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Introduction

Are you passionate about supporting individuals on their journey to recovery from behavioral health or substance use challenges? Have you gained expertise in engaging individuals with compassion and empathy? If so, we invite you to apply and join our dedicated team!

THE POSITION

The State of Connecticut, Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (DMHAS) is currently accepting applications for the position of Head Nurse. In addition to the existing opening, there will also be 3 anticipated vacancies.

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: Southwest Connecticut Mental Health System (SWCMHS)
• LOCATION: Bridgeport, CT
• DIVISION: Hospital Services Division
• UNITS: Psychiatric Intensive Care Unit 1 (PICU I), Psychiatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU ll), and the Co-Occurring Treatment Unit (CTU).
• POSITION NUMBERS: 00126080. Anticipated: 027811, 126077, 027020
• SCHEDULE:
  • PCN 027811 – Co-Occurring Treatment Unit (CTU) – 1st shift 8am - 4:30pm, every other weekend and rotating holiday
  • PCN 126077 – Co-Occurring Treatment Unit (CTU) – 2nd shift 4pm - 12:30am, every other weekend and rotating holiday
  • PCN 027020 – Psychiatric Intensive Care Unit 1 (PICU I) – 2nd shift 4pm - 12:30am, every other weekend and rotating holiday
  • PCN 126080 – Psychiatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU ll) – 1st shift 8am - 4:30pm, every other weekend and rotating holiday

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

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.

OUR MISSION:

DMHAS is a health care agency whose mission is to promote the overall health and wellness of persons with behavioral health needs through an integrated network of holistic, comprehensive, effective and efficient services and supports that foster dignity, respect and self‑sufficiency in those we serve.

The Southwest Connecticut Mental Health System strives to provide high quality, compassionate and culturally competent mental health and substance abuse services to adults with behavioral health disorders who are indigent. With three locations throughout Fairfield County, SWCMHS, promotes and administers comprehensive recovery oriented services in the areas of mental health treatment and substance abuse prevention and treatment. These services include inpatient treatment programs and outpatient clinical services, as well as a wide range of additional supportive treatment services.

The Hospital Services Division offers an array of services to meet the needs of individuals, 18 years of age and older with prolonged psychiatric and co‑occurring illnesses, who require hospitalization due to acute exacerbation of their symptoms and for those requiring continued rehabilitation before returning to the community. Patients are served in the following locations: Psychiatric Intensive Care Unit 1 (PICU I), Psychiatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU ll), and the Co‑Occurring Treatment Unit (CTU).

The Hospital Services Division is made up of a total of 62 beds. The PICU 1 and PICU 2 each provide 21 beds, and the CTU provides 20 beds, for residents of Connecticut. Admissions to the inpatient units are coordinated through a statewide Utilization Management process coordinated by the Office of the Commissioner Medical Director’s Office. All three locked units are responsible for providing treatment to individuals who are severely, acutely and persistently psychiatrically disabled who require a safe, supportive, highly structured hospital level of care. The treatment goals are developed in which the individual can be stabilized, evaluated, rehabilitated, helped to accept the need for ongoing treatment, and assisted in regaining a level of functioning that will allow the person to be treated in a less restrictive environment or return to community‑based living. Hospital Services Division treatment staff work closely with community providers to ensure that a smooth transition to the community exists. All Hospital Services Division units provide assessment and stabilization, with the emphasis on community reentry and focus on rehabilitation with an emphasis on intense skills building needed for community reintegration.

PLEASE NOTE:

A comprehensive medical examination, including a drug screening, will be required of all applicants upon a conditional offer of employment.

All state employees must adhere to Connecticut's Policy for a Drug Free Workplace.

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 assists 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.

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 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 in an Inpatient and Psychiatry setting
• Experience working with clients who have mental health and medical concerns
• Experience utilizing evidence‑based strategies for health teaching, health promotion and prevention
• Experience supervising staff of a lower grade
• Experience using nursing principles and national standards to complete daily task
• Experience with Microsoft Word and Excel for clinical documentation, reporting, and data management
• Experience using Electronic Medical Record systems

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS

Incumbents in this class must possess and retain a license or temporary permit as a Registered Nurse in Connecticut OR hold a Multistate or Compact Registered Nurse license.

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.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

As defined by Sec. 5‑196 of the Connecticut General Statutes, a job class is a position or group of positions that share general characteristics and are categorized under a single title for administrative purposes. As such, a job class is not meant to be all‑inclusive of every task and/or responsibility.