Nurse Administrator

Discovery Behavioral Health•Thousand Oaks, CA

7d•$107,000 - $115,000•Onsite

About The Position

The Nurse Administrator supervises, leads, and coordinates nursing activities and personnel. The role evaluates nursing activities to support patient care, staff relations, and efficient service, coordinates medical care, and works closely with the Medical Director on nursing and medical care for patients. The position is on-site in Thousand Oaks, California, and is full-time, scheduled Tuesdays through Thursdays from 6:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. The Nurse Administrator oversees nursing operations, admission assessments and processes, nursing care plans, medical response, medication management, and regulatory compliance. The role provides direct leadership and supervision to nursing staff, including recruiting, onboarding, training, coaching, evaluating performance, and ensuring staffing coverage. The position collaborates with medical and interdisciplinary teams, patients and families, Human Resources, and Utilization Review, and supports quality improvement, risk reduction, and staff retention. Role-specific duties may vary by program. In residential treatment, the position provides patient transportation and supervision when pre-qualified to drive a company vehicle. In the Substance and Mental Health Use Disorder Division, the Nurse Administrator monitors CIWA/COW scores for patients on detoxification protocols and applies knowledge of detox medications, withdrawal symptoms, and related medical complications. In the Eating Disorder Division, the role provides meal-period supervision and support, sits with patients for at least one meal or snack per week as needed to cover the schedule, follows the CFD Clinical Model and Dietary CARE model, and maintains NG tubes and administers bolus feeds where applicable.

Requirements

Graduate of an approved nursing program.
Current licensure from an appropriate state licensing board; RN licensure is required in programs that employ RNs.
Possess and maintain current Basic Life Support (CPR and First Aid) certification.
Obtain and maintain CPI certification within 90 days of hire.
Obtain and maintain CPR, AED, and First Aid certifications, along with ServSafe certification, within 30 days of hire.
Possess and maintain a current driver’s license and be in good standing.
Knowledge of industry standards, organizational theory and principles, research processes, accreditation and regulatory standards, clinical care requirements based on nursing principles, and scope of practice.
Basic knowledge and understanding of substance use disorders and addiction, eating disorders, and behavioral health.
Familiarity with behavior change, recovery models, and treatment methods.
Knowledge of medications, indications, dosage ranges, side effects, and potential toxicity.
Obtain ServSafe certification within 90 days of hire.
Ability to meet role-specific duties, including on-call support and, where applicable, shift coverage and meal-period support.

Nice To Haves

Experience as a staff nurse, preferably in chemical dependency, eating disorders, and/or behavioral health.

Responsibilities

Oversee nursing operations in alignment with the organization’s mission, vision, core values, and strategic priorities.
Conduct face-to-face evaluations for potential admissions, assess medical appropriateness, and collaborate with medical and psychiatric providers to obtain admission orders.
Support admissions with safety-focused interventions, including belongings checks and searches as needed.
Complete comprehensive nursing assessments and oversee the medical admission process for each patient.
Develop and initiate individualized Nursing Care Plans.
Assess and respond to medical concerns, provide first aid, and determine when physician notification is needed.
Perform vital signs, basic evaluative procedures and tests, and blood draws for patient monitoring.
Respond to emergencies and provide on-call support for patient safety and continuity of care.
Maintain a safe, organized, and therapeutic environment in compliance with state and regulatory standards.
Oversee medication management, including planning, storage, ordering, transcription, administration, monitoring, and evaluation.
Ensure provider orders are carried out accurately and on time and required medications are available.
Verify informed consent for medications before the first dose.
Administer medications, including PRNs, and document effectiveness within required timelines.
Conduct MAR audits and ensure medication records are accurate and compliant.
Review medication errors and educate staff to promote learning and reduce risk.
Ensure compliance with narcotic diversion protocols and audit medication rooms for regulatory adherence.
Collaborate with medical staff and interdisciplinary teams on patient care, needs, and treatment interventions.
Communicate with families and loved ones to support engagement and continuity of care.
Establish professional, therapeutic rapport with patients.
Manage patient medical needs, including appointments, referrals, and prior authorizations.
Work with Human Resources to build an engaged, high-performing nursing team.
Participate in leadership meetings, performance improvement, risk reduction, and staff retention efforts.
Maintain knowledge of company policies and applicable state, TJC/CARF, and ethical standards.
Ensure adherence to DBH compliance standards, including the Corporate Compliance Policy, Code of Conduct, and Conflict of Interest Policy.
Conduct chart audits for documentation accuracy, completeness, and compliance.
Document patient progress objectively and accurately within required timelines.
Monitor HR-related compliance, including employee documentation, incident reports, and internal personnel files.
Keep current with applicable federal, state, and organizational regulations and integrate them into practice.
Supervise, lead, and manage nursing staff, fostering accountability and professional development.
Recruit, hire, onboard, and train nursing staff; validate competencies and provide ongoing education.
Coach, mentor, and provide feedback to nursing staff to support best practices and clinical excellence.
Conduct performance evaluations, manage disciplinary processes, and implement improvement plans with Human Resources.
Ensure adequate staffing coverage, cover shifts as needed, and meet productivity expectations.
Maintain organized operations and compliance with regulatory and accreditation standards.
Demonstrate professionalism, initiative, and alignment with organizational mission, vision, and values.
Perform additional duties as assigned to support program needs and organizational success.
For residential treatment, provide patient transportation and supervision, including transportation to medical appointments, if pre-qualified to drive a company vehicle.
For substance and mental health use disorder programs, monitor CIWA/COW scores for patients on detoxification protocols and apply knowledge of detox medications, withdrawal symptoms, and medical complications.
Assist Utilization Review by communicating pertinent nursing information.
For eating disorder programs, sit with patients for at least one meal or snack per week as needed to cover the program schedule and provide supervision and support during meal periods.
For eating disorder programs, refrain from comments and actions that contradict the CFD Clinical Model and Dietary CARE model, and adhere to Center for Discovery policies and procedures.
Maintain NG tubes and administer bolus feeds where applicable.