Director of Nursing (DON)

About the Role

The Director of Nursing (DON) is a supervisory nursing position in a correctional setting requiring 24-hour nursing services. The DON supervises and coordinates nursing personnel in one or more patient care units, ensuring patients' needs are met and evaluating nursing care and unit performance. This role involves planning work for assigned units, coordinating with other departments, and organizing staff training. The DON partners with the Health Services Administrator (HSA) and Regional Leadership to meet contractual requirements and achieve operational and clinical performance targets.

Benefits

• Holiday Pay: New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Veteran’s Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day
• Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance
• Life Insurance
• Short-Term and Long-Term Disability
• Identity Theft Protection
• Animal/Pet Insurance
• Employee Assistance Program and Discount Center
• 401K

Requirements

• Graduate of an Accredited Nursing School (required)
• Bachelor’s or Master’s Degree in nursing (preferred)
• Licensed to practice nursing in the State
• Board-certified or board-eligible in medicine
• Training and experience providing services to an adult population
• Minimum of 3 years of clinical experience in a healthcare setting; correctional healthcare experience preferred
• Previous clinical operations management experience preferred; direct management experience within a correctional health setting desired
• Specialty certification in correctional healthcare (e.g., Certified Correctional Health Professional: CCHP, Certified Correctional Health Professional Nurse: CCHP-RN) is desired
• Knowledge of accreditation standards (NCCHC, ACA, and state-specific), quality improvement programs, and clinical auditing preferred

Responsibilities

• Utilizes a systematic approach to meet the health needs of each individual patient
• Provides quality oversight in collaboration with site, regional, and corporate leadership
• Supervises nursing staff clinically
• Implements work structures and processes to accomplish patient care goals specific to contract requirements and healthcare policies
• Assists and supports nursing staff with patient care
• Organizes the delivery of safe, effective, and efficient patient care
• Evaluates patient care delivery processes regularly and systematically
• Provides written reports to the regional team and clients as scheduled or requested
• Uses data to identify performance improvement opportunities and drive action
• Facilitates site performance improvement plans and monitors progress
• Contributes to the achievement of site key performance indicators and Clinical Quality Initiatives
• Facilitates random and scheduled audits to assess compliance with contractual requirements and accreditation standards
• Participates in and serves on the site-level QAPI committee
• Conducts annual accreditation readiness audits and tracks compliance with standards
• Develops and implements action plans based on audit findings
• Collaborates with site leadership to address healthcare delivery and contractual issues proactively
• Attends and reviews minutes for MAC meetings, Disease Management/Case Review, and other healthcare-related meetings
• Reinforces and strengthens client satisfaction and related goals
• Performs screening interviews for candidates and sets recruitment standards
• Participates in the selection process for open positions
• Identifies high-potential staff for development and promotion
• Performs at-hire and annual clinical competency assessments
• Conducts monthly one-on-one meetings with direct reports for feedback and coaching
• Develops individual performance improvement plans for staff as needed
• Coordinates and monitors orientation and onboarding activities
• Assesses staff learning needs and facilitates in-service and continuing education
• Interprets regulations and standards and communicates performance objectives to staff
• Ensures nursing practice conforms to state licensure, accreditation, and regulatory requirements
• Verifies annual licensures and credentialing requirements for licensed personnel
• Develops monthly nursing staff schedules to ensure appropriate coverage
• Monitors and recommends staffing adjustments to meet patient and contract needs
• Conducts monthly staff meetings in collaboration with site leadership
• Assists in developing and maintaining annual operational and clinical performance plans
• Acts as a liaison with other operating units, agencies, and outside officials
• Ensures nursing records are correctly maintained
• Participates in Pharmacy, Therapeutic, and Strategic Initiatives, Patient Safety/Sentinel Event Committee, Performance Improvement, EMR, Utilization Management, and other committees
• Supports company initiatives and best practices in clinical settings
• Assists in special projects as needed
• Participates in monthly Regional DON calls, initiatives, and activities
• Performs other duties as assigned