THE POSITIONThe State of Connecticut, Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (DMHAS), Southwest Connecticut Mental Health System (SWCMHS) is currently accepting applications for the position of
Head Nurse. NEW! We're excited that Connecticut has joined the Nurse Licensure Compact effective October 1, 2025. Visit the Nurse Licensure Compact for more details.
HIGHLIGHTS - FACILITY: Greater Bridgeport Community Mental Health Center (GBCMHC)
- LOCATION: Bridgeport, CT
- UNIT: Co-Occurring Treatment Unit (CTU), 5th Floor
- POSITION NUMBER: 126078
- SCHEDULE: Full-Time, 40hrs, 3rd Shift, Monday to Friday, 12:15am - 8:15am, every other weekend and rotating holiday off.
FOR SECOND AND THIRD SHIFT POSITIONS - YOU MAY BE APPROVED FOR AN ADDITIONAL COMPENSATION BONUS: - Each Registered Nurse who is permanently assigned to the second or third shift shall receive a "recruitment and retention" yearly bonus of three thousand dollars ($3,000.00).
- This bonus shall be pro-rated for part-time Registered Nurses.
- In order to be eligible for this bonus, the Employee must have completed one year of service in the registered nurse classification.
WHAT WE CAN OFFER YOU - Visit our State Employee Benefits Overview page!
- Professional growth and development opportunities
- A healthy work/life balance to all employees
- This position is eligible for shift and weekend differentials
DISCOVER THE OPPORTUNITY TO - Engage in a rewarding career;
- Provide support to a division that is passionate about improving the lives of those we serve;
- Assist our clients so they can achieve success;
- Make a difference in the public sector;
- Work together in a collaborative team environment.
PURPOSE OF JOB CLASS (NATURE OF WORK)In a state agency this class is accountable for administrative and clinical supervision of professional nurses, paraprofessionals and other staff involving direct nursing care of individuals or performing specialized professional nursing work in the areas of community or therapeutic nursing. At the Connecticut State Colleges and Universities or Connecticut Technical Education and Career System this class is accountable for providing primary nursing care for students and facility staff.
EXAMPLES OF DUTIESWORKING LEAD:
- Leads the planning of care and implementation of the nursing process;
- Plans unit workflow and determines priorities;
- Schedules, assigns, oversees and reviews work;
- Makes recommendations for personnel actions such as selection, discipline and performance;
- Conducts or assist in conducting performance evaluations;
- Leads professional and paraprofessional nursing staff in provision of patient/individual care;
- Maintains and promotes standards of nursing;
- Ensures controlled drugs are properly stored, administered and ordered;
- Identifies staff development needs;
- Provides staff training and assistance;
- Instructs staff regarding policies and procedures;
- Participates in interdisciplinary meetings to promote and ensure adjustment and continuity of patient/individual care programs;
- Responds to emergencies;
- May make recommendations on policies and standards;
- May prepare reports or correspondence;
- May serve as Qualified Intellectual Disability Professional (QIDP);
- Performs related duties as required.
DIRECT CARE:
- Independently develops, implements and evaluates nursing and/or health care plans;
- Provides nursing consultation in the assigned specialty program;
- Conducts nursing assessments;
- Provides admission and discharge nursing assessments including plans for continuing care;
- Maintains records and makes reports;
- Provides for nursing services to comply with intermediate care facility (ICF) regulations and Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) standards;
- Maintains records of stored and secured medications;
- Ensures controlled drugs are properly stored, administered and ordered;
- Independently manages and provides direct care to patients/individuals;
- Participates in individual, group or family therapy;
- Participates as a member of an interdisciplinary team in the assessment, development, implementation and evaluation of patient/individual treatment or health care plans;
- Manages an assigned caseload of other appropriate clinical activities;
- Provides clinical direction and/or training to staff in individual, group and family service delivery programs;
- May participate in home visits and crisis intervention;
- May provide in-service training to nursing and paraprofessional staff with regard to signs and symptoms of illness, dysfunction, injury and prevention of same;
- May conduct patient/individual- centered conferences with nursing personnel; may consult with and make recommendations to physicians concerning health needs;
- May make recommendations on policies or standards;
- May prepare reports or correspondence;
- May serve as Qualified Intellectual Disability Professional (QIDP);
- Performs related duties as required.
KNOWLEDGE, SKILL AND ABILITY - Considerable knowledge of
- and ability to independently apply nursing principles, techniques and standards;
- specialized individual care applicable to nursing assignment;
- medications, their actions, interactions, uses and side effects;
- Knowledge of
- general and mental health conditions and treatment interventions through utilization of assessment, nursing diagnosis, outcome identification, health planning, implementation and re-evaluation;
- adult learning and family systems theory;
- and sensitivity to cultural and socio-economic differences;
- Considerable
- interpersonal skills;
- oral and written communication skills;
- Ability to
- establish and maintain collaborative relationships with other professionals, community resources and providers;
- act as a role model to health care staff;
- Supervisory ability.
BEHAVIORAL HEALTH NURSING POSITIONS:
- Considerable knowledge of behavioral health of indivi
