Chief of Nursing

TX-HHSC-DSHS-DFPS • Austin, TX

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About The Position

Join the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) and be part of a team committed to creating a positive impact in the lives of fellow Texans. At HHSC, your contributions matter, and we support you at each stage of your life and work journey. Our comprehensive benefits package includes 100% paid employee health insurance for full-time eligible employees, a defined benefit pension plan, generous time off benefits, numerous opportunities for career advancement and more. Explore more details on the Benefits of Working at HHS webpage.

Would you thrive in an environment where you learn and grow personally and professionally all while helping make a positive impact on people’s lives? Do you appreciate being around others like yourself who are dependable, trustworthy, hard workers who believe in the value of teamwork? HSCS is dedicated to building an atmosphere where employees feel valued and supported while providing specialized care for Texans in need. HSCS is comprised of ten psychiatric hospitals, two youth residential treatment facilities, and thirteen state supported living centers. Psychiatric hospitals are a hub of excellence for forensic mental health and complex psychiatric care, with all facilities accredited by The Joint Commission. They provide state-of-the-art treatment that is recovery-oriented and science-based. If providing hope and healing through compassionate, innovative, and individualized care interests you, we welcome your application for the position below.
The Chief of Nursing directs, oversees, and ensures the effective implementation and monitoring of statewide policies and procedures that guide the delivery of nursing services in our State Hospitals (SH). Ensures nursing policies, procedures and programs are integrated with other services. Provides leadership and strategic direction to assigned nursing staff in central office. Oversees allocation of staff resources, directing focus on specific areas of need across the SHs and assists local SH leadership with nursing personnel issues. Makes recommendations for staff to individual ratios, staffing deployment, and gives input on development of nursing job descriptions. Oversees, coordinates, and actively engages in quality improvement activities at the state level and across SHs to measure the delivery of nursing services. Analyzes data to develop trend reports for review and presentation at Governing Body or other relevant councils. Participates in statewide quality improvement activities including on-site visits to SHs. Reviews, and oversees review of, medical records and assessments to determine compliance with policies and procedures, correctness of assessment, standards of care, and quality of service. Reviews and analyzes reports and data pertaining to nursing services. Updates and revises or develops new services and/or protocols based on outcomes. Meets routinely with SH Chief Nurse Executives (CNE) and meets with or delegates meetings with other nursing program areas such as infection control and nursing case management. Facilitates nursing peer review reporting of SH Registered Nurses (RNs) and Licensed Vocational Nurses (LVNs) to the Texas Board of Nursing. Participates as subject matter expert and liaison in governing bodies. Oversees implementation of contracts and budgets, and performs other duties as assigned. Works under minimal supervision, with extensive latitude for the use of initiative and independent judgment.
Performs other duties as assigned. Other duties as assigned include actively participating and/or serving in a supporting role to meet the agency’s obligations for disaster response and/or recovery or Continuity of Operations (COOP) activation. Such participation may require an alternate shift pattern assignment and/or location.

Requirements

• Knowledge of state and federal laws for individuals with mental health issues rules, regulations, policy and procedures related to State Hospital.
• Knowledge of the laws and rules of the Texas Board of Nursing.
• Knowledge of Texas Nurse Practice Act, including the Texas Board of Nursing Rules and Regulations, and the role of nursing peer review in the provision of both professional nursing and vocational nursing.
• Knowledge of emergency procedures and emergency equipment, i.e., CPR., and ability to assess and care for residents and/or staff members in emergency situations.
• Knowledge of nursing care standards and Healthcare Guidelines.
• Skill and knowledge related to supervising employees.
• Skill in the care and treatment of individuals and in the use of nursing treatment tools and equipment.
• Skill in analyzing problems, formulating and implementing plans of corrections, and to successfully lead change.
• Skills in the use of computer/software and an electronic health record system.
• Skill in time management and prioritization.
• Ability to communicate effectively to groups and individuals.
• Ability to achieve and maintain collaborative relationships.
• Ability to train all levels of staff.
• Ability to analyze and develop policies, procedures, and reports.
• Ability to interpret regulations and communicate them effectively both orally and in writing.
• Ability to evaluate services, identify concerns/trends and develop meaningful plans for improvement.
• Ability to organize, coordinate, and evaluate nursing activities.
• Ability to instruct, train, oversee and provide guidance to others.
• Ability to maintain required continuing education hours.
• Proficient in the use of computer/software and knowledge of electronic health care systems
• Licensed to practice as a registered nurse in the state of Texas or a state that recognizes reciprocity through the Nurse Licensure Compact.
• Master’s degree or accepted to/ enrolled in a master’s program and three (3) years of experience as a practicing registered nurse in a health agency, hospital, or health-care facility; and two (2) years of Nursing supervisory/administrative experience.
• Applicants must pass a fingerprint criminal background check, pre-employment drug screen, and registry checks including the Client Abuse/Neglect Reporting System (CANRS), Nurse Aid, Medication Aide and Employee Misconduct, List of Excluded Individuals/Entities (LEIE). Males between the ages of 18-25 must be registered with the Selective Service.
• All applicants must be at least 18 years of age to be considered for employment at a state-operated facility. Waco Center for Youth applicants must be 21 years of age.
• Compliance with HHSC immunization policy and state hospital operating procedures related to immunizations is required. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, healthcare workers are considered to be at significant risk for acquiring or transmitting hepatitis B, measles, mumps, rubella, varicella (chicken pox), tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis (whooping cough), and influenza. All these diseases are vaccine preventable. As a result, state hospital policy requires employees be vaccinated according to their level of contact with individuals. In the event you choose to not be immunized for the influenza virus, you may be required to wear a mask and take other protective measures.

