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Head Nurse (40 Hour)


Job Location:

Bridgeport, WV - USA

Yearly Salary: $ 95809 - 126746
Posted: 11 August 2026 (30+ days ago)
Application Deadline: 8 November 2026
Vacancies: 1 Vacancy

Job Summary

Introduction

Are you passionate about supporting individuals on their journey to recovery from behavioral health or substance use challenges
Have you gained expertise in engaging individuals with compassion and empathy
If so we invite you to apply and join our dedicated team!

THE POSITION

NEW! Were excited that Connecticut has joined the Nurse Licensure Compact effective October 1 2025. Visit the Nurse Licensure Compact for more details.

HIGHLIGHTS
  • FACILITY:Southwest Connecticut Mental Health System (SWCMHS)
  • LOCATION:Bridgeport CT
  • DIVISION:Hospital Services Division
  • UNITS:Psychiatric Intensive Care Unit 1 (PICU I) Psychiatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU ll) and the Co-Occurring Treatment Unit (CTU).
  • POSITION NUMBERS: . Anticipated:
  • SCHEDULE:

PCN 027811

Co-Occurring Treatment Unit (CTU)

1st shift 8am - 4:30pm every other weekend and rotating holiday

PCN 126077

Co-Occurring Treatment Unit (CTU)

2nd shift 4pm -12:30am every other weekend and rotating holiday

PCN 027020

Psychiatric Intensive Care Unit 1 (PICU I)

2nd shift 4pm - 12:30am every other weekend and rotating holiday

PCN 126080

Psychiatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU ll)

1st shift 8am - 4:30pm every other weekend and rotating holiday


WHAT WE CAN OFFER YOU

DISCOVER THE OPPORTUNITY TO
  • Engage in a rewarding career;
  • Provide support to a division that is passionate about improving the lives of those we serve;
  • Assist our clients so they can achieve success;
  • Make a difference in the public sector;
  • Work together in a collaborative team environment.


OUR MISSION:
DMHAS is a health care agency whose mission is to promote the overall health and wellness of persons with behavioral health needs through an integrated network of holistic comprehensive effective and efficient services and supports that foster dignity respect and self-sufficiency in those we serve.

The Southwest Connecticut Mental Health System strives to provide high quality compassionate and culturally competent mental health and substance abuse services to adults with behavioral health disorders who are indigent. With three locations throughout Fairfield County SWCMHS promotes and administers comprehensive recovery oriented services in the areas of mental health treatment and substance abuse prevention and treatment. These services include inpatient treatment programs and outpatient clinical services as well as a wide range of additional supportive treatment services.

The Hospital Services Division offers an array of services to meet the needs of individuals 18 years of age and older with prolonged psychiatric and co-occurring illnesses who require hospitalization due to acute exacerbation of their symptoms and for those requiring continued rehabilitation before returning to the community. Patients are served in the following locations: Psychiatric Intensive Care Unit 1 (PICU I) Psychiatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU ll) and the Co-Occurring Treatment Unit (CTU).

The Hospital Services Division is made up of a total of 62 beds The PICU 1 and PICU 2 each provide 21 beds and the CTU provides 20 beds for residents of Connecticut. Admissions to the inpatient units are coordinated through a statewide Utilization Management process coordinated by the Office of the Commissioner Medical Directors Office. All three locked units are responsible for providing treatment to individuals who are severely acutely and persistently psychiatrically disabled who require a safe supportive highly structured hospital level of care. The treatment goals are developed in which the individual can be stabilized evaluated rehabilitated helped to accept the need for ongoing treatment and assisted in regaining a level of functioning that will allow the person to be treated in a less restrictive environment or lo return to community-based living. Hospital Services Division treatment staff work closely with community providers to ensure that a smooth transition to the community exists. All Hospital Services Division units provide assessment and stabilization with the emphasis on community reentry and focus on rehabilitation with an emphasis on intense skills building needed for community reintegration.

