Director Of Nursing 1 (Office/On-Site)

Are you ready to take the next step in your Nursing career, while continuing to make a difference in the lives of others? If so, then the Albert J. Solnit Children’s Center-Hospital, South Campus is looking for you to be a part of their team!

The State of Connecticut, Department of Children and Families' (DCF) seeks qualified individuals for a Director of Nursing 1.

What We Can Offer You:

• A Platinum Healthcare Plan, the nation’s best for state employees and dependents, according to a report by Georgetown’s Center on Health Insurance Reform and article by Ellen Andrews, Ph.D., along with comprehensive benefit offerings;
• Generous paid time off, including 13 paid holidays per calendar year;
• Professional growth and development opportunities;
• The opportunity to work for a Forbes top company: 'Forbes' State of Connecticut Ranked One of the Best Employers of 2023 - State of CT Receives National Recognition for Offering Job Growth, Competitive Benefits, and Flexible Schedule;
• Extensive pension plan and supplemental retirement offerings;
• A healthy work/life balance to all employees.

You will discover the opportunity to:

• Work together in a collaborative team environment.
• Make a difference in the public sector;
• Showcase your talents in a meaningful role;
• Thrive in an exciting environment;

Position Highlights:

• 8:00am – 5:00pm
• Location: Albert J. Solnit Children's Center, Hospital, South Campus in Middletown, CT.
• 40 hours per week
• The position has on-call coverage in rotation with members of the management team.
• Monday – Friday

The Role:

Job duties include, but are not limited to:

• Develops or assists with formulation of program goals and objectives;
• Directs or assists with direction of staff and operation of nursing/clinical department;
• Develops or assists in development of related policy incorporating current nursing/clinical research and professionally recognized standards;
• Develops or assists in development and implementation of plans for care.
• Directs or assists with planning and managing of nursing/clinical activities;

About Us:

The Department of Children and Families' (DCF) mission is partnering with communities and empowering families to raise resilient children who thrive. We are proud of our diverse and dedicated workforce who strive every day to meet the needs of those we encounter.

The Albert J. Solnit Children's Center, Hospital, South Campus is a state-administered Psychiatric facility for Connecticut’s children who are under the age of eighteen, located on a 67-acre campus at 915 River Road, Middletown, CT 06457.

The center provides comprehensive care to children and adolescents with severe mental illness and related behavior and emotional problems who cannot be safely assessed or treated in a less restrictive setting. The south campus consists of four co-ed hospital units and three female adolescent psychiatric residential treatment facility cottages (PRTF). The Solnit Center facilities support our dedication to helping youth improve their individual and social competencies.

We hope you take this opportunity to join our team and make a difference!

These positions will be filled in accordance with contractual language, reemployment, SEBAC, transfer, promotion and merit employment rules.

In order to comply with Public Act 21-69, the State of Connecticut is no longer asking for resumes during the initial application process.

Applicants must meet the Minimum Qualifications as listed on the job opening and must specify their qualifications on their application. The minimum experience and training requirements must be met by the close date on the job opening, unless otherwise specified.

Please note you will be unable to make revisions once you submit your application for this posting to the JobAps system. Interviews will be limited to candidates whose experience and training most closely meet the requirements of the position.

The immediate vacancy is listed above, however, applications to this recruitment may be used for future vacancies in this job class.

Although applicants will receive correspondence via email, as a backup they are also encouraged to sign on to their Personal Status Board on a daily basis to monitor their status, view all emailed notices and complete tasks required in the recruitment process.

Due to the large volume of applications received, we are unable to provide confirmation of receipt or status during the recruitment process. Updates will be available through your JobAps portal account.

Note: At any point during the recruitment process, applicants may be required to submit additional documentation which support their qualification(s) for this position. These documents may include: a cover letter, resume, transcripts, diplomas, performance reviews, attendance records, supervisory references, licensure, etc., at the discretion of the hiring agency. Applicants must meet the minimum qualifications as indicated to apply for this position.

This posting may require completion of additional referral questions (RQs). You can access these RQs via an email that will be sent to you after the posting's closing date or by visiting your JobAps Personal Status Board (Certification Questionnaires section). Your responses to these RQs must be submitted by the question's expiration date. Please regularly check your email and JobAps Personal Status Board for notifications. Please check your SPAM and/or Junk folders on a daily basis in the event an email provider places auto-notification emails in a user's spam.

Should you have questions pertaining to this recruitment, please contact Julie Barker, at [email protected].

All application materials must be received by the recruiting agency by the time specified on the job opening for the position for which you are applying. Late applications may not be submitted and will not be considered. Exceptions are rare and limited to documented events that incapacitate a candidate during the entire duration of the job posting time period. It is the candidate’s obligation and responsibility to request an exception and provide a legally recognized justification to accommodate such exception. Requests should be made to [email protected].

