Staff Development
•
Nurse Manager
•
Post-Acute Care
•
Clinical Director
•
Skilled Nursing
•
Long-Term Care
•
Memory Care
•
Director of Nursing • DON • Chief Nursing Officer • CNO • Assistant Director of Nursing • ADON • Director of Staff Development • Nurse Manager • Post-Acute Care • Clinical Director • Skilled Nursing • Long-Term Care • Memory Care •
Roles We Place
Every clinical leadership role.
We place every clinical leadership role across skilled nursing, senior living, and post-acute care organizations nationwide.
Directors of Nursing
Experienced DONs with the regulatory knowledge, team management skills, and care philosophy to lead clinical operations at the highest level.
Director of Rehabilitation
Rehab directors who oversee therapy programs, manage interdisciplinary care, and drive outcomes in skilled nursing and post-acute settings.
Assistant Director of Nursing/ADON
Strong ADONs who support clinical operations, mentor nursing staff, and are ready to step into the DON role when the time comes.
Chief Nursing Officer
CNOs for larger healthcare organizations and ownership groups who can set clinical strategy, ensure regulatory compliance, and lead nursing teams at scale.
VP of Clinical Services
Senior clinical executives who oversee nursing operations across multiple sites or an entire organization.
Chief Medical Officer
Physician executives who provide clinical leadership, oversee care quality, and align medical and operational strategy for healthcare organizations.
Regional Nurse Consultant
Multi-site clinical leaders who support DONs across a portfolio, ensure regulatory compliance, and drive consistent clinical quality organization-wide.
Director of Clinical Operations
Operational clinical leaders who bridge nursing, compliance, and administrative functions across skilled nursing and post-acute organizations.
Every stage of the search is handled with precision, urgency, discretion, and deep industry insight.
How We Work
Step 1 • Understanding Your Organization
Every organization operates differently. Before outreach begins, we take the time to understand your clinical environment, regulatory history, staffing challenges, and what you need in your next DON.
Step 2 • Targeted Outreach
We reach out directly to experienced Directors of Nursing not actively on the market — clinical leaders who are highly regarded in the field and open to the right opportunity.
Step 3 • Rigorous Candidate Evaluation
Every DON candidate is evaluated on clinical leadership ability, regulatory knowledge, staff management experience, survey history, and cultural fit.
Step 4 • Support Through Hire
Premier Search stays closely involved through the entire hiring process — scheduling, references, offer coordination, and transition support included.
“My goal has never been to fill a vacancy. It has been to secure the leadership that defines the quality of care.”
Why Premier Search
Why healthcare organizations choose Premier Search for DON searches
25 Years Placing DONs
We have spent 25 years building relationships with clinical leaders across skilled nursing, senior living, and post-acute care. When you need a DON, we know exactly who to call.
The best Directors of Nursing are already leading someone else's clinical team. We reach them through direct relationships — not job boards or recycled databases.
Access to Candidates Not on the Market
Full Confidentiality from Day One
DON searches are often sensitive. Whether you are managing a planned transition or an urgent vacancy, discretion is part of our process from the first conversation.
Speed and Precision
3 to 7 days to qualified DON candidates. We move fast because we already have the relationships — and because a clinical vacancy cannot wait.