PLEASE NOTE:
Selection Plan

FOR THOSE WHO HOLD AN RN LICENSE IN A STATE OTHER THAN CONNECTICUT AND DO NOT HOLD A MULTISTATE OR COMPACT REGISTERED NURSING LICENSE AND WISH TO APPLY FOR A CONNECTICUT LICENSE PLEASE:

  1. Review the eligibility and documentation requirements for CT license by endorsement of an out-of-state license;
  2. Complete a CT DPH online application online (expand the Public Health Practitioners grouping select Registered Nurse and then Start;
  3. Request verification of your out-of-state license(s) electronically through the National Council of State Boards of Nursings :Nursys System. To send verification of your license(s) to CT read and agree to the terms enter your biographic information select your license type and select SEARCH. Review the results and select the Next button. Check the box next to Connecticut and complete the transaction. Once the transaction is completed you will receive a confirmation email from Nursys and the verification will be available to the DPH. Note that PA and MI verifications are not provided through Nursys. Please contact those state boards for information on obtaining verification.

FOR ASSISTANCE IN APPLYING:

Check out our Applicant Tips on How to Apply! Need more resources Visit our Applicant Toolkit for additional support throughout the recruitment process.

BEFORE YOU APPLY:

  • Note: The only way to apply to this posting is via the Apply or Apply Online buttons on the official State of Connecticut Online Employment Center job posting.

AFTER YOU APPLY:

  • Some email providers may experience delays or issues delivering messages. To avoid missing important updatessuch as referral questionnaires or interview scheduling linksplease check your Personal Status Board regularly.
  • For added convenience you can also enable text (SMS) notifications. To do this log in to your Personal Status Board and select Update My Contact Information.
  • Referral Questions: This posting may require completion of additional Referral Questions (RQs) which must be completed by the questionnaires expiration date. If requested RQs can be accessed via an email sent to you after the job close date or by visiting your JobAps Personal Status Board (Certification Questionnaires section).
  • Prepare For An Interview: Interviews are limited to those whose experience and training are most aligned with the role. To prepare review this helpful Interview Preparation Guide to make the best impression!
  • Stay connected! Log in daily to your JobAps Personal Status Board to track your status and check email (including spam/junk folders) for updates and tasks.
  • The immediate vacancy is listed above however applications to this recruitment may be used for future vacancies in this job class.
  • Note: This position will be filled in accordance with contractual language reemployment SEBAC transfer promotion and merit employment rules. Candidates who are offered and accept a position with the State of Connecticut are bound by the State Code of Ethics for Public Officials and State employees available at employer may participate inE-Verify and will provide the federal government with your Form I-9 information to confirm work authorization.

QUESTIONS WERE HERE TO HELP:

Due to high volume we are unable to confirm receipt or provide status updates directly. For recruitment updates please check your Personal Status Board and review our Frequently Asked Questions. If you have additional questions about the recruitment process reach out to Anamaria Giangarra at

Join the State of Connecticut and take your next career step with confidence!

PURPOSE OF JOB CLASS (NATURE OF WORK)

In a state agency this class is accountable for administrative and clinical supervision of professional nurses paraprofessionals and other staff involving direct nursing care of individuals or performing specialized professional nursing work in the areas of community or therapeutic nursing. At the Connecticut State Colleges and Universities or Connecticut Technical Education and Career System this class is accountable for providing primary nursing care for students and facility staff.

EXAMPLES OF DUTIES

WORKING LEAD:

  • Leads the planning of care and implementation of the nursing process;
  • Plans unit workflow and determines priorities;
  • Schedules assigns oversees and reviews work;
  • Makes recommendations for personnel actions such as selection discipline and performance;
  • Conducts or assist in conducting performance evaluations;
  • Leads professional and paraprofessional nursing staff in provision of patient/individual care;
  • Maintains and promotes standards of nursing;
  • Ensures controlled drugs are properly stored administered and ordered;
  • Identifies staff development needs;
  • Provides staff training and assistance;
  • Instructs staff regarding policies and procedures;
  • Participates in interdisciplinary meetings to promote and ensure adjustment and continuity of patient/individual care programs;
  • Responds to emergencies;
  • May make recommendations on policies and standards;
  • May prepare reports or correspondence;
  • May serve as Qualified Intellectual Disability Professional (QIDP);
  • Performs related duties as required.