Nice To Haves

• Preferred experience working in a state hospital.

Responsibilities

• Oversees, coordinates, and actively engages in quality improvement activities at the state level and across SHs to measure the delivery of nursing services in accordance with facility and statewide policies, procedures, and practices.
• Participates in on-site visits to SH to ensure that the health, safety, care, treatment, and support provided by each facility meet the needs of the individuals served and reflects professionally accepted standards of practice, and documents findings.
• Establishes goals, creates schedules, and performs efficacy monitoring, and data analysis to identify trends pertaining to nursing programs and services.
• Develops trend reports for review and presentation at the Governing Body meeting.
• Ensures system data is received, reviewed and analyzed, communicated, and acted upon in relation to significant trends or events in the program (e.g., Medication Errors, Adverse Drug Reactions, Deaths, Unusual Occurrences, etc.).
• Updates and revises or develops new services and/or protocols based on outcomes.
• Designs and oversees training that proactively enhances system performance and supports continuous quality improvement.
• Teaches specific nursing skills, clarifies concepts, assists with critical thinking, mentors, and advises nursing staff, particularly CNEs.
• Provides guidance to SH nursing staff in conducting peer review activities.
• Complies with state mandated continuing education to maintain licensure as a registered nurse.
• Maintain competency within the scope of practice in order to serve as the state-wide subject matter expert.
• Provides leadership and strategic direction as needed to staff in Central Office.
• Utilizes leadership and team building skills to support continuous quality improvement.
• Advises the Associate Commissioner and other SH leadership on efficient and effective delivery of nursing services in SHs.
• Develops and implements techniques for interdisciplinary planning efforts with other discipline coordinators and divisional administrative staff.
• Acts as a subject matter expert for nursing services, providing technical assistance on difficult individual cases.
• Directs and oversees the implementation and monitoring of statewide policies and procedures that guide the delivery of nursing services in SHs.
• Ensures nursing policies, procedures and programs are integrated with other services such as psychology services, programming services, dental, behavioral health, and psychiatry.
• Represents nursing services at meetings, serves on various committees such as the state-wide Nurse Educator Committee and the Infection Control Committee, and acts as a liaison or point of contact with oversight entities and other external stakeholders as required.
• Oversees the allocation of resources to achieve optimal nursing services and programs.
• Makes recommendations for staff to individual ratios, staffing deployment, and gives input on development of job descriptions for nursing staff such as chief nursing executives (CNE), assistant CNEs, nurse educators, infection control nurses, nurse managers, registered nurses (RN) and licensed vocational nurses (LVN).
• Oversees implementation of contracts and budgets related to specific projects or purchase orders, such as obtaining continuing education for nurses.
• Writes scope of work, develops budget, reviews invoices, monitors contractor performance and provides information necessary to contracts manager and purchaser staff.
• Reviews and evaluates the impact of proposed federal and state laws, completes research to maintain subject matter experience, attends seminars and workgroups on mental health issues and conducts literature reviews related to mental health issues and disseminates information to appropriate SH division staff.
• Assists leadership with hiring decisions, training, and evaluation of chief nursing executives to ensure quality and consistency.
• Assists with the recruitment, training, and retention of nursing staff.
• Assists facility to achieve interrater reliability.
• Guides the implementation of action plans and ensures facilities stay aligned with organizational goals.
• Provides and coordinates treatment to HHS employees injured in course and scope of employment.
• Oversees monitoring of nursing compliance with state and federal laws, regulations, and rules.
• Facilitates investigative nursing peer review reporting of SH Registered Nurses and Licensed Vocational Nurses to the Texas Board of Nursing.
• Performs other duties as assigned. Other duties as assigned include but are not limited to actively participating and/or serving in a supporting role to meet the agency’s obligations for disaster response and/or recovery or Continuity of Operations (COOP) activation. Such participation may require an alternate shift pattern assignment and/or location.

Benefits

• comprehensive benefits package includes 100% paid employee health insurance for full-time eligible employees
• defined benefit pension plan
• generous time off benefits
• numerous opportunities for career advancement

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Number of Employees: 1,001-5,000 employees