Head Nurse (40 Hour)

State of Connecticut • Middletown, CT

1d • Onsite

About The Position

The Connecticut Department of Children and Families is recruiting a Head Nurse for its Psychiatric Residential Treatment Facility at South Campus in Middletown, Connecticut. The role provides administrative and clinical supervision of professional and paraprofessional nursing staff while also delivering direct nursing care to children and individuals served by the facility. The Head Nurse leads unit workflow, sets priorities, oversees work assignments, promotes nursing standards, supports staff development, and collaborates with interdisciplinary teams to support safe, effective, and continuous care.

The position includes conducting nursing assessments; developing, implementing, and evaluating health care plans; managing an assigned caseload; providing nursing consultation and clinical direction; and participating in individual, group, or family therapy and interdisciplinary treatment planning. The Head Nurse also helps ensure compliance with applicable regulations and standards, oversees the safe storage and administration of medications and controlled substances, maintains records, and responds to emergencies.

This is a full-time, 40-hour-per-week position on the first shift, 7:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. The listed work location is the Lakota Unit in Middletown, Connecticut. Days off alternate: Friday and Tuesday in week one, and Saturday and Sunday in week two.

Requirements

• Two years of experience as a Registered Nurse; a bachelor’s degree in nursing may substitute for one year of the required general experience.
• Must possess and retain a Connecticut Registered Nurse license or temporary permit, or hold a Multistate or Compact Registered Nurse license.
• Considerable knowledge of and ability to apply nursing principles, techniques, and standards independently.
• Knowledge of medications, including their actions, interactions, uses, and side effects.
• Knowledge of general and mental health conditions and treatment interventions, including assessment, nursing diagnosis, outcome identification, health planning, implementation, and reevaluation.
• Knowledge of adult learning and family systems theory and sensitivity to cultural and socioeconomic differences.
• Considerable interpersonal, oral communication, and written communication skills.
• Ability to establish and maintain collaborative relationships with professionals, community resources, and providers; to serve as a role model to health care staff; and to supervise.
• For behavioral health nursing positions: knowledge of behavioral health, skill working with individuals, groups, and families, and ability to provide therapeutic treatment.
• May be required to travel or to be fluent in a foreign language or proficient in American Sign Language in certain designated positions.

Nice To Haves

• Experience working in a behavioral health hospital setting.
• Experience serving youth with complex psychiatric profiles.

Responsibilities

• Lead the planning and implementation of nursing care and the nursing process.
• Plan unit workflow, determine priorities, schedule and assign work, and oversee and review staff work.
• Make recommendations regarding personnel actions and participate in performance evaluations.
• Lead professional and paraprofessional nursing staff in providing patient or individual care.
• Maintain and promote nursing standards and ensure controlled drugs are properly stored, administered, and ordered.
• Identify staff development needs; provide training and assistance; and instruct staff on policies and procedures.
• Participate in interdisciplinary meetings to promote continuity of care.
• Respond to emergencies.
• Independently develop, implement, and evaluate nursing and health care plans and conduct nursing assessments, including admission and discharge assessments.
• Provide nursing consultation, clinical direction, and direct care; manage an assigned caseload and other appropriate clinical activities.
• Participate in individual, group, or family therapy and interdisciplinary assessment and treatment planning.
• Maintain records and prepare reports or correspondence as needed.
• Provide nursing services in accordance with applicable intermediate care facility regulations and Joint Commission standards.
• May participate in home visits and crisis intervention, provide in-service training, consult with physicians, or serve as a Qualified Intellectual Disability Professional (QIDP).

Benefits

• Professional growth and paid professional development opportunities.
• Work-life balance.
• The State of Connecticut is an eligible Public Service Loan Forgiveness employer; qualifying student loans may be eligible for forgiveness after 10 years of service.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: No Education Listed