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 recognize 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.
- Visit our new State Employee Benefits Overview page!
- 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.
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
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.
- 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.
- In order to comply with Public Act 21-69, the State of Connecticut is no longer asking for resumes during the initial application process.
- 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.
- 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.
- Should you have questions pertaining to this recruitment, please contact Liz Pinette at elizabeth.pinette@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. 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 DAS.SHRM@ct.gov.
- For current state employees, salary calculations are not necessarily comparable from one of the three branches of state government (i.e., Executive, Legislative, Judicial) to the other.
- Read through this helpful link to prepare for your interview.
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 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 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;
- 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;
- 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;
- Performs related duties as required.
SCHOOL NURSE:
- Independently provides counseling and health education services to students and staff;
- Serves as member of crisis intervention team; provides assessment of medical problems;
- Determines need for physician or medical care; performs basic evaluative procedures and tests;
- Performs primary first aid;
- Ensures that controlled drugs are properly stored;
- Makes referrals and follows up on health needs;
- Provides counseling on health- related issues;
- Maintains accurate medical records;
- Writes reports;
- May administer medication;
- May administer routine tests or exams;
- 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 individuals;
- Skill working with individuals, groups and families;
- Ability to provide therapeutic treatment with a variety of individuals.
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 the 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.
