STATE OF CONNECTICUT EXECUTIVE BRANCH JOBS

Director Of Nursing 2

Recruitment #200803-2759MP-001

Introduction

The State of Connecticut, Department of Children and Families (DCF) is seeking to fill a Director of Nursing 2 position at our Albert J. Solnit Children's Center - South Campus, a state-administered psychiatric facility for Connecticut’s children who are under the age of eighteen. The Solnit Center provides comprehensive care to children and adolescents with complex psychiatric profiles who cannot be safely assessed or treated in a less restrictive setting. The South Campus consists of four coed hospital units and three female adolescent psychiatric residential treatment facility cottages (PRTF).

Solnit Center mission is Caring, Healing and Teaching --Partnering with youth, families and communities to build hope and create equitable opportunities. We are widely recognized as a center of excellence for family-centered treatment of youth with complex psychiatric profiles. At the Solnit Center, we treat our youth and each other with dignity and respect. It is in this relational, cultural and gender-sensitive surrounding that our therapeutic milieu is based. Interdisciplinary teams develop, implement and continually assess individualized treatment plans.

The is a full-time, 40 hours per week, Monday-Friday position. The position is centrally located in Middletown, 915 River Road, Middletown, CT. Statewide travel is required.

The Director of Nursing 2 position will serve as the Nursing Executive of the Solnit Psychiatric Hospital and oversee the functioning of nursing services in the Solnit South PRTF program. The Nursing department comprises the greatest number of staff having direct-care responsibility for the youth served in the facility. The DN2 will function as Nurse Executive and provide key leadership to the ongoing implementation and enhancement of these key safety functions.

In this role, you will work with leaders at all levels across the agency and must be able to work collaboratively. Responsibilities will include:

  • ensuring compliance with Joint Commission and Medicaid requirements
  • administrative oversight of operational aspects of approximately 200 nursing department staff
  • coordinate, plan and manage training program development and practice standards
  • documentation and maintenance of records of medical care
  • maintaining eligibility for fiscal reimbursement
  • continuing to meet standards of care
  • participates in quality assurance programs
  • monitoring and analyzing outcomes
  • providing an assessment of the efficacy of practice improvement initiatives and preparing reports inclusive of data for presentations
  • management and supervision of staff and programs
  • serving as a liaison between the facility and numerous stakeholders both within the agency (and outside the agency)
Please note the special requirements for this position:

1. Incumbents in this class must possess and retain a license as a registered professional nurse in Connecticut.

2. Incumbents in this class serving in the capacity of the Nurse Executive are required to possess a master's degree in nursing, public health administration, health care administration, hospital administration or a related field.

State of Connecticut employees participate in a competitive benefits plan that includes healthcare coverage, a retirement plan as well as paid time off.

Selection Plan

Please ensure that your application is complete and it includes how your experience meets the preferred qualification as listed in this posting. (You may include your resume within the "Resume Tab" of your application.) You will be unable to make revisions once you submit your application into the JobAps system.

At any point during the recruitment process, applicants may be required to submit additional documentation which supports their qualification(s) for this position. These documents may include performance reviews, attendance, supervisory references, college transcripts, licensure, etc., at the discretion of the hiring agency. You do not have to attach these documents to your application submission.

Questions about these required documents or any other phase of this recruitment should be directed to the hiring agency’s human resources office: Frances Leon at Frances.Leon@ct.gov.

PURPOSE OF JOB CLASS (NATURE OF WORK)

In the Departments of Children and Families, Correction, Mental Health and Addiction Services and Veterans Affairs, this class is accountable for directing nursing services by ensuring that nursing professional practices comply with appropriate standards of delivery for evidence-based patient-centered care, within an assigned region, a large hospital division, a medium-sized hospital or for statewide services.