FOR THOSE WHO HOLD A RN LICENSE IN A STATE OTHER THAN CONNECTICUT AND WISH TO APPLY FOR A CONNECTICUT LICENSE, PLEASE:

1. Review the eligibility and documentation requirements for CT license by endorsement of an out-of-state license;

2. Complete a CT DPH online application online (expand the ‘Public Health Practitioners’ grouping, select ‘Registered Nurse’ and then ‘Start’;

3. Request verification of your out-of-state license(s) electronically through the National Council of State Boards of Nursing’s : Nursys® System. To send verification of your license(s) to CT, read and agree to the terms, enter your biographic information, select your license type and select ‘SEARCH’. Review the results and select the ‘Next’ button. Check the box next to ‘Connecticut’ and complete the transaction. Once the transaction is completed, you will receive a confirmation email from Nursys and the verification will be available to the DPH. Note that PA and MI verifications are not provided through Nursys. Please contact those state boards for information on obtaining verification.

In the Departments of Children and Families, Developmental Services, Mental Health and Addiction Services and Veterans Affairs this class is accountable for directing nursing services or other clinical services.

• May oversee other disciplines including but not limited to pharmacy, respiratory therapy or social work;
• Oversees programming for facility personnel to improve knowledge and practices of infection control;
• May participate in strategic planning;
• Directs or assists with planning and managing of nursing/clinical activities;
• Develops and/or implements effective ongoing programs to measure, assess and improve quality of nursing care, treatment and services delivered to patients;
• May speak on behalf of nursing/clinical services;
• Makes rounds to determine quality of nursing care;
• Protects human and civil rights of patients and/or clients and staff;
• Maintains contacts with individuals both within and outside of department who might impact on program activities;
• Compiles data and prepares periodic reports;
• Assures optimal quality of care is provided in a safe environment;
• Develops or assists in development and implementation of plans for care;
• Performs related duties as required.
• Participates in the recruitment and hiring of staff, including outreach, interview and selection;
• Interprets and administers pertinent laws;
• Develops or assists with formulation of program goals and objectives;
• Responsible for coordinating and providing twenty-four hour nursing coverage for facility or assigned unit(s);
• Develops or assists in development of related policy incorporating current nursing/clinical research and professionally recognized standards;
• Prepares or assists in preparation of budget;
• May provide direct patient and/or client care;
• Leads and participates in meetings;
• Directs or assists with direction of staff and operation of nursing/clinical department;
• Develops productive work teams; intervenes in crisis situations and investigates all unusual incidents;
• Evaluates staff;

• Principles and practices of infection control related to infections and preventable diseases;
• Governmental accounting and budgeting;
• Oral and written communication skills.
• Considerable
  • interpersonal skills;
  • oral and written communication skills.
• And ability to apply management principles and practices;
• Considerable knowledge of nursing principles and practices in appropriate specialty;
• Interviewing and counseling techniques;
• Marketing;
• Current developments in field of nursing including current complexities of the healthcare industry;
• Behavioral health nursing;
• And ability to develop strategic plans;
• Interpersonal skills;
• Knowledge of
  • and ability to apply management principles and practices;
  • and ability to develop strategic plans;
  • behavioral health nursing;
  • nursing administration;
  • interviewing and counseling techniques;
  • principles and practices of infection control related to infections and preventable diseases;
  • current developments in field of nursing including current complexities of the healthcare industry;
  • trend variance analysis;
  • governmental accounting and budgeting;
  • marketing;
• Trend variance analysis;
• Nursing administration;

Two (2) years of experience in an administrative or supervisory capacity in a health care organization and/or facility or hospital nursing.

Note: For state employees, this experience is interpreted at the level of a Supervising Nurse.

• Experience with hospital DPH, Joint Commission accreditation and CMS certification.
• Experience supervising and educating clinical behavioral health/psychiatric nursing staff, including LPNs, RNs, Direct Care Staff in a behavioral health hospital setting serving youth with complex psychiatric profiles and their families.
• Experience with Quality Assurance/Performance Improvement and Risk Management activities.
• Experience with the compilation, review, and utilization of data.

• Incumbents in this class may be required to possess and retain a valid Motor Vehicle Operator’s license.
• Incumbents in this class serving in the capacity of the Nurse Executive are required to possess a master's degree in nursing, social or behavioral science, public health administration, health care administration, hospital administration or a related field.
• Incumbents in this class may be required to travel.
• Incumbents in this class must possess and retain a license as a registered professional nurse in Connecticut.