JOB TITLE: NURSE MANAGER 1

JOB CODE: 30440

SERIES NATURE OF WORK: The Nurse Manager series describes work in the management and coordination of nursing care and treatment of people at a Commonwealth facility.

DEFINITION: This is professional and administrative nursing work in the management and coordination of nursing care and treatment at a Commonwealth facility for people with a mental or physical injury, illness, or developmental disability.

An employee in this job serves as the nursing manager in charge of the nursing care operations in a semi-autonomous unit such as geriatric care, forensic, or other specialized nursing care and treatment unit; or manages, coordinates, and evaluates a major component of nursing services operations. Employees oversee the continuity of nursing care and services to ensure nursing care and treatment is provided consistent with the policies, standards, treatment plans, and procedures of professional nursing practice and the facility. Employees evaluate nursing care and treatment processes to ensure that optimum care and treatment are provided within their assigned areas of the facility in compliance with the medical, psychiatric, and nursing regime. Work includes coordinating nursing care and treatment with other disciplines and assisting higher level staff in the maintenance of nursing care, treatment, and nursing quality assurance, improvement, and risk management standards. Employees participate in the development of policies and procedures regulating nursing services, continuously evaluate their effectiveness, and promote staff development and continuing nursing education and training. Supervision is exercised over Registered Nurse Supervisors and nursing services staff responsible for direct nursing care and treatment in the wards, living areas, and clinical treatment and care areas, as well as the required employee examination, immunization, and emergency health care coordination programs. Work is performed under the general direction of a nursing director or other administrative professional and is reviewed through conferences and reports to determine quality of services, achievement of established objectives, and compliance with established standards.

EXAMPLES OF WORK: (NOTE: The examples of work are representative of the work, but every position classified to this job may not perform all examples of work listed. Conversely, this is not an all-inclusive list of work examples.)

• Plans, organizes, directs, coordinates, and evaluates nursing care, treatment, and services in a Commonwealth facility for people with a mental or physical injury, illness, or developmental disability.

• Plans, organizes, directs, coordinates, and evaluates nursing care and treatment operations in a semi-autonomous unit such as geriatric care, acute care, forensic care, developmental disability care, or other specialized care and treatment unit at a state hospital, restoration center, state center for people with intellectual disabilities, or state veterans’ home.

• Directs a major component of nursing care and treatment services programs through subordinate Registered Nurse Supervisors and nursing services staff responsible for maintaining continuity of nursing services and ensures the provision of nursing care and treatment consistent with established policies, standards, procedures, and

accreditation or certification standards. • Serves as the Nursing Manager-in-Charge of the evening or night shift at a state hospital, restoration center, state center for people with intellectual disabilities, or state veterans home by assigning, directing, and reviewing the work of all direct care nursing staff; making rounds to ensure the provision of care consistent with policies and procedures; assessing staff utilization and making adjustments as required; and contacting physician, family, personnel on call, and outside agencies, as necessary, to provide continuity of nursing care and treatment.

• Participates in the development of policies and procedures regulating nursing services and the continuity of care and treatment within the facility, and the required employee examination, immunization, and emergency health care coordination programs, as appropriate.

• Interprets nursing policies and procedures to direct care nursing services staff to facilitate prescribed medical care and treatment; and coordinates the delivery of nursing programs with programs provided by other disciplines within the facility.

• Serves as a resource person to staff on matters requiring professional nursing expertise and knowledge of nursing quality assurance, improvement, risk management, or infection control requirements.

• Collaborates with administrative directors within the facility to improve consistency of care and to ensure optimum health and safety of people served.

• Serves on the facility's quality management team, policy committee, and other committees to promote quality improvement in nursing services.

• Directs the assessment and implementation of nursing care plans to ensure their consistency with the prescribed psychiatric or medical regime and the comprehensive interdisciplinary treatment team (ITT) or individual habilitation program plans (IHP).

• Assesses nursing care and services staffing patterns, assigns staff accordingly, identifies staffing needs, and reports staffing deficiencies to higher level management staff.

• Supervises Registered Nurse Supervisors and lower-level nursing direct care staff in their review and implementation of nursing care plans; evaluates their overall capabilities in providing professional nursing care and treatment.

• Participates in staff development, training, and continuing education programs to further enhance managerial and education programs focused on improving managerial and professional nursing skills.

• Participates in, and evaluates the effectiveness of, staff development programs; reviews training needs of nursing staff; evaluates training recommendations for nursing personnel; evaluates the effects of training on overall work performance of staff; and plans, directs, or conducts on-the-job training.

• Identifies nursing services budget needs and makes recommendations based on these needs.

• Reviews, evaluates, and modifies nursing standards and procedures consistent with departmental policy and in conjunction with the facility's nursing administration.

• Reviews reports from subordinates and prepares periodic reports on nursing services.

• Performs the full range of supervisory duties.

• Employees in this job may participate in the performance of their subordinates’ work consistent with operational or organizational requirements.

• Performs related work as required.

ENTRY LEVEL KNOWLEDGES, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES:

• Knowledge of current theories, practices, and developments in the field of professional nursing, including the therapeutic and adverse effects of pharmacology, psychopharmacology, and medical treatments.

• Knowledge of human anatomy and physiology.

• Knowledge of specialized nursing practices, such as infection control and quality assurance, improvement, and risk management functions.

• Knowledge of direct care practices.

• Knowledge of facility licensing and certification or accreditation regulations.

• Knowledge of the principles and practices involved in organizing, directing, coordinating, and managing the work of others, including contractual provisions involving overtime, scheduling, and grievance handling.

• Knowledge of the principles and methodologies of quality management, inclusive of risk management, quality assurance, and quality improvement.

• Knowledge of the facility policies, procedures, and requirements involved in promoting a clean, safe, and therapeutic environment.

• Ability to assess staffing patterns and needs to ensure proper staff utilization.

• Ability to direct, instruct, and manage professional and non-professional nursing personnel in the application of professional nursing practices and methodology, and in direct care and treatment.

• Ability to coordinate direct care staff resources with other disciplines.

• Ability to review the planning and assessment of immediate and long-term nursing care goals.

• Ability to audit and monitor the nursing care and treatment services provided for compliance with policies, procedures, and standards of professional nursing practices and facility and regulatory requirements.

• Ability to develop, implement, evaluate, and modify nursing standards, policies, and procedures.

• Ability to identify and correct or eliminate actual or potential health and safety hazards.

• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships.

• Ability to communicate effectively orally.

• Ability to communicate effectively in writing.

MINIMUM EXPERIENCE AND TRAINING: (NOTE: Based on the Entry Level Knowledges,

Skills, and Abilities)

• Two years as a Registered Nurse Supervisor or three years as a Registered Nurse Instructor (commonwealth titles) in a facility providing care and services for people with a mental or physical injury, illness, or developmental disability;

or

• Six years of professional nursing experience, which includes one year in a supervisory or consultative capacity providing nursing care and services for people with a mental or physical injury, illness, or developmental disability; and a bachelor's degree in nursing, nursing education, or nursing administration. A master's degree in nursing, nursing education, or nursing administration may be substituted for up to one year of the required general professional nursing work experience.

or

• An equivalent combination of experience and training that includes one year in a supervisory or consultative capacity providing nursing care and services for people with a mental or physical injury, illness, or developmental disability.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:

• All positions require active authorization to practice as a Registered Nurse in Pennsylvania.

• All employees possessing an active temporary practice permit must obtain licensure as a Registered Nurse within the one (1) year period defined by the Pennsylvania State Board of Nursing.