DSHS ESH Chief Nursing Officer

Guided by the Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) mission to transform lives, the Chief Nursing Officer (CNO) leads the delivery of high quality, safe and appropriate nursing care at Eastern State Hospital (ESH), which provides services that empower individuals, instill hope and supports self-discovery and independence.

As a valued member of the Behavioral Health Administration (BHA) executive leadership team, you will be responsible for the overall strategic management and direction of the nursing department at ESH reporting directly to the Chief Executive Officer. In this role, you will work to create an environment that supports innovative patient care delivery through collaboration and communication with other leadership team members.

Some of what you’ll do: 

• Establish and enforce policies within the Nursing Department to meet the Joint Commission (TJC) Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Department of Health standards and community psychiatric nursing standards
• Develop and direct the implementation of patient care standards
• Efficiently allocate nursing staff resources to allow for the implementation of interdisciplinary therapeutic programs for patients
• Serve as a nursing consultant to the Chief Executive Officer and Medical Director in both clinical and administrative arenas
• Coordinate nursing services
• Provide staff training to correct deficiencies, maintain competency, and develop staff
• Direct the provision of hospital-wide nursing care that expedites the discharge of patients
• Create an environment that supports organizational change and fosters effective working relationships

Knowledge, skills and abilities needed to be successful:  

• Strong leadership in change management, administration and operations related to nursing in secure facilities
• Expert knowledge of nursing practices and procedures, laws, regulations, and guidelines
• Strong interpersonal communication and crisis management skills
• Proven ability to encourage teamwork and collaboration
• Knowledge of current theories in organizational systems theory, strategic planning, staffing and labor negotiations
• Ability to develop and maintain strong working relationships to support the development of strategies that meet department goals within budget and established timelines
• Ability to assimilate complex data from multiple sources to perform management functions
• Demonstrated ability to use critical thinking to identify operational areas of improvement, make recommendations and implement strategies to resolve problems

Who should apply:

• Professionals with a license to practice as a Registered Nurse in the State of Washington and five years of leadership and management experience in a nursing administrative role
• A master’s degree in nursing and previous psychiatric nursing experience is preferred
• Five years of experience in an inpatient psychiatric facility including supervisory responsibility and experience with labor unions may substitute for the master’s degree in nursing

Applications will consist of the following:

• Your current chronological resume
• A cover letter describing your interest and experience related to this job

 
To learn more about the CNO opportunity, DSHS, ESH, and BHA, click here to view the executive advertisement.
 
Questions? Contact Jourdan Kovacs at Jourdan.Kovacs@dshs.wa.gov and reference job number 14737.