Position Description

Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
POSITION DESCRIPTION FOR JOB POSTING
Position Number: 00023177	Description Activated On: 3/18/2026 10:33:54 AM

Position Purpose: Describe the primary purpose of this position and how it contributes to the organization’s objectives. Example: Provides clerical and office support within the Division to ensure its operations are conducted efficiently and effectively.

The Forensic Registered Nurse Supervisor directs, plans and participates in the Nursing care delivered to newly admitted and long-term patients from the community criminal justice systems with a wide variety of acute and long-term psychiatric and behavioral disorders that require intensive inpatient psychiatric evaluation and treatment.

Description of Duties: Describe in detail the duties and responsibilities assigned to this position. Descriptions should include the major end result of the task. Example: Types correspondence, reports, and other various documents from handwritten drafts for review and signature of the supervisor.

This is a Forensic Registered Nurse Supervisor position under the direct supervision of the Nurse Manager. This position communicates and collaborates on a regular basis with the Chief Nurse Executive, Nurse Manager 1, Forensic Center Director and the supervisors of the other shifts to provide consistent continuity of care and supervision. The FRNS is responsible for providing guidance, direction and evaluation of subordinate staff's compliance with Security and Safety measures unique to the Forensic Center. Serves as a resource person to nursing staff, nursing administration, members of the interdisciplinary team, and patient support services. The Forensic Registered Nurse Supervisor, through daily physical presence, continuously reviews all phases of nursing service, serving as a patient advocate to ensure that patients are provided active treatment and has the major responsibility of direct clinical supervision and leadership by planning, directing, controlling and evaluating the delivery of patient care in multiple patient care areas. The Forensic Registered Nurse Supervisor establishes and maintains a safe therapeutic environment for patients and staff; participates and monitors attendance in staff development programs; identifies and provides ongoing orientation/education and on-the-job training to professional and non-professional nursing personnel and Forensic personnel; applies knowledge and follows hospital/nursing/Forensic policies and procedures; participates in Nursing/Hospital PI activities as well as nursing and facility committees/activities; utilizes therapeutic communication; provides knowledgeable daily communication with patients and all employees; maintains records, prepares reports, and completes employee evaluations; performs other related duties as requested.

1. Provides direct supervision to subordinate staff and monitors work responsibilities to achieve timely delivery of effective, appropriate patient care.

2. Monitors schedules, hires overtime and deploys staff to effect optimal utilization of human resources.

3. Evaluates the ward/building environment of care and resolves non-therapeutic and/or unsafe components to establish a milieu conducive to active treatment.

4. Provides necessary support to direct care staff for implementation, maintenance and ongoing improvement of treatment programming.

5. Evaluates the psychotherapeutic interventions of the FRN to facilitate/supervise clinical nursing practice.

6. Communicates job performance expectations, coaches, encourages and evaluates work performance and provides appropriate feedback to develop human resources.

7. Counsels, corrects, recommends remedial training, sets limits and applies progressive disciplinary action in accordance with DHS regulations and contractual agreements to satisfactory work performance.

8. Directs staff involvement in required training and hospital and departmental in services to develop and maintain staff competency.

9. Promotes staff membership on hospital and departmental committees to improve organizational performance.

11. Responds quickly to calls seeking guidance for psychiatric emergencies to negate the use of physical restraint.

12. Manages the flow of information to staff via staff meetings, orally, in memos and minutes – communicating pertinent clinical and administrative goals and initiatives.

13. Participates in the improvement of organizational performance via collaboration with Forensic Unit, subordinates and/or other disciplines.

14. Directs and monitors staff in completion of shift specific responsibilities.

15. Monitors sick time and attendance usage of employees, identifies inappropriate leave pattern and initiates corrective action.

16. Integrates professional, regulatory, OMHSAS, TSH and departmental policy/standards to continuously improve quality of patient care.

17. Advocates a non-discriminatory working environment by providing equitable treatment and opportunity regarding assignments, evaluations and training.

18. Directs and demonstrates the delivery of care in a manner that protects patient autonomy, dignity, rights and confidentiality.

19. Serves as a role model in customer service by assessing needs of and responding in a polite, courteous and helpful manner to patients, staff, visitors and families.

20. Interprets the hospital’s mission, vision and values to subordinate staff to unify care giving efforts.

21. Administers prescribed medications, treatments; observes, interprets, records and reports behavioral changes, responses to medication, side effects of medication, and objective and subjective signs of physical illness.

22. Transcribes physician’s orders in accordance with policy and procedure.

23. Provides a therapeutic and safe, secure environment and maintains a therapeutic approach and relationship with patients/families/significant others.

24. Prepares and maintains documentation of the patient through the patient record using each intervention as a teaching/learning tool.

25. Moves and positions patients, some of whom are non-ambulatory, and moves equipment required for patient care. Lifting of patient should be accomplished with the help of another patient are staff person or device.

26. Participates in Forensic/nursing service/hospital continuous quality improvement activities and committees as assigned.

Decision Making: Describe the types of decisions made by the incumbent of this position and the types of decisions referred to others. Identify the problems or issues that can be resolved at the level of this position, versus those that must be referred to the supervisor. Example: In response to a customer inquiry, this work involves researching the status of an activity and preparing a formal response for the supervisor’s signature.

For questions related to security, direction is to be consistent with Forensic/Hospital/DHS policies and procedures, and consultation with Nurse Manager, Chief Nurse Executive and/or Forensic Unit Director prior to giving responses, if uncertain.

Independent decision making regarding leave utilization, staff assignments, schedules and overtime in line with Forensic/Hospital/DHS policies and procedures.

Requirements Profile: Identify any specific experience or requirements, such as a licensure, registration, or certification, which may be necessary to perform the functions of the position. Position-specific requirements should be consistent with a Special Requirement or other criteria identified in the classification specification covering this position. Example: Experience using Java; Professional Engineer License

Experience:

Licenses, registrations, or certifications:

1.   Registered Nurse

2.   Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) Certificate

3.   N/A

4.   N/A

5.   N/A

6.   N/A

Essential Functions: Provide a list of essential functions for this position. Example: Transports boxes weighing up to 60 pounds.

1.	Applies the nursing process, psychiatric nursing and Forensic techniques and follows policies and procedures.
2.	Supervises and provides direct patient care/treatment by following Standards of Nursing Practice/Care and Standards.
3.	Supervises and directs the work of the professional and the nonprofessional nursing staff/Forensic security employees.
4.	Accurately prepares and submits reports/projects within required time frame.
5.	Maintains and improves knowledge, skills and techniques in nursing theory and practices.
6.	Develops, maintains and encourages cooperative and working relationships with all professional and nonprofessional staff persons in all departments.
7.	Bends, stoops, navigates stairs and squats to perform patient care and other related duties.
8.	Knows, monitors and implements the TSH, DHS, Nursing and Forensic policies and procedures and all the Forensic Security requirements.
9.	Responds to emergency situations. Receives and maintains certification in basic crisis intervention techniques, currently Mandt.
10.	Coordinates patient care/building needs with service providers through effective communication in order to achieve timely provision of services.