Director of Nursing

Perimeter Healthcare • Forrest City, AR

9d • Onsite

About The Position

The Director of Nursing (DON) leads nursing and milieu services at Perimeter Behavioral of Forrest City, an inpatient residential behavioral health facility serving children and adolescents. The role oversees nursing operations and promotes excellent patient care through strategic planning, quality improvement, team leadership, and adherence to Joint Commission standards and regulatory requirements.

The DON provides clinical and administrative oversight, including nursing staff development, staffing plans, departmental budgets and resources, policies and procedures, reporting, safety, infection control, medication management, and coordination with interdisciplinary teams. The position also maintains administrative oversight in the CEO’s absence and participates in strategic planning.

This is a full-time leadership position with flexible hours that may include evenings and weekends, on-call responsibilities, and schedule adjustments for crisis response. The work takes place in a residential treatment setting and may involve challenging patient behaviors, moderate noise, and occasional local travel. Physical requirements include lifting or moving up to 50 pounds, assisting with crisis interventions, extended standing and walking, and manual dexterity for clinical procedures.

Requirements

• Graduate degree from an accredited nursing program.
• Active Arkansas RN or Multi State license in good standing.
• Current CPR certification.
• At least 2 years of psychiatric clinical experience with children or adolescents.
• Demonstrated nursing management experience.
• Background in behavioral health leadership.
• Experience with The Joint Commission accreditation processes.
• Strong clinical and leadership abilities.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Demonstrated crisis management skills.
• Proficiency in budget management.
• Experience with healthcare regulations.
• Cultural competency expertise.
• Ability to lift or move up to 50 pounds and physically assist in crisis interventions.
• Ability to stand and walk for extended periods and use manual dexterity for clinical procedures.

Nice To Haves

• Master’s degree in nursing or a healthcare-related field.

Responsibilities

• Direct nursing services in accordance with The Joint Commission standards and psychiatric nursing best practices.
• Develop and implement quality improvement initiatives and monitor patient care outcomes.
• Ensure compliance with regulatory requirements, accreditation standards, and safety protocols.
• Oversee infection control protocols, medication management, incident reporting, and incident resolution.
• Provide clinical consultation and support across departments.
• Recruit, train, and retain qualified nursing staff.
• Create and manage nursing staffing patterns to optimize patient care.
• Conduct performance evaluations and competency assessments.
• Foster professional development and mentor nursing leadership team members.
• Manage departmental budgets and resources.
• Develop and update nursing policies and procedures.
• Generate statistical reports for executive leadership.
• Coordinate with interdisciplinary teams.
• Maintain administrative oversight in the CEO’s absence.
• Participate in strategic planning initiatives.

Benefits

• Generous paid time off.
• Flexible scheduling options.
• Supportive team environment.
• Health insurance.
• Dental coverage.
• Vision care.
• Life insurance.
• 401(k) with company match.
• Optional supplemental insurance plans.
• Competitive compensation.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director