Introduction
Looking for a new path in your nursing career?
The Connecticut Department of Correction (DOC) seeks a qualified individual for a meaningful role as a Psychiatric Advanced Practice Registered Nurse for the Health Services Unit located at Garner Correctional Institution, in Newtown, CT.
WHAT WE CAN OFFER YOU
State of Connecticut employees participate in a competitive benefits plan that includes:
- NEW: A Platinum Healthcare Plan, the nation’s best for state employees and dependents, according to a report by Georgetown’s Center on Health Insurance Reform and article by Ellen Andrews, Ph.D., along with comprehensive benefit offerings.
- Sick, vacation, and personal leave.
- This is a Hazardous Duty Position and offers a pension plan, the State Employees Retirement System Tier IV.
- Student Loan Forgiveness - the State of Connecticut is an eligible Public Service Loan Forgiveness employer, meaning you may be eligible to have qualifying student loans forgiven after 10 years of service. Click here for more information.
- We encourage a healthy work/life balance to all employees.
Discover the opportunity to:
- To work for a Forbes top company: ‘Forbes’ State of Connecticut Ranked One of the Best Employers of 2023 - State of CT Receives National Recognition for Offering Job Growth, Competitive Benefits, and Flexible Schedule.
- Engage in a rewarding career.
- Assist our employees so they can achieve success.
- Make a difference in the public sector.
- Work together in a collaborative team environment.
Our state has a lot to offer - from fun activities for all ages, to great food and shopping, to beautiful state parks and forests, to our diverse cultures and rich history. Connecticut is a great place to live! Learn more about Connecticut here.
POSITION DETAILS
This is a full-time, 40 hour per week position on first shift. The work schedule is Monday-Friday between 7:00am and 3:00pm.
The Garner Correctional Institution opened on November 17, 1992. This two-building facility is located on 118 acres. The main building encompasses 245,000 square feet and houses all inmates and support services and operations. A second building encompasses 15,100 square feet and is dedicated to maintenance operations.
The Garner Correctional Institution incarcerates both pretrial and sentenced offenders. Through proven programmatic innovation and intervention, the Garner Correctional Institution provides positive alternatives for inmates to assist in their successful reintegration into the community as productive members of society.
Based upon their mental health needs, offenders from throughout the system, both pretrial and sentenced, are assigned here. The facility's staff utilizes a highly progressive mental health treatment approach.
Individualized treatment plans, based upon an offender's level of functionality include extensive programming and therapy, in a group and one on one setting. The staff at the facility, both custody and mental health, operate through an integrated team approach which insures a continuity of custody, care, treatment and control.
The program is designed to return as many of these offenders as is possible to the ability to function in either a general population prison setting or ultimately to life in the community.
ABOUT US
Our Mission: The DOC 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.
For an inside look at how nurses can Make an ImpaCT in a correctional setting, watch the video below!
Selection Plan
FOR ASSISTANCE IN APPLYING: Please read or watch our Applicant Tips on How to Apply!
Before you apply:
- In order to be considered for this job opening, you must meet the Minimum Qualifications as listed on the job opening. You must specify your qualifications on your application.
- The minimum experience and training requirements must be met by the close date on the job opening, unless otherwise specified.
- Ensure that your application is complete and detailed before submitting it. In order to comply with Public Act 21-69, the State of Connecticut is no longer asking for resumes during the initial application process. You will not be able to make revisions once your application is submitted into the JobAps system.
- 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.
- For current state employees, salary calculations are not necessarily comparable from branch to branch but it does not impact your state service credit.
Important information for after you apply:
- 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 questionnaire'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.
- 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, performance reviews, attendance records, supervisory references, licensure, etc., at the discretion of the hiring agency.
- For current state employees, salary calculations are not necessarily comparable from one of the three branches of state government (i.e., Executive, Legislative, Judicial) to the other.
- The immediate vacancy is listed above, however, applications to this recruitment may be used for future vacancies in this job class.
Questions about this position should be directed to Jake Ferrari at jake.ferrari@ct.gov.
