Resource Director of Nursing - Behavioral Health
Summit BHC · Summit Healthcare Mgmt
Resource Director of Nursing - Behavioral Health | Summit Healthcare Mgmt | Nashville, TennesseeAbout the Job:
PURPOSE STATEMENT:The Resource Director-Nursing Services serves in a dynamic and critical interim leadership role, providing comprehensive nursing oversight across a network of behavioral health facilities during periods of leadership transition. This position assumes full responsibility for the Director of Nursing role at each assigned location, ensuring continuity of care, operational excellence, and compliance with regulatory standards.
This is a travel-based position requiring the incumbent to serve as the interim Director of Nursing at facilities in need of interim nursing leadership. The Resource Director-Nursing fosters a culture of accountability, empathy, and professionalism, ensuring that nursing services support the mission of delivering high-quality behavioral healthcare.
Roles and Responsibilities:
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:
- Leads and manages all nursing operations during interim assignments, aligning clinical practices with the mission, vision, and goals of each facility.
- Maintains and implements nursing services, policies and procedures that conform to current standards of nursing practice and accrediting agencies, facility philosophy and operational policies while maintaining compliance with state, federal and local governmental agencies laws and regulations.
- Provides leadership in staffing strategy, including hiring, training, and professional development of nursing staff. Allocates nursing resources based on measurement of client acuity/care needed.
- Leads a team of highly qualified and engaged department members through hiring, orienting, performance assessment and management, motivating, training, scheduling, and coaching to meet department and facility goals.
- Plans, organizes, and oversees the delivery of general and psychiatric nursing care to ensure high standards of safety, effectiveness, and compassion.
- Supports new hire orientation for all new hospital staff members.
- Drives performance improvement initiatives and foster a culture of clinical excellence and continuous quality improvement.
- Participates in daily or weekly management team meetings to discuss client’s status, identify indicators for reassessment of client’s condition, reaction/responsiveness and involvement of other disciplines.
- Establishes, implements and oversees the infection control program and safety. Prepares or reviews infection control surveillance reports to identify trends and to develop effective actions to control and prevent infections.
- Actively participates in strategic planning and budget development.
- Supports the management of inventory of supplies and equipment for the provision of client services.
- Maintains clear communication with medical staff, department directors, and administration on nursing-related matters
- Ensures adherence to all state and federal regulations, The Joint Commission (TJC) standards, CARF standards, and organizational policies; Supports with survey management and action planning.
Leadership Functions:
- Identifies and prioritizes issues of importance, including those priority issues as set by leadership. Collaborates with department leaders and corporate executive leaders, as needed.
- Communicates instructions, expectations and timelines clearly and concisely.
- Manages staff scheduling to maintain productivity levels, curtailing unnecessary overtime and/or excessive staff work hours.
- Maintains accountability expectations for staff in all areas of job performance.
- Engages staff in quality and safety basics to ensure sustained, measurable compliance.
- Identifies staff educational needs and ensures they are addressed with education programs that are attended by staff.
- Holds staff accountable for non-compliance and safety concerns, as well as attendance, following policies, behavior, and adherence to the code of conduct.
EDUCATION/EXPERIENCE/SKILL REQUIREMENTS:
- Registered Nurse (RN) with current, unrestricted license.
- Bachelor’s degree in Nursing required; Master’s degree in Nursing preferred.
- Three or more years of nursing leadership experience required.
- Proven ability to lead teams through change and foster a collaborative, patient-centered environment.
- Strong understanding of clinical workflows and healthcare documentation standards.
- Experience in behavioral health or psychiatric nursing settings.
- Strong knowledge of healthcare regulations, accreditation standards (CMS, TJC), and nursing best practices.
- Exceptional communication, organizational, and interpersonal skills.
- Ability to travel by car and air up to 80% of the time.
LICENSES/DESIGNATIONS/CERTIFICATIONS:
- Active Registered Nurse (RN) with current, unrestricted license (multi-state licensure or ability to obtain licensure in multiple states preferred).
- Certification in Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing (e.g., PMH-B), Nurse Executive NE-BC, NEA-BC, or CENP) or equivalent leadership/clinical credentials preferred.
SUPERVISORY REQUIREMENTS:
- Three or more years of progressive nursing leadership experience required, with at least three years in a behavioral health position in a nursing leadership role.
TRAVEL & WORK LOCATION EXPECTATIONS:
- This position is remote.
Veterans and military spouses are highly encouraged to apply. Summit BHC is dedicated to serving Veterans with specialized programming at our treatment centers across the country. We recognize and value the unique strengths of the military community in supporting our mission to serve those who have served.