Nurse Administrator

Discovery Behavioral Health•Plano, TX

7d•$79,000 - $89,000•Onsite

About The Position

The Nurse Administrator supervises, leads, and coordinates nursing activities and personnel; evaluates nursing operations to support patient care, staff relations, and service efficiency; and coordinates medical care in close collaboration with the Medical Director. The role supports patient safety and individualized care while ensuring nursing operations align with the organization’s mission, vision, values, and strategic priorities. Responsibilities span clinical care, admissions, medication management, patient and family communication, documentation, regulatory compliance, and nursing-team leadership. The Nurse Administrator conducts admission evaluations and assessments, develops nursing care plans, responds to medical concerns and emergencies, and provides on-call support. The position oversees medication systems and audits, collaborates with interdisciplinary teams, and maintains accurate clinical and personnel records. The administrator recruits, trains, supervises, and evaluates nursing staff; ensures adequate staffing; and contributes to performance improvement, risk reduction, and retention efforts. Additional duties depend on the program division. Residential treatment duties may include patient transportation. Substance and mental health programs involve monitoring detoxification protocols. Eating disorder program duties include meal and snack support, adherence to the clinical and dietary models, and NG tube and bolus-feed care where applicable. This is a full-time, on-site position in Plano, Texas, scheduled 7 a.m.–7 p.m. on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Fridays, with on-call duties.

Requirements

Graduate of an approved nursing program and hold current licensure from an appropriate state licensing board; RN licensure is required in programs employing 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; the posting also states ServSafe certification must be obtained within 90 days of hire.
Possess and maintain a current driver’s license 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, including indications, dosage ranges, side effects, and potential toxicity.
For residential treatment transportation duties, be pre-qualified to drive a company vehicle.

Nice To Haves

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

Responsibilities

Supervise, lead, and coordinate nursing activities and nursing personnel; evaluate nursing operations for patient care, staff relations, and service efficiency.
Oversee nursing operations in alignment with organizational mission, vision, values, and strategic priorities.
Conduct face-to-face evaluations for potential admissions, determine medical appropriateness, collaborate with medical and psychiatric providers, and 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.
Develop and initiate individualized Nursing Care Plans.
Assess and respond to medical concerns, provide first aid, and determine when physicians should be notified.
Perform vital signs, basic evaluative procedures, tests, and blood draws.
Respond to emergencies and provide on-call support for patient safety and continuity of care.
Maintain a safe, organized, therapeutic environment that meets state and regulatory standards.
Oversee medication management, including planning, storage, ordering, transcribing, administration, monitoring, and evaluation.
Ensure provider orders are carried out accurately and promptly 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 medication administration record (MAR) audits and review medication errors; educate staff to promote learning and reduce risk.
Ensure compliance with narcotic diversion protocols and audit medication rooms.
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 therapeutic rapport with patients.
Manage patient medical needs, including appointments, referrals, and prior authorizations.
Work with Human Resources to build an engaged nursing team; participate in leadership meetings, performance improvement, risk reduction, and staff retention efforts.
Maintain knowledge of company policies, procedures, and applicable state, TJC/CARF, ethical, and DBH compliance requirements.
Conduct chart audits and ensure accurate, complete, timely, and compliant patient documentation.
Monitor HR-related compliance, including employee documentation, incident reports, and personnel files; keep current with applicable regulations and integrate them into practice.
Directly supervise, lead, and manage nursing staff; recruit, hire, onboard, and train staff; validate competency and support ongoing education.
Coach, mentor, and provide feedback to nursing staff; conduct performance evaluations, manage disciplinary processes, and implement improvement plans with Human Resources.
Ensure adequate staffing coverage, including covering shifts as needed, and meet productivity expectations.
Maintain organized operations and compliance with regulatory and accreditation standards; demonstrate professionalism and alignment with organizational values.
Perform additional duties as assigned to support program needs and organizational success.
For residential treatment programs, 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; 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, provide supervision and support during meal periods, follow the CFD Clinical Model and Dietary CARE model, and maintain NG tubes and administer bolus feeds where applicable.