PURPOSE OF JOB CLASS (NATURE OF WORK)
In the Departments of Children and Families, Correction and Mental Health and Addiction Services, in a community or inpatient setting, this class is accountable for providing consultation, program development and interdisciplinary cooperation with health care disciplines as well as providing ongoing psychotherapy.
GUIDELINES FOR JOB CLASS USE
Both the Advanced Nurse Practitioner (APRN) and the Psychiatric Advanced Practice Registered Nurse classes are responsible for assessment, diagnosis, treatment, and evaluation of mental illness such as depression, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, anxiety, substance use disorders, etc. The distinction between this class and the APRN is the level of autonomy in decision making and providing a broad range of diagnostic and therapeutic services. The focus of this class is on the therapeutic milieu (assuring supports allow for the positive outcomes for patients) and ongoing application of psychotherapy services (individual, group and family).
EXAMPLES OF DUTIES
Assesses, plans and evaluates nursing process using a high level of expertise and clinical independence; provides health care to clients using increasingly complex methods of interaction such as group and family therapy; evaluates effectiveness of clinical care provided to clients; prescribes medication; consults with and/or leads members of interdisciplinary teams and community representatives to assess, plan, implement and evaluate health services; provides leadership in delivery of quality care; assists in establishment of criteria for monitoring of standards of direct client care; serves as professional role model for staff by demonstrating clinical expertise; provides clinical supervision of staff members for purpose of advancing knowledge in individual client relationships, direct care problems, group processes and family therapy; conveys new and existing knowledge in fields of health to nursing personnel, interdisciplinary team members and community groups; protects human and civil rights of clients and staff; initiates and supports research projects which are carried out in accordance with departmental guidelines; leads or co-leads psychotherapy or family therapy groups; teaches and supervises staff in provision of group therapy; provides clinical consultation regarding crisis intervention and mechanisms to prevent crisis situations; may identify problem areas related to nursing care and assist in collection of data; performs related duties as required.
KNOWLEDGE, SKILL AND ABILITY
Considerable knowledge of principles and practices of psychiatric nursing, treatment modalities and concepts of programs for individuals with mental health and/or substance use disorders; considerable knowledge of advanced nursing principles and treatments; considerable knowledge of dynamics of behavior at individual, family and group levels; knowledge of pharmacology as it relates to advanced nursing practice; knowledge of research methodology; considerable interpersonal skills; considerable oral and written communication skills; considerable clinical assessment and evaluation skills; ability to examine, diagnose, assess and treat patients; ability to interpret diagnostic tests; ability to prescribe appropriate medications and other treatments; ability to provide clinical instruction; ability to utilize computer software; administrative ability.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS - GENERAL EXPERIENCE
A Master's degree in psychiatric and/or mental health nursing AND two (2) years of experience as a professional nurse working with individuals with mental health and/or substance use disorders.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS - SUBSTITUTIONS ALLOWED
1. A Master's or higher degree in nursing outside the psychiatric and mental health field with a minimum of twenty-four (24) graduate or postgraduate level academic hours in psychiatric and mental health theory and supervised clinical training in two psychotherapeutic treatment modalities may be substituted for the Master's degree requirement of the General Experience.
2. A Bachelor’s or higher degree in Nursing and certification by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) in Psychiatric-Mental Health (PMH) as a Psychiatric-Mental Health Clinical Nurse Specialist (PMHCNS-BC) or Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP-BC) may be substituted for a Master’s in psychiatric and/or mental health nursing.
3. Individuals who have obtained a Master’s or higher degree in nursing on or before December 31, 2004 and have two (2) years of experience as an Advanced Nurse Practitioner working with individuals with mental health and/or substance use disorders, need not meet the educational requirements defined in the General Experience.
SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS
1. Incumbents in this class must possess and retain a current license as an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse issued by the Department of Public Health.
2. Incumbents in this class must possess and maintain eligibility for participation in federal health care programs as defined in 42 U.S. § 1320a-7b(f).
3. Incumbents in this class may be required to travel.
4. Incumbents in this class may be required to possess and retain a valid Motor Vehicle Operator's license.
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.