Introduction
Why This Opportunity Is Unique: The State of Connecticut provides an outstanding environment for nurses to directly impact the lives of our community. As the Head Nurse, your role is critical in crafting the quality of care we offer, working with a team of dedicated professionals! The State of Connecticut, Department of Developmental Services (DDS) - West Region - has one job opportunity for a full-time, first shift Head Nurse, at the Northwest Regional Center (NWC), Torrington.
Benefits: The State of Connecticut prioritizes the well-being of our employees and recognizes the importance of maintaining a harmonious work-life balance. Alongside competitive compensation, we provide a range of benefits, including medical, dental, and vision insurance, retirement plans, paid time off, and professional development opportunities.
As the Head Nurse, we will rely on you to lead and handle the daily nursing operations at the Northwest Regional Center, ensuring everything runs efficiently. You will coordinate the delivery of medication and nutrition through G-tube or J-tube and offer specialized treatments while upholding current infection control practices. Your role also involves interpreting and applying our goals and policies, especially in relation to residential and community support services. You will prioritize and coordinate these services for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, making sure their needs are met with care and kindness. Travel will be part of your responsibilities, and we value your ability to handle these tasks.
Work Schedule: This is a full-time position with an 80-hour biweekly schedule. Flexibility is essential to meet job demands. The schedule is outlined below:
- Week 1 (40 hours): Saturday to Monday, Wednesday, Thursday: 6:00 AM – 2:30 PM (Regular days off: Friday and Tuesday)
- Week 2 (40 hours): Friday, Monday to Thursday: 6:00 AM – 2:30 PM (Regular days off: Saturday and Sunday)
Are you ready to lead a dedicated team of professionals and make a direct impact on the lives of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities? Are you ready to take the next step in your nursing career and join a supportive team that values your expertise and leadership? Apply today!
Selection Plan: Please visit our 'Applicant Tips on How to Apply' page or view our tutorial. The minimum experience and training requirements must be met by the close date on the job opening, unless otherwise specified. If you require an accommodation to participate fully and fairly under the provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), please contact Edward Magnano, EEO Manager at (860) 418-6148 or Edward.Magnano@ct.gov.
This position will be filled in accordance with contractual language, reemployment, SEBAC, transfer, promotion, and merit employment rules. The immediate vacancy is listed above; however, applications to this recruitment may be used for future vacancies in this job class. 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.
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.
EXAMPLES OF DUTIES:
WORKING 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 assists in conducting performance evaluations; Leads professional and paraprofessional nursing staff in the 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; 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 ICF regulations and JCAHO standards; Maintains records of stored and secured medications; 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 regarding 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; 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.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS - GENERAL EXPERIENCE: Two (2) years of experience as a Registered Professional Nurse.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS - SUBSTITUTIONS ALLOWED: A Bachelor’s degree in Nursing may be substituted for one (1) year of the General Experience.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS: Experience with nursing skills to include but not limited to: providing medication and nutrition via G-tube or J-tube, diabetic care, respiratory treatments, colostomy, cecostomy, and urostomy care, wound care, and catheterization. Experience working in a nursing capacity with individuals with Intellectual and/or Developmental Disabilities. Experience interpreting and applying goals and policies regarding residential and community support services for individuals with Intellectual and/or Developmental Disabilities. Experience with the organization of residential and community support services for individuals with Intellectual and/or Developmental Disabilities. Experience following current infection control practices. Experience using Microsoft applications, including Outlook, Excel, Teams, and Word.
SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS: Incumbents in this class must possess and retain a license or temporary permit as a Registered Professional Nurse in Connecticut. Incumbents in this class may be required to be fluent in a foreign language or proficient in the use of American Sign Language in certain designated positions. Incumbents in this class may be required to travel.
CHARACTER REQUIREMENTS: In addition to the checking of references and of facts stated in the application, a thorough background investigation of each candidate may be made before persons are certified for permanent appointment.
WORKING CONDITIONS: Incumbents in this class may be required to lift and restrain individuals; may have exposure to communicable/infectious diseases and risk of injury from assaultive/abusive individuals; may be exposed to disagreeable conditions.
Conclusion: AN AFFIRMATIVE ACTION/EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER The State of Connecticut is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer and strongly encourages the applications of women, minorities, and persons with disabilities.
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