STATE OF CONNECTICUT EXECUTIVE BRANCH JOBS

Head Nurse (Correctional Facility) (36 Hour)

Recruitment #220512-2293XS-001

Introduction

   

Are you passionate about helping others and making a difference? 
If so, we invite you to check out this position! 

The State of Connecticut, Department of Correction (DOC) is looking to hire a Head Nurse at Carl Robinson Correctional Institution in Enfield. 

The position will be full-time, third shift, 11:00pm-7:00am, 72 hours bi-weekly, with requirements of working rotating weekends and holidays. 

This is a Hazardous Duty Position and offers a pension plan, the State Employees Retirement System Tier IV. It also offers excellent health benefits along with additional supplemental benefits.

WHAT OUR EMPLOYEES SAY
"Working for the Department of Correction for the last six years has truly been a life changing experience. Both personally and professionally, DOC has afforded me with opportunities that I would not have had otherwise. While working with the department, I have been able to work in several facilities, gathering skills and knowledge from each of them. I have formed valuable relationships with not only my nursing co-workers, but with custody staff, social workers and every discipline in-between. I have been able to attend correctional nursing conferences that have opened my eyes to issues and education that I hadn’t considered beforehand. The Department of Corrections provides upward mobility for nurses looking to advance their career. Happiness and satisfaction with my work life allows me to be a better husband and father at home. I consider it a privilege to work with this department." -James Fagan, RN

"My name is Mike and I am a Department of Correction Nurse. I’ve had many titles throughout my Nursing career such as a dialysis, medical/surgical, cardiac/ pulmonary and rehab nurse. While at the DOC, I found myself volunteering to stay at their Covid-19 Recovery Unit in Suffield, Ct. On this unit I recall two major eye-opening moments. First, was witnessing the impact of the virus and how fast a patient can deteriorate. The second moment was when I realized that the DOC Nursing staff was one big family.

We all worked together seamlessly to implement treatments allowing our patients to survive this virus and maximize recovery. There was no belittling between the hierarchy of staff, everyone respects each other, and if a mistakes are made it was looked at as an educational moment rather than a time to scold.

Working for the DOC has improved my critical thinking skills tremendously and added many tools to my “Mental Nursing Toolbox of Information”. The people are great, the job is rewarding, and you can learn a lot form everyone around you." 
-Mikal 'Mike' French, RN

"I started with correctional nursing in 2011, and it is the best decision I made for my nursing career. I applied for a LPN durational position in early 2010 when the nursing home I had been working at announced they would be closing. About 9 months later, I got a call asking if I was still interested in coming in for an interview and I said yes; come the morning of the interview, I woke up and said to myself that I wasn’t going to go because it was so far, it was at Corrigan and I lived 45 minutes away, but after contemplating, I called the supervisor and explained I would be late, but she told me to come in anyways. That day changed my life, I began working at Corrigan and now 10 years and 3 facilities later, I have become an RN and now a CHN (Correctional Head Nurse) while employed with the Department of Corrections thanks to the wonderful benefits of career mobility and tuition reimbursement. Correctional nursing has helped me to develop great assessment and leadership skills. -Alice Scott-Hinton, BSN, RN

         
ABOUT US

Our Mission: The Department of Correction shall strive to be a global leader in progressive correctional practices and partnered re-entry initiatives to support responsive evidence-based practices aligned to law-abiding and accountable behaviors. Safety and security shall be a priority component of this responsibility as it pertains to staff, victims, citizens and offenders.

Selection Plan

In order to be considered for this job opening you must be a current State of CT employee of the agency listed above for at least six (6) months of full-time service or full-time equivalent service, absent any applicable collective bargaining language, and meet the Minimum Qualifications as listed on the job opening.  You must specify your qualifications on your application. 

The immediate vacancy is listed above, however, applications to this recruitment may be used for future vacancies in this job class.

Although applicants will receive correspondence via email, as a backup they are also encouraged to sign on to their Personal Status Board on a daily basis to monitor their status, view all emailed notices and complete tasks required in the recruitment process. 

Note:  At any point during the recruitment process, applicants may be required to submit additional documentation which support their qualification(s) for this position.  These documents may include:  a cover letter, resume, transcripts, diplomas, performance reviews, attendance records, supervisory references, licensure, etc., at the discretion of the hiring agency.  Applicants must meet the minimum qualifications as indicated to apply for this position. 

