REGISTERED NURSE SUPERVISOR                                                     L1173

This is supervisory professional nursing work directing the psychosocial, physical or psychiatric nursing care and treatment of individuals with a mental or physical injury or illness and/or developmental disability in a county setting.

An employee in this class supervises nursing services which are provided in wards or living areas in a facility for individuals with a mental or physical injury or illness and/or developmental disability on an assigned shift; or serves as the evening or night shift supervisor planning and directing the administration of all nursing services in an acute care or long term care facility; or serves as supervisor of nursing care areas that are comparable in scope and complexity to shift supervisory responsibility; or functions as an infirmary supervisor. Shift supervisors establish and maintain communications with previous shift nursing staff to ensure continuity of nursing care and treatment and to maintain a safe, therapeutic environment for individuals under treatment and staff. As nurse supervisor in an infirmary on a three shift/24-hour basis, employees direct the nursing staff in the identification and assessment of the physical and psychosocial needs and problems of individuals under treatment, and in the administration of treatment according to physicians’ orders. Nurse supervisors maintain continuity of all phases of nursing services and ensure that individuals are provided with care and treatment consistent with the facility’s policies and procedures, and standards of professional nursing practice. Employees serve as a resource person to nursing staff, other discipline staff and members of Interdisciplinary Treatment Teams (ITT) or Individual Habilitation Plans (IHP); and evaluate the nursing process and nursing services to ensure that optimum care and treatment is provided within the assigned areas of the facility. Work involves planning and organizing work, allocating staff, assigning work, evaluating employee work performance, receiving and answering grievances and complaints, interviewing and recommending employee selection, and approving leave requests for subordinate registered nurses and non-professional and para-professional nursing care staff. Work includes auditing, monitoring, and evaluating the quality of nursing care and treatment provided for compliance with nursing quality assurance and infection control standards; and for adherence to the facility’s policies and procedures, and for adherence to standards of professional nursing practice, and initiating corrective actions as appropriate. Work also includes identifying staff training needs; initiating and evaluating training recommendations for the nursing personnel and appraising the effects training has on overall performance of nursing staff. Employees also participate in and evaluate in-service and out-service training, staff development and continuing education programs to enhance supervisory and professional nursing skills consistent for the type of health care setting. Work direction is received in the form of oral or written instructions, and employees exercise independent judgment in performing supervisory duties. Work is reviewed by a professional nursing manager, or other administrator where appropriate, through reports, conferences, meetings and observation for effectiveness and compliance with standards.

Examples of Work:

Plans, organizes, directs and evaluates the administration of nursing services provided to individuals in wards or living areas in a county setting.

Supervises professional and non-professional nursing personnel engaged in the physical, psycho social or mental health care and treatment of individuals through observation during daily rounds, orientation of employees to the ward/living area and through instruction, guidance, counseling and ongoing employee development programs designed to enhance and improve knowledges and skills in nursing practices.

Confers with head nurses and/or charge nurses to assess the nursing staff’s implementation of nursing care plans, and where appropriate, insures the consistency of the nursing care plan with the individuals’ comprehensive treatment program plan.

Serves as a resource person to the ITT or IHP, as appropriate, to provide nursing expertise.

Assesses staffing patterns, assigns staff accordingly, identifies staffing needs, and reports staffing deficiencies to management.

Evaluates head nurses, charge nurses and staff nurses in their implementation of nursing care and treatment plans and their overall capabilities in professional nursing.

Performs special functions such as hygiene and disease preventative education and counseling to individuals under treatment, and directs scheduling of physical examinations and required immunizations for them and for facility employees.

Directs the nursing staff of an infirmary or medical clinic; and in this capacity supervises and performs special functions in addition to the regular

infirmary nursing services, such as hygiene and disease preventive education and counseling to individuals under treatment, and directs scheduling of physical examinations and required immunizations for facility employees and individuals under treatment.

Audits and monitors the quality of care in accordance with nursing quality assurance and infection control standards, and the health care facility’s policies and procedures, and in accordance with standards of nursing practice and initiates action to correct deficiencies.

Supervises and coordinates where appropriate, the implementation of activities programming for individuals with other disciplines such as therapeutic exercises, therapeutic recreation activities, and activities of daily living.

Prepares and signs employee performance evaluations.

Interviews prospective employees and recommends employee selection or ranks applicants in terms of preferability for employment.

Receives employee grievances and complaints, conducts initial investigation into causes and conditions, discusses with employee, and resolves complaints or recommends solutions.

Receives, reviews, and approves or disapproves leave requests.

Communicates contractual and administrative rights and obligations to employees and modifies work environment or processes to conform to changing conditions.

Promotes the continuity of research programs in the nursing departments.

Promotes safe and sanitary environments and therapeutic milieu for individuals under treatment and staff.

Participates in nursing and facility committee activities.