EXAMPLES OF DUTIES

Directs the staff and operation of the nursing department; coordinates, plans and manages nursing activities; formulates program goals and objectives; makes staff assignments; develops or assists in the development of related policy incorporating current nursing research and professionally recognized standards; develops or assists in development and implementation of plans for nursing care; interprets and administers pertinent laws; evaluates staff; prepares or assists in the preparation of the nursing budget; maintains contacts with individuals both within and outside of the department who might impact on program activities; participates in recruitment and retention programs; makes rounds to determine the quality of nursing care; participates in Quality Assurance Programs; assures optimal quality of care is provided in a safe environment; develops and/or implements effective ongoing programs to measure, assess and improve quality of nursing care, treatment and services delivered to patients; develops productive work teams; protects human and civil rights of patients and/or clients and staff; recommends disciplinary actions; collaborates with clinical instructors for educational programs; represents the hospital/facility in meetings of professional and/or community organizations; compiles data and prepares periodic reports; responsible for coordinating and providing twenty-four hour nursing coverage for facility or assigned units(s); intervenes in crisis situations and investigates all unusual incidents; leads and participates in meetings; may speak on behalf of nursing; may oversee other disciplines including but not limited to pharmacy, respiratory therapy or social work; may participate in strategic planning; may participate in research activities; may be a member of standing committees; performs related duties as required.

DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTION: Directs the staff and operations of nursing services within an assigned region spanning multiple correctional facilities; ensures that the coordination and provision of comprehensive nursing services are being delivered 24-hours per day/7 days per week; directs the development or assists with the development of nursing policies, procedures, and protocols; directs or assists with the development, implementation of nursing services staffing plan policies; provides supervision to nurse supervisors regarding nursing standards, procedures, protocols and policies; ensures that nursing practices comply with the appropriate professional standards; develops and monitors nursing performance expectations; develops, administers and maintains nursing programs that deliver, monitor, evaluate and improve the quality and appropriateness of all nursing care; ensures facilities have implemented an effective system that certifies competence to perform nursing duties, including the performance of physical assessments and outpatient urgent and emergency protocols; ensures the continuous quality improvements and sustainable constitutional levels of nursing care; ensures nursing services are well-functioning and that the timely delivery of patient care is available to all patients in accordance with appropriate standards of nursing care; identifies operational and organizational issues and implements solution for operational and organizational issues pertaining to nursing; prepares or assists in the preparation of the nursing budget and makes decisions or recommends a course of action with regard to management of the nursing budget; assesses professional nurse training and orientation needs and participates in the development of orientation and education programs to promote staff development; performs competency assessments; mentors and coaches nursing personnel throughout the region; assists in evaluating nursing staff and recommends corrective action; protects human and civil rights of patients and staff; directs and oversees health care accreditation/re-accreditation process performs related duties as required. 

KNOWLEDGE, SKILL AND ABILITY

Considerable knowledge of nursing principles and practices in appropriate specialty; knowledge of behavioral health nursing; knowledge of nursing administration; knowledge of and ability to apply management principles and techniques; knowledge of research procedures as applied to nursing; knowledge of interviewing and counseling techniques; knowledge of current developments in field of nursing including current complexities of the healthcare industry; knowledge of relevant State and Federal regulations and accreditation guidelines; knowledge of trend variance analysis; knowledge of governmental accounting and budgeting; some knowledge of marketing; some knowledge of and ability to develop strategic plans; leadership skills and ability; ability to problem solve; ability to multi-task and coordinate a high level of activities; considerable interpersonal skills; considerable oral and written communication skills.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS - GENERAL EXPERIENCE

A bachelor’s degree in nursing and three (3) years of experience in an administrative or supervisory capacity in a health care organization/facility. 

Note:  For State employees, this is interpreted at or above the level of a Supervising Nurse.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS - SUBSTITUTIONS ALLOWED

DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS: Possession of an Associate's degree in nursing and five (5) years of experience in an administrative or supervisory capacity in a health care organization/facility may be substituted for the General Experience.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

Preference will be given to candidates who have:

  • Experience supervising nursing staff in a behavioral health setting serving youth with complex psychiatric profiles and their families.
  • Experience with Joint Commission accreditation and CMS certification.
  • Experience with Quality Assurance/Performance Improvement initiatives.
  • Experience implementing nursing education and workforce development activities.
  • Experience with electronic health record in a behavioral health setting.
  • Experience supervising nursing staff in the delivery of trauma-responsive services within a therapeutic milieu.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS

  1. Incumbents in this class must possess and retain a license as a registered professional nurse in Connecticut.
  2. Incumbents in this class serving in the capacity of the Nurse Executive are required to possess a master's degree in nursing, public health administration, health care administration, hospital administration or a related field.
  3. Incumbents in this class may be required to possess and retain a valid Motor Vehicle Operator’s license.
  4. Incumbents in this class may be required to travel.

Conclusion

AN AFFIRMATIVE ACTION/EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

The State of Connecticut is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer and strongly encourages the applications of women, minorities, and persons with disabilities.