This posting may require completion of additional referral questions (RQs). You can access these RQs via an email that will be sent to you after the posting's closing date or by visiting your JobAps Personal Status Board  (Certification Questionnaires section). Your responses to these RQs must be submitted by the question's expiration date. Please regularly check your email and JobAps Personal Status Board for notifications. Please check your SPAM and/or Junk folders on a daily basis in the event an email provider places auto-notification emails in a user's spam. 

The minimum experience and training requirements must be met by the close date on the job opening, unless otherwise specified.

In order to comply with Public Act 21-69, the State of Connecticut is no longer asking for resumes during the initial application process.  

All application materials must be received by the recruiting agency by the time specified on the job opening for the position for which you are applying. Late applications may not be submitted and will not be considered. Exceptions are rare and limited to documented events that incapacitate a candidate during the entire duration of the job posting time period.  It is the candidate’s obligation and responsibility to request an exception and provide a legally recognized justification to accommodate such exception.  Requests should be made to DAS.SHRM@ct.gov.

Questions about this recruitment should be directed to Jake Ferrari via email at jake.ferrari@ct.gov.

PURPOSE OF JOB CLASS (NATURE OF WORK)

In a Department of Correction facility, this class is accountable for the supervision and administration of an assigned nursing, mental health or related specialty unit including the direction and coordination of staff in order to ensure that the highest quality of nursing and/or mental health care is provided for the inmate population.

EXAMPLES OF DUTIES

HEALTH SERVICES: Leads planning of care and implementation of nursing process; coordinates nursing and/or mental health unit workflow; determines priorities; schedules, assigns, oversees and reviews work; establishes and maintains unit procedures; identifies staff development needs; provides staff training and assistance; conducts or assists in conducting performance evaluations; ensures controlled drugs are properly stored, administered and ordered; leads professional and paraprofessional nursing staff in provision of inmate general and mental health care; instructs staff regarding policies and procedures; maintains and promotes standards of nursing; acts as liaison with other operating units, agencies and outside officials regarding unit policies and procedures; may participate in interdisciplinary meetings; may make recommendations on policies or standards; may prepare reports and correspondence; may physically restrain inmates, quell disturbances and otherwise assist mental health and correction staff in emergencies; performs related duties as required.

INFECTION CONTROL: Leads planning and implementation of infection control services for correctional inmates and individuals re-entering the community in order to protect the health and safety of inmates, staff and the public; assures quality performance in implementation of infection control program by contracted health care provider; provides education and training to inmates including infection prevention and control; monitors and ensures quality care through observation and evaluation; maintains records and makes reports; may develop infection prevention curriculum and educational materials for inmate education; may physically restrain inmates, quell disturbances and otherwise assist mental health and correction staff in emergencies; performs related duties as required.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILL AND ABILITY

Considerable knowledge of and ability to independently apply nursing principles, techniques and standards; considerable knowledge of medication, their actions, interactions, uses and side effects; knowledge of general and mental health conditions and treatment interventions through utilization of assessment, nursing diagnosis, outcome, identification, health planning, implementation and re-evaluation; knowledge of and sensitivity to cultural and socio-economic differences; knowledge of emergency and operating room nursing procedures and techniques; knowledge of teaching, counseling and evaluation principles and techniques; considerable interpersonal skills; oral and written communication skills; ability to act as a role model to health care staff; ability to interview; ability to develop curricula; supervisory ability.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS - GENERAL EXPERIENCE

Two (2) years of experience as a Registered Professional Nurse.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS - SUBSTITUTIONS ALLOWED

A Bachelor's degree in nursing may be substituted for one (1) year of the General Experience.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS

1. Candidates may be required to have experience working with adolescents or in women's health or mental health care.
2. Incumbents in this class must possess and retain a current license or temporary permit as a Registered Professional Nurse in Connecticut.
3. Incumbents in this class may be required to be fluent in a foreign language or proficient in the use of the American Sign Language in certain designated positions.
4. Incumbents in this class may be required to possess and retain a valid Motor Vehicle Operator’s license.
5. Incumbents in this class may be required to travel.

CHARACTER REQUIREMENTS

In addition to the checking of references and of facts stated in the application, a thorough background investigation of each candidate may be made before persons are certified for permanent appointment.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

Incumbents in this class must possess general good health and retain sufficient stamina, agility, visual and auditory acuity necessary to perform all duties of the class. Incumbents are required to pass a physical examination.

WORKING CONDITIONS

Incumbents in this class may be required to lift and restrain inmates; may have some exposure to communicable and/or infectious diseases and risk of injury from assaultive and/or abusive inmates; may be exposed to disagreeable conditions.

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.