DIRECT CARE:

  • Independently develops implements and evaluates nursing and/or health care plans;
  • Provides nursing consultation in the assigned specialty program;
  • Conducts nursing assessments;
  • Provides admission and discharge nursing assessments including plans for continuing care;
  • Maintains records and makes reports;
  • Provides for nursing services to comply with intermediate care facility (ICF) regulations and Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) standards;
  • Maintains records of stored and secured medications;
  • Ensures controlled drugs are properly stored administered and ordered;
  • Independently manages and provides direct care to patients/individuals;
  • Participates in individual group or family therapy;
  • Participates as a member of an interdisciplinary team in the assessment development implementation and evaluation of patient/individual treatment or health care plans;
  • Manages an assigned caseload of other appropriate clinical activities;
  • Provides clinical direction and/or training to staff in individual group and family service delivery programs;
  • May participate in home visits and crisis intervention;
  • May provide in-service training to nursing and paraprofessional staff with regard to signs and symptoms of illness dysfunction injury and prevention of same;
  • May conduct patient/individual- centered conferences with nursing personnel; may consult with and make recommendations to physicians concerning health needs;
  • May make recommendations on policies or standards;
  • May prepare reports or correspondence;
  • May serve as Qualified Intellectual Disability Professional (QIDP);
  • Performs related duties as required.

SCHOOL NURSE:

  • Independently provides counseling and health education services to students and staff;
  • Serves as member of crisis intervention team;
  • Provides assessment of medical problems;
  • Determines need for physician or medical care;
  • Performs basic evaluative procedures and tests;
  • Performs primary first aid;
  • Ensures that controlled drugs are properly stored;
  • Makes referrals and follows up on health needs;
  • Provides counseling on health- related issues;
  • Maintains accurate medical records;
  • Writes reports;
  • May administer medication;
  • May administer routine tests or exams;
  • Performs related duties as required.

    KNOWLEDGE SKILL AND ABILITY
    • Considerable knowledge of
      • and ability to independently apply nursing principles techniques and standards;
      • specialized individual care applicable to nursing assignment;
      • medications their actions interactions uses and side effects;
    • Knowledge of
      • general and mental health conditions and treatment interventions through utilization of assessment nursing diagnosis outcome identification health planning implementation and re-evaluation;
      • adult learning and family systems theory;
      • and sensitivity to cultural and socio-economic differences;
    • Considerable
      • interpersonal skills;
      • oral and written communication skills;
    • Ability to
      • establish and maintain collaborative relationships with other professionals community resources and providers;
      • act as a role model to health care staff;
    • Supervisory ability.
    BEHAVIORAL HEALTH NURSING POSITIONS:
    • Considerable knowledge of behavioral health of individuals;
    • Skill working with individuals groups and families;
    • Ability to provide therapeutic treatment with a variety of individuals.
    MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS - GENERAL EXPERIENCE
    Two (2) years of experience as a Registered Nurse
    MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS - SUBSTITUTIONS ALLOWED
    A Bachelors degree in nursing may be substituted for one (1) year of the General Experience.
    PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
    • Experience in an Inpatient and Psychiatry setting
    • Experience working with clients who have mental health and medical concerns
    • Experience utilizing evidence-based strategies for health teaching health promotion and prevention
    • Experience supervising staff of a lower grade
    • Experience using nursing principles and national standards to complete daily task
    • Experience with Microsoft Word and Excel for clinical documentation reporting and data management
    • Experience using Electronic Medical Record systems
    SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS
    • Incumbents in this class must possess and retain a license or temporary permit as a Registered Nurse in Connecticut OR hold a Multistate or Compact Registered Nurse license.
    • Incumbents in this class may be required to be fluent in a foreign language or proficient in the use of the American Sign Language in certain designated positions.
    • Incumbents in this class may be required to travel.
    CHARACTER REQUIREMENTS
    In addition to the checking of references and of facts stated in the application a thorough background investigation of each candidate may be made before persons are certified for permanent appointment.
    WORKING CONDITIONS

    Incumbents in this class may be required to lift and restrain individuals; may have exposure to communicable/infectious diseases and risk of injury from assaultive/abusive individuals; may be exposed to disagreeable conditions.

    Conclusion

    AN AFFIRMATIVE ACTION/EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

    The State of Connecticut is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer and strongly encourages the applications of women minorities and persons with disabilities.

    ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
    As defined by Sec. 5-196 of the Connecticut General Statutes a job class is a position or group of positions that share general characteristics and are categorized under a single title for administrative purposes. As such a job class is not meant to be all-inclusive of every task and/or responsibility.

    Required Experience:

    IC


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