Director of Nursing

Unity Psychiatric Care offers compassionate acute care for seniors dealing with either a mental health crisis or behavioral complications from dementia. Unity Psychiatric Services is a division of American Health Partners, which has been in business for three decades.

POSITION SUMMARY:

The Director of Nursing supervises and coordinates all activities related to nursing and clinical function, is responsible for planning, staffing, organizing, delegating and controlling the services in an efficient and cost-effective manner. The Director of Nursing plans, schedules, and evaluates the work of the nursing and clinical personnel. Establishes and interprets goals, objectives, performance standards, policies, procedures, assessments and regulations. The Director of Nursing provides leadership and supervision for the nursing and clinical department of the hospital; functioning as a patient care, nursing, and clinical advocate.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS: To perform this job, an individual must perform each essential function satisfactorily with or without a reasonable accommodation.

• Identifies/participates in short/long term goal development (policies, procedures, strategic planning, QA/PI)

• Reviews operating budget and analyze trends and assist with preparation of yearly budget

• Works collaboratively with Medical Director, physician, other health care team members to influence sound decision making

• Participates in evaluation of patient products, techniques, and equipment

• Provides validated and accurate data for Joint Annual Report in a timely manner

• Develops, approves, revises, and implements policies, procedures, and assessments for nursing services, nursing standards, patient care, patient procedures, nursing staffing for governing body approval

• Ensures clinical/nursing staff is oriented and trained to duties, regulations, rules, laws, accreditation, policies and procedures (population served, psychiatric nursing, CPR, CPI, universal precaution, restraints and seclusion, medications, and prevention of violence)

• Develops, implements, reviews assessments, treatment plans, discharge plans that are patient specific and contains substantiated diagnosis, short/long term goals and implements specific treatment modalities

• Promotes, adheres, monitors for a drug free work environment

• Maintains a clean, safe, organized work environment

• Investigates complaints of patient, family, staff, and visitors and takes appropriate action with follow-up to assure compliance

• Investigates incidents regarding patient, staff, visitors, family members; documents and reports findings as mandated per federal and state laws, accreditation, policies and procedures

• Audits medical records for accuracy, efficiency and compliance

• Adheres and respects all policies and procedures regarding anonymity and confidentiality of all patient records past and present; this covers any written or verbal communications regarding patient’s identify, address, and situation

• Counsel and educate patient’s regarding mental health status, treatment plans, medications, benefits, side effects, disease prevention and basic living skills

• Audit/review on all seclusion or restraint use for compliance. Ensures all clinical/nursing staff is trained per federal and state laws, accreditation, policies, and procedures regarding seclusion and restraint

• Screens all patients for admission criteria

• Serve as the hospital’s infection control officer to develop and implement policies governing control of infections and communicable disease

Leadership Duties:

• Negotiates contracts in conjunction with the administrator with outside vendors, contractors, and evaluates their performance

• Encourages staff input and receptive to staff suggestions

• Encourages participation in developing hospital QA/PI objectives, strategic planning, and formulating policies, procedures, and job descriptions

• Evaluates and acknowledges nursing/clinical performance and provides feedback

• Encourages a positive team attitude and communication hospital-wide

• Adjust priorities with minimal disruption

• Displays professionalism at work and in the community

• Actively participates in marketing the hospital to physician, staff, and community

• Functions as administrator by delegation of authority in the absence of the administrator

• Promotes and adheres to cultural competency regarding patients, staff, visitors, vendors, physicians, referral sources, coworkers, and management

• Serves as a member of all hospital committees (QA/PI, Infection Control, Safety, Grievance, and Utilization Review)

• Develop a system for identifying, reporting, investigating, and controlling infections and communicable diseases of patients and personnel

• Functions in a friendly, supportive, courteous, respectful, cooperative, and professional manner with patients, families, physicians, referral sources, visitors, coworkers, and management

• Promotes, adheres, and monitors for a drug and violence free work place

Required Skills:

• Comprehensive knowledge of population served (mental illness, disease, ethics, patient rights, cultural competency, advanced directives, and confidentiality)

• Comprehensive knowledge of nursing healthcare practices, techniques, nursing administration and high-level supervisory skills (bloodborne pathogen, universal precautions, IV administration, venipuncture techniques, medications, side effects, and overall patient care and safety

• Demonstrates knowledge of clinical/nursing management through supervision, orientation, teaching and organization of clinical/nursing staff

• Demonstrates clinical/nursing knowledge through continuous learning from various sources to meet professional goals, maintains knowledge through professional affiliations, outside conferences, seminars, workshops

• Ability to handle the daily management of the hospital and ability to handle crisis, stressful, or unpredicted situations that may arise (seclusion and restraint, disasters, significant change in patient status, workplace violence, etc.)

• Comprehensive knowledge in hospital policies and procedures, specifically in patient care, patient safety, reporting incidents, investigating incidents and infection control

• Comprehensive knowledge in treatment plans, assessments, discharge planning and chart documentation

• Ability to hire qualified nursing/clinical staff necessary to provide adequate and appropriate patient care

• Comprehensive knowledge in accreditation standards

• Knowledgeable in admission criteria for patients and ability to screen for criteria

• Legal aspects of clinical practice and professional standards

• Knowledgeable and demonstrates the mission of the hospital

• Promotion of the reduction of stigma of mental illness

• Knowledgeable of the persons served and their rights

• Advocate for the needs of the persons served

Required Work Experience:

• Three (3) to five (5) years of clinical nursing experience with an interest in mental health and geriatrics. Two years of nursing and clinical management experience, preferably in the area of mental health and geriatrics

Licensing/Certification/Education Requirements:

• Registered nurse with a master’s degree in psychiatric or mental health nursing, or equivalent from a school of nursing accredited by the National League for Nursing, or be qualified by education and experience in the care of the mentally ill (Official credentials/transcripts must be available for verification)

• CPR and CPI certification required (or training completed prior to direct patient care) with yearly refreshers

• CMS Restraint and Seclusion training (or training completed prior to direct patient care)

Other Requirements:

• Position may require unscheduled overtime, week-end work

• Must be willing and able to work flexible hours

• Travel required

Required Computer Software/Equipment Used:

• Microsoft Suite including Outlook, Excel, and Word

• Ability to learn HRIS and/or scheduling systems

• Standard Office Equipment

• Computer

Physical Requirements:

• Work is indoors in a climate control environment; some outdoor activity

• Patient care environment with potential exposure to unpleasant orders, blood and body fluids which may carry infection, to infectious disease, and to chemical and electrical hazards

• Patients care requiring crisis prevention due to violence, behavior disorders, and mental illness

• The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions

Required Safety Expectations:

• Working safely and follow safety rules

• Report unsafe working conditions and behaviors

• Take reasonable and prudent actions to prevent others from engaging in unsafe practices

Supervisory Responsibilities:

• Supervises: ADON, RN, Charge Nurse, LPN, MHT

• Supervisor frequently determines priorities

• Occasionally needs manager’s direction due to extraordinary circumstances

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

Our Organization does not discriminate based on race, color, religion, sex, handicap, disability, age, marital status, sexual orientation, national origin, veteran status, or any other characteristic(s) protected by federal, state, and local laws. The Organization will also make reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities should a request for an accommodation be made.

Licenses & Certifications

• Registered Nurse

• CPR Certification
• CPI Certification