This specification describes nurse executive positions with comprehensive management responsibility for the delivery of nursing patient care or the administration of nursing programs with statewide scope. Positions allocated to this classification have regular and substantial contact with inmates, including private meetings with inmates; are responsible for maintaining the safety of persons and property; maintaining order and supervising the conduct of inmates; maintaining security in working areas and with regard to medication and work materials; inspecting premises for contraband, such as weapons or illegal drugs; observing and intervening in inmate behavior that may signal disruptive or assaultive behavior; and, taking steps to defuse potentially volatile situations.

Each position allocated to this classification manages professional nursing services within the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, and is responsible for comprehensive nursing care services being delivered 24-hours per day and 7 days per week in California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation adult institutions. These positions may also administer nursing programs with Statewide or Regional scope on a 24-hours per day and 7 days per week basis. Incumbents are responsible for developing and maintaining an ongoing program to deliver, monitor, evaluate, and improve the quality and appropriateness of all nursing care. Incumbents are responsible for continuous quality improvements and sustainable constitutional levels of nursing care. Incumbents ensure nursing services are well-functioning and that the timely delivery of patient care is available to all patients in accordance with appropriate standards of nursing care. Incumbents direct the development, and assist with the development of nursing policies, procedures, and protocols. Incumbents direct the development, implementation of nursing services staffing plan policies. Incumbents assess nursing professional training and orientation needs; and, participate in the development of orientation and education programs to promote staff development policies. Incumbents identify problems and implement solutions for operational and organizational issues pertaining to nursing. Incumbents formulate and assist with the formulation of operational and capital budgets, and make decisions or effectively recommend a course of action with regard to management of the nursing budget.

Possession of a current and unencumbered license as a registered nurse in California. (Applicants who do not meet this requirement will be admitted to the examination, but they must secure the required license before they will be considered eligible for appointment.) and A Bachelors of Science in nursing or health services administration or a related field. (Additional qualifying experience performing a full range of duties as a nursing supervisor in a health care organization/facility with 20 or more full-time subordinate nurses, may be substituted for the required education on a year-for-year basis.) and

 

Five years of clinical nursing experience in a comprehensive medical setting, at least three years of which must have been in an administrative or supervisory capacity in a health care organization/facility with 20 or more full-time subordinate nurses.

Clinical nursing experience in a correctional facility; Masters Degree in nursing or other health care related field; Basic Care Life Support certification; Advanced Care Life Support certification; and experience in health care system and program design and development.

Professional/technical expertise: Is comprehensively knowledgeable of the most current information, techniques, practices, laws, and regulations of the field. Has clear developmental record of formal and on-the-job acquisition of knowledge and skills of the occupation. Uses knowledge and judgment in applying appropriate methods and techniques to ensure speed, quality, and consistency in work products. Handles the most challenging tasks requiring technical expertise.

 

Customer focus: Shows interest in and understanding of the needs, expectations, and circumstances of internal and external customers at the individual, group, or organizational level. Explores options and pursues solutions until customers are satisfied. Is responsive, pleasant, and professional. Looks at the organization and its services from the customers point of view. Seeks and uses customer feedback to improve services or products.

 

Teamwork: Understands his/her role on the team, yet does whatever is needed to make the team successful. Helps team members who need or ask for support or assistance. Puts team results ahead of personal success. Brings out the best in others on the team. Shares credit for group accomplishments.

 

Valuing diversity: Sees the benefit of having differing backgrounds and points of view in the workplace, and leverages those differences in group processes and decision making. Supports professional development and career opportunity equally for all.

 

Managing performance: Sets and aligns individual performance goals with the goals of the unit. Involves employees in setting their performance goals. Ensures employees have the means and skills to accomplish their goals. Tracks and measures individual and unit performance. Provides ongoing feedback. Treats all employees in an objective and consistent manner. Intervenes to correct poor performance, following steps of progressive discipline.

 

Leadership: Creates a positive work environment in which all staff are motivated to do their best. Ensures that clear, challenging, and attainable goals are set for a group and that these goals are aligned with the goals of the organization/department. Ensures that the importance and benefits of goals and methods are understood and accepted by those who will carry them out. Conveys confidence and optimism in the groups ability to overcome obstacles and accomplish its goals.

 

Planning and organizing: Determines the logically necessary sequence of activities and the efficient level of resources needed to achieve a goal. Recognizes and addresses the interdependencies of activities and resources. Clarifies roles and responsibilities. Anticipates problems and mitigates risks. Produces a realistic schedule of completion.