Participates in nursing service quality assurance/risk management activities within the nursing department.

Participates in continuing education programs to further enhance professional nursing skills.

Participates in and evaluates the effectiveness of in-service, out-service, staff development and continuing education programs to develop and enhance supervisory skills and update professional nursing practice.

Functions as a Qualified Intellectual Disability Professional (QIDP) in nursing at a facility for individuals with a developmental disability.

Identifies training needs of staff; evaluates and initiates training recommendations for nursing personnel; appraises the effects of training on overall performance of staff; plans and conducts on-the-job training; and demonstrates more efficient work methods.

Provides guidance for the promotion and maintenance of an optimal health status for individuals under treatment, families and members of the health care system.

Provides advice in the development of policies affecting the delivery of care for individuals under treatment.

Develops, implements, evaluates, and modifies nursing standards and procedures consistent with applicable policy in conjunction with nursing administration.

Prepares and reviews reports and records in accordance with rules and regulations.

Reviews, evaluates, and coordinates planning for future admissions and pre-discharge planning to promote continuity of care in the community.

Communicates and coordinates with other members of the health care system.

Performs related work as required.

Required Knowledges, Skills, and Abilities:

Knowledge of the theories and practices of professional nursing.

Knowledge of current professional nursing practices in such specialty care areas, but not limited to, acute care, psychiatric care, geriatrics, and habilitative/rehabilitative care and treatment.

Knowledge of the principles and practices involved in organizing, directing, and supervising the work of others.

Knowledge of therapeutic and adverse effects of pharmacological agents, medical treatment, hospital dietetics and personal hygiene.

Knowledge of the requirements involved in promoting a safe and sanitary environment and therapeutic milieu for individuals under treatment and staff.

Knowledge of the principles and techniques in the interview and selection process.

Ability to apply professional nursing theory, practice, and methodology for the care and treatment of individuals with a mental or physical injury or illness and/or developmental disability.

Ability to assess staffing needs to insure that staff utilization is proper for nursing care needs of individuals under treatment in wards or living areas.

Ability to direct and instruct professional and non-professional personnel in the application of nursing practices and methodology.

Ability to coordinate nursing services with the resources of other disciplines.

Ability to assess and evaluate head nurses, staff nurses, and charge nurses in their implementation of nursing care plans and their overall capabilities in professional nursing.

Ability to identify training needs; evaluate and initiate training

recommendations; appraise effects of training on overall performance; evaluate staff development programs; and to plan and conduct on-the-job training programs.

Ability to maintain records and prepare reports, such as nursing care plans, charts and accident reports for individuals under treatment.

Ability to apply techniques needed in interviewing, observing, recording and reporting signs and symptoms of actual and/or potential health status of individuals under treatment.

Ability to promote and maintain continuity of care and treatment for individuals in wards or living areas.

Ability to direct the administration of nursing services on an assigned shift, or in an assigned unit or building.

Ability to demonstrate competence in specialty care areas as appropriate.

Ability to supervise professional and non-professional personnel engaged in the nursing care of individuals in need of treatment.

Ability to make independent judgments in relation to nursing practice and supervisory functions.

Ability to organize and direct the work of professional nursing personnel in the treatment of individuals with life threatening health problems.

Ability to make independent judgments in resolving life threatening health problems.

Ability to plan and assess immediate and long term nursing care goals and objectives for individuals under treatment on an assigned shift, or in an assigned unit or building.

Ability to organize and direct the work of professional and non-professional nursing personnel in an infirmary or medical clinic.

Ability to audit and monitor nursing care for compliance with the health care facility’s policies and procedures, and for compliance with standards of nursing practice.

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

Ability to review, evaluate, and coordinate planning for future admissions and pre-discharge planning to promote continuity of care.

Ability to develop and maintain effective working relationships with employees of the health care facility.

Ability to identify actual and/or potential health and safety hazards.

Ability to evaluate patterns and trends of nursing care within the health care facility.

Ability to express ideas clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing.

Ability to understand and follow oral and written instructions.

Ability to acquire new knowledges, skills, and techniques in current nursing practices by participating in in-service, out-service, staff development and continuing education programs.

Minimum Experience and Training:

Three years as a Registered Nurse 2;

or

Three years of professional nursing experience which included two years at the advanced professional nursing level consistent with the type of health care setting providing care and treatment for individuals with a mental or physical injury or illness and/or developmental disability.

or

Any equivalent combination of experience and training.

Possession of a current license to practice as a registered nurse issued by the Pennsylvania State Board of Nursing; or possession of a non-renewable temporary practice permit issued by the Pennsylvania State Board of Nursing.

Employees possessing non-renewable temporary practice permits must obtain licensure as a registered nurse within the one (1) year period defined by the Pennsylvania State Board of Nursing.

Date Established or Last Revised

Class Specification - January 1998

Commonwealth Equivalent PSG ST10