The position RN, Department Head shall be held by a registered nurse, licensed in the state of Louisiana, as appointed by the Administrator. The Head of Nursing shall have the education and experience necessary to oversee all nursing services.
REQUIREMENTS- Bachelor's or Associate's degree from an accredited school of nursing.
- Maintains a current valid license to practice as a registered nurse in the state of Louisiana
- At least 5 years of full-time clinical experience as a nurse, with at least 3 years of which were providing care to the mentally ill.
- Certification in Basic Life Support
- Certification in non-violent crisis intervention
- Prior leadership experience preferred
RESPONSIBILITIES- Supports and implements the Mission, Vision, and Core Values of The Maples
- Responsible for providing nurse leadership in the 24-hour nursing care delivery system and clinical programming of the facility. The facility's model for nursing care will be compatible and reflect the ANA standards for psychiatric-mental health service provision.
- Works collaboratively with the Clinical Director in the development and implementation of a high-quality treatment program, overall management of the facility, and supervision of nursing staff.
- Functions as the liaison between the program staff and medical staff of the facility.
- Works with Administrator in budget formulation and staffing guidelines to ensure provision of professional nursing services to meet patient needs.
- Has a firm understanding of nursing and regulatory standards and ensures important processes and activities are measured, assessed, improved, and reported.
- Ensures nursing participates in the development of the Master Treatment Plan in coordination with the multidisciplinary treatment team.
- Interprets and facilitates appropriate nursing action in response to administrative directives and a changing healthcare environment.
- Ensures the nursing staff documents thorough and accurate Nursing Assessments on all new patients admitted.
- Ensures that nursing staff administers individual nursing care as ordered by the physician.
- Ensures nursing staff facilitates nursing psycho-education groups as needed and ordered by the physician.
- Ensures that nursing staff provides individual patient education as ordered by the physician.
- Ensures nursing staff completes timely and accurate clinical documentation for all nursing services provided.
- Ensures nursing staff effectively manages medication administration, monitoring and storage daily.
- Ensures nursing staff assess medical issues and make appropriate referrals.
- Ensures nursing staff representative attends weekly treatment team meetings with input into patient treatment planning.
- Ensures nursing staff effectively coordinates with ancillary support services such as dietary, laboratory, radiology, pharmacy, and psychological services etc.
- Ensures nursing staff assists multidisciplinary team members with obtaining needed resources, medications, medical treatment, etc.
- Accountable for determining qualifications, hiring, assessing competence, and utilization of all nurses and change agents within the facility.
- Responsible for coordinating with any agencies providing contract nursing and integration of patient care services with the facility's primary functions, in a manner that contributes to the provision of comprehensive care and achievement of quality cost effective outcomes.
- Responsible for training and educating all new nurses and change agent hires.
- Provides or obtains resources for on-going nursing education within the facility.
- Supports employee and patient education to enhance knowledge, skills, and necessary behaviors to achieve quality outcomes.
- Responsible for complying with facility P&Ps and is actively involved in updating P&Ps annually or as needed.
- Responsible for all infection control policies and implementation (serves as the infection control nurse).
- Responsible for internal QAPI monitoring and staff education.
- Ensures all shifts are covered to ensure adequate and safe care.
- Performs direct care for clients during staff shortages.
- Performs other duties and special projects as required.
REPORTING AND ACCOUNTABILITYThe Head RN reports to and is accountable to the Administrator on an administrative level. On a clinical basis, he/she has accountability to the Medical Director, commensurate to the specific issue.