 

Organizational savvy: Understands the inner workings and interrelationships of the organization. Knows whose support is needed to cut red tape. Gets things done through formal channels and informal networks. Maintains good working relationships with key players throughout the organization. Aligns and maneuvers organizational resources and internal politics skillfully to solve problems or accomplish goals.

 

Process improvement: Knows how to separate and combine activities into efficient workflow. Benchmarks best practices in the industry. Knows what to measure and how to measure it for tracking quality, quantity, schedule, resource utilization, and customer feedback. Knows how to identify process problems and opportunities for improvement and simplification. Leverages technology.

 

Developing others: Coaches others regardless of performance level. Shows insight into causes of poor performance and how performance can be improved. Shares knowledge and expertise willingly. Offers on-going feedback, suggestions, and encouragement. Acknowledges progress and growth. Supports others career development plans.

 

Strategic view: Focuses on the future and where current trends will lead. Understands the factors that are shaping the industry and anticipates the opportunities that will be opening and closing. Keeps an eye on the big picture and long-range possibilities and implications. Makes, evaluates, and revises long-range plans and goals taking into consideration the organization’s core competencies, customers, competition, available resources, and strengths and weaknesses.

Incumbents must possess the willingness to work in a correctional facility; possess a sympathetic and objective understanding regarding the problems of inmate-patients; and, be tactful and patient.

Incumbents must possess and maintain sufficient strength, agility and endurance to perform during physically, mentally, and emotionally stressful and emergency situations encountered on the job without endangering their own health and well-being or that of their fellow employees, forensic clients, patients, inmates or the public.

Incumbents in these positions are the highest ranking nurse manager within a Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation adult institution. Incumbents report directly to the institution healthcare Chief Executive Officer and receive functional supervision from the Regional Chief of Nursing Services insofar as it pertains to nursing standards, procedures, protocols and policies.

 

Directs all nursing activity within the institution and ensures compassionate, safe, effective, timely, efficient and equitable patient-centered care in conjunction with other health care discipline managers, and in coordination with custody. Develops and maintains a competent nursing team to deliver evidence-based patient-centered care. Develops and implements clear and realistic performance expectations, issues letters of instruction and counseling memoranda, effectively recommends formal disciplinary action to the institution Chief Executive Officer, and upon delegation from the Chief Executive Officer takes disciplinary action.

Under the direct supervision of either the Regional Health Care Executive (Safety) or the Statewide Chief of Nursing Services, coordinates all patient care services within a region spanning multiple institutions within the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation adult institutions, or at the Headquarters level, administers a nursing program with statewide scope; and ensures that nursing practices comply with appropriate professional standards. Ensures institutions within the region have implemented an effective system that certifies competence to perform nursing duties, including the performance of physical assessments and outpatient urgent/emergency protocols. Functionally supervises the Institution Chiefs of Nursing Services within the region insofar as it pertains to nursing standards, procedures, protocols and policies. Participates in the selection of the Institution Chiefs of Nursing Services and recommends the appointment of candidates to institution healthcare Chief Executive Officers. Develops and monitors nursing performance expectations; performs competency assessments; mentors and coaches nursing personnel throughout the region. Assists in evaluating nursing staff and recommends corrective and adverse action to Institution Chiefs of Nursing Services, institution Chief Executive Officers and Regional Health Care Executives (Safety).

Under general direction, coordinates all nursing services on a statewide basis within the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation adult institutions. Ensures that nursing professional practices comply with appropriate standards to deliver evidence-based patient-centered care. Ensures institutions statewide have implemented an effective system that certifies competence to perform nursing duties, including the performance of physical assessments and out patient urgent/emergency protocols. Functionally supervises the Regional and Deputy Chiefs of Nursing Services insofar as it pertains to nursing standards, procedures, protocols and policies. Participates in the selection of the Institution and Regional and Deputy Chiefs of Nursing Services and recommends the appointment of candidates to institution Chief Executive Officers and Regional Health Care Executives (Safety). Develops and monitors nursing performance expectations; performs competency assessments; mentors and coaches nursing personnel throughout the state. Assists in evaluating nursing staff and recommends corrective and adverse action to Institution and Regional Chiefs of Nursing Services, Institution Chief Executive Officers, and Regional Health Care Executives (Safety).