Assistant Director of Nursing | $10,000 Sign-On Bonus

Stars Behavioral Health Group•Bakersfield, CA

1d•$110,000 - $121,000•Onsite

About The Position

The Assistant Director of Nursing (ADON) helps oversee the delivery, coordination, and quality of client care within the Psychiatric Health Facility (PHF), ensuring all treatment services, nursing care, and medication management align with physician orders, regulatory guidelines, evidence-based practices, and company standards. Partnering closely with the interdisciplinary team, ADON drives clinical excellence, patient safety, and quality improvement while mentoring and supporting the nursing staff. They serve as a vital clinical resource for complex decision-making, staff development, and policy adherence. Additionally, ADON collaborates with the Regional Director of Nursing to maintain full regulatory compliance across federal, state, and accreditation standards, actively participating in audits, surveys, incident reviews, infection control, risk management, and corrective action plans. Their operational responsibilities also encompass workforce management, including recruitment, hiring, onboarding, supervision, performance coaching, scheduling, and ongoing professional development for the nursing team. This role is within the Youth Inpatient Psychiatric Health Facility serving children/youth (ages 5-17) with acute psychiatric symptoms, in a 16-bed inpatient facility. The length of stay is typically up to 72 hours, but may be extended if additional evaluation or treatment is needed. The program offers intensive treatment with individualized care plans.

Requirements

Graduation from an accredited school of nursing.
Meet one of the following experience combinations: Associate's degree plus three (3) years of experience in nursing administration; OR Bachelor's degree plus two (2) years of experience in nursing administration; OR Master's degree plus one (1) year of experience in nursing administration.
Minimum of one (1) year of management and supervision experience overseeing nurses (such as RNs, LVNs, or LPTs) delivering patient care services within a behavioral health setting gained in the past six (6) years.
Active, valid license as a Registered Nurse (RN) in the State of California.
Valid CPR certification required within thirty (30) days of hire.
Valid ProAct certification required within thirty (30) days of hire.
Successful completion of a pre-employment health screening and tuberculosis (TB) clearance.
Receipt of "clear" or approved Live Scan results and a criminal background clearance.
Being at least eighteen (18) years of age or older.

Nice To Haves

Prior background working in an acute psychiatric or skilled nursing setting.
Supervision for BBS hours for AMFT, ACSW, and APCC professionals (where applicable).

Responsibilities

Oversee the delivery, coordination, and quality of client care within the Psychiatric Health Facility (PHF).
Ensure treatment services, nursing care, and medication management align with physician orders, regulatory guidelines, evidence-based practices, and company standards.
Drive clinical excellence, patient safety, and quality improvement in partnership with the interdisciplinary team.
Mentor and support the nursing staff.
Serve as a vital clinical resource for complex decision-making, staff development, and policy adherence.
Collaborate with the Regional Director of Nursing to maintain full regulatory compliance across federal, state, and accreditation standards.
Participate in audits, surveys, incident reviews, infection control, risk management, and corrective action plans.
Manage workforce responsibilities, including recruitment, hiring, onboarding, supervision, performance coaching, scheduling, and ongoing professional development for the nursing team.