Director of Nursing (Santa Rosa)

DESCRIPTION OF POSITION:

Organizes and administers areas of Nursing Services to attain the facility’s objectives established by the governing authority.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Organizes programs, policies and procedures that are developed to assess, evaluate and meet the needs of patients of inpatient psychiatric services, psychiatric outpatient clinics and transitional psychiatric programs.

• Plans, supervises and coordinates care given by Registered Nurse, Licensed Vocational Nurse, Licensed Psychiatric Technician, and other mental health workers.

• Plans and assigns staffing ratios based on patient needs, acuity, staff competency and regulatory requirements.

• Implements standards of nursing practice in the behavioral healthcare setting, annually reviewing and revising as necessary to reflect changes in nursing practice.

• Addresses and supports cultural practices as long as such practices do not harm others or interfere with the planned course of therapy.

• Ensures clear, concise and current written policies and procedures are available to assist the staff and minimize risk factors.

• Performs all aspects of patient care in an environment that optimizes patient safety and reduces the likelihood of medical/health care errors.

• Supports and maintains a culture of safety and quality.

• Recommends modifications, additions or deletions of personnel policies to ensure reasonable hours and acceptable working conditions to provide patient care coverage.

• Initiates and participates in problem-solving, policy-forming conferences for psychiatric patient care services. Maintains close coordination with all departments to ensure continuity and collaboration of services.

• Participates with the Governing Body, Management, Medical Staff and Clinical Leaders in the facility's decision-making process.

• Coordinates closely with all departments to ensure infection prevention and control practices are thoroughly executed.

• Plans and recommends new equipment or modifications needed to provide quality patient care.

• Serves as a member of professional staff committees in matters pertaining to patient care.

• Plans and coordinates utilizing the respective service managers for planning the budgeting requirements for staff, performance of work, supplies and equipment.

• Responsible for cost controls to ensure maximum effectiveness of funds expended from approved departmental budgets.

• Implements an effective, ongoing program to measure, assess and improve the quality of nursing care delivered to psychiatric patients.

• Ensures each nursing department's performance improvement program interfaces with and supports the nursing department performance improvement program.

• Assures that nursing leaders review monthly performance improvement compliance with established indicators and sees that corrective actions are taken when negative outcomes are identified.

• Collaborates with facility leaders in developing, implementing, reviewing, revising and monitoring facility-wide performance improvement activities.

• Plans and conducts departmental meetings, house supervisors meetings and in-service education programs for staff and maintains records of all meetings.

• Facilitates the patient's access to the appropriate level of care and setting.

• Performs related duties, as requested.

• Upholds the Organization's ethics and customer service standards.

Requirements

Knowledge and Experience:

• A registered nurse who has a master's degree in psychiatric or mental health nursing, or its 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.

• Minimum of two years’ experience working in psychiatric Nursing preferred.

• Current licensure as a Registered Nurse in the State of California.

• Current Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) certification (or obtained within 30 days of hire).

• Verbal de-escalation and physical intervention program as approved by the CNO.)

Skills and Abilities:

• Maintains confidentiality of patients at all times.

• Sensitivity to, and willingness to interact with, persons of various social, cultural, economic and educational backgrounds.

• Proficiency with software and/or equipment (Microsoft Office applications including Outlook,