Assistant Director of Nursing

The Assistant Director of Nursing facilitates the delivery of high-quality, safe, and effective nursing care; assists in the operation of the nursing department according to the legal guidelines of mental health care in the State of Texas: to supervises staff activities according to the hospital's goals and philosophy; to support nursing staff in interpretation and implementation of policies, procedures and nursing standards of care. Responsible for delivering quality general/psychiatric nursing care to patients to support the hospital and program philosophy of care; to ensure the safety and well-being of each patient.

Has 24-hour accountability for the quality and efficiency of the department’s nursing care.  Responsible for maintaining staffing within the productivity standard and when variances occur, investigating contributing factors.  Is responsible for the performance improvement planning and monitoring for the department.  Has a good working knowledge of various psychiatric diagnoses and is a resource for nurses and mental health technicians.  Provides staff education, coaching, counseling, and evaluations within the department.  The Assistant Director of Nursing works in collaboration with all departments throughout the hospital.  

Essential Duties:

§  Establishes clear goals and objectives for the clinical services to be provided within the facility, seeking direction and support from Chief Nursing Officer.

§  Intervenes early in potential crisis situations; demonstrates ability to defuse combative or aggressive patients.

§  Collects/analyzes data from patient charts to identify areas of nursing improvement and involvement in programming and core delivery.

§  Staffs the units according to acuity assuring the units are staffed appropriately.

§  Interviews, hires, and supervises designated staff members.  Maintain, track and trend the productivity of employees.

§  Chart reviews: identifies trends, conducts and maintains accurate reports regarding findings.

§  Supports, reviews, and understands CMS/TJC/TXDHS, hospital and departmental requirements for compliance with regulatory standards.

§  Properly instructs and guides MHT's and RN's in patient care responsibilities and assignments.

§  Fulfills Chief Nursing Officer duties in the absence of the Chief Nursing Officer.

§  As a Nurse Leader, sets an example to all staff in their daily activities and perform duties as assigned and requested.

§  Mission and Commitment:  Committed to DBH mission and vision.  Is respectful of all levels of the organization.  Inclusive of diverse ideas, backgrounds, cultures

§  Acts with integrity:  Builds relationships on trust and respect.  Holds self and others accountable; admits mistakes and learns from them.

§  Customer/Patient Focus:  Makes customers/patients and their needs a primary focus.  Dedicated to meeting the expectations of internal and external customers/patients.  Represents the organization in a positive and professional manner.  Solicits feedback and uses it for improvement in service.

§  Continuous Improvement:  Participate effectively in process improvement changes.  Originates action to improve existing conditions and processes.  Uses appropriate methods to identify opportunities, implement solutions, and measure impact.

Requirements

Must be 21 years old or older

Education – AND required BSN from an accredited college or university preferred.

License(s) - Possesses current RN license to practice in the State of Texas.

Experience – Two years of management experience required; experience in inpatient mental health settings at a management level; advanced knowledge and skills; skill in maintaining information as highly confidential; skilled in flexibility, organizational, prioritization, and time management skills; stress management skills, crisis management skills; skills in analysis and evaluation; sound clinical judgment and decision-making; skills in clinical supervision and basic skills in personnel management concepts and methods; basic teaching or training skills preferred; able to understand apply applicable standard and regulations.

Required Licenses - Valid Texas RN license in good standing is required. CPR (must be obtained within 30 days upon hire) BLS, ACLS certifications a plus.

Additional Requirements:  Must pass a medication administration exam before administering medications.  Must obtain and maintain approved CPR certification within 30 days of hire and successfully complete a behavior management program training including restraint and seclusion policies prior to assuming patient care responsibility.

Physical Requirements/Environmental Conditions

§  Ability to stoop, kneel, crouch, crawl, reach, stand, walk, push, pull, lift, grasp, and be able to perceive the attributes of objects such as size, shape, temperature, and/or texture by touching with skin, particularly that of the fingertips. 

§  Ability to express and exchange ideas via spoken word during activities in which they must convey detail or important spoken instructions to others accurately, sometimes quickly and loudly.

§  Perform repetitive motions with wrists, hands, and fingers.

§  Light work most of the time, exerting up to 20 pounds of force occasionally, and/or up to 10 pounds of force frequently; and occasionally medium work, that is exerting up to 50 pounds of force occasionally, and/or up to 20 pounds of force frequently.

§  Work requires a minimum standard of visual acuity with or without correction that will enable people in the role to complete administrative and clerical tasks and visually observe patients on the unit and in therapeutic activities. 

§  While the worker may possibly be subjected to temperature changes, the worker is generally not substantially exposed to adverse environmental conditions as the work is predominantly inside.

§  Job usually involves contact with patients or patient specimens. Exposure to blood, body fluids, and non-intact skin or tissue specimens, is possible.

Benefits

Full-time employees are eligible for Medical, Dental, Vision, company paid disability, 401(k) and a generous amount of paid time off.