Head Nurse (40 Hour)

State of Connecticut•Middletown, CT

1d•Onsite

About The Position

Lead with Compassion - Become a Head Nurse! The State of Connecticut Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (DMHAS) is hiring a Head Nurse to join the Connecticut Valley Hospital (CVH), where you'll play a key leadership role in delivering high-quality, patient-centered psychiatric care. As a Head Nurse, you will guide nursing staff, coordinate treatment, and help ensure safe, effective care for individuals with complex behavioral health needs. DMHAS is a health care agency whose mission is to promote the overall health and wellness of persons with behavioral health needs through an integrated network of holistic, comprehensive, effective, and efficient services and supports that foster dignity, respect, and self-sufficiency in those we serve. Established in 1868, CVH serves as the State's premier public hospital for mental health treatment. As the largest facility within DMHAS, it features 17 inpatient units across Middletown and Hartford campuses, encompassing general psychiatry and addiction services. CVH offers comprehensive inpatient and outpatient psychiatric care, substance abuse treatment, and specialized services for pregnant women and individuals with dual diagnoses. Specialties include geriatric and special services, an integrated mental health network for older adults, and young adult services. Additionally, CVH houses the Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) program, addressing survivors' needs through community reintegration, independent living skills development, vocational and educational training, psychiatric assessments, speech and physical rehabilitation, and individual and family counseling. Battell 2 North is an acute general psychiatric treatment unit with a maximum census of twenty-two patients. The unit provides psychiatric treatment and stabilization for individuals living with severe and persistent mental illness, with the goal of discharge to the community in the most integrated setting possible. A comprehensive medical examination, including a drug screening, will be required of all applicants upon a conditional offer of employment. All state employees must adhere to Connecticut’s Policy for a Drug Free Workplace.

Requirements

Two (2) years of experience as a Registered Nurse
Possess and retain a license or temporary permit as a Registered Nurse in Connecticut OR hold a Multistate or Compact Registered Nurse license.
Considerable knowledge of and ability to independently apply nursing principles, techniques and standards
specialized individual care applicable to nursing assignment
medications, 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
adult learning and family systems theory
sensitivity to cultural and socio-economic differences
Considerable interpersonal skills
oral and written communication skills
Ability to establish and maintain collaborative relationships with other professionals, community resources and providers
act as a role model to health care staff
Supervisory ability
Considerable knowledge of behavioral health of individuals
Skill working with individuals, groups and families
Ability to provide therapeutic treatment with a variety of individuals

Nice To Haves

Fluent in a foreign language or proficient in the use of the American Sign Language in certain designated positions.
May be required to travel.

Responsibilities

Leads the planning of care and implementation of the nursing process
Plans unit workflow and determines priorities
Schedules, assigns, oversees and reviews work
Makes recommendations for personnel actions such as selection, discipline and performance
Conducts or assist in conducting performance evaluations
Leads professional and paraprofessional nursing staff in provision of patient/individual care
Maintains and promotes standards of nursing
Ensures controlled drugs are properly stored, administered and ordered
Identifies staff development needs
Provides staff training and assistance
Instructs staff regarding policies and procedures
Participates in interdisciplinary meetings to promote and ensure adjustment and continuity of patient/individual care programs
Responds to emergencies
May make recommendations on policies and standards
May prepare reports or correspondence
May serve as Qualified Intellectual Disability Professional (QIDP)
Performs related duties as required
Independently develops, implements and evaluates nursing and/or health care plans
Provides nursing consultation in the assigned specialty program
Conducts nursing assessments
Provides admission and discharge nursing assessments including plans for continuing care
Maintains records and makes reports
Provides for nursing services to comply with intermediate care facility (ICF) regulations and Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) standards
Maintains records of stored and secured medications
Independently manages and provides direct care to patients/individuals
Participates in individual, group or family therapy
Participates as a member of an interdisciplinary team in the assessment, development, implementation and evaluation of patient/individual treatment or health care plans
Manages an assigned caseload of other appropriate clinical activities
Provides clinical direction and/or training to staff in individual, group and family service delivery programs
May participate in home visits and crisis intervention
May provide in-service training to nursing and paraprofessional staff with regard to signs and symptoms of illness, dysfunction, injury and prevention of same
May conduct patient/individual- centered conferences with nursing personnel
May consult with and make recommendations to physicians concerning health needs
Independently provides counseling and health education services to students and staff
Serves as member of crisis intervention team
Provides assessment of medical problems
Determines need for physician or medical care
Performs basic evaluative procedures and tests
Performs primary first aid
Makes referrals and follows up on health needs
Provides counseling on health- related issues
Maintains accurate medical records
Writes reports
May administer medication
May administer routine tests or exams