Director of Nursing - DESC

Director of Nursing Seattle, WA (http://maps.google.com/maps?q=2120+S+Plum+St+Seattle+WA+USA+98144) -Hobson Apply Job Type Full-time Description **Days Off:** Saturday, Sunday **Shift:** Office Day **Insurance Benefits:** Dental, Life, Long-term Disability, Medical (no premiums/payroll deductions for employee coverage) **Other Benefits:** Employee Assistance Program (EAP), Flexible Spending Account (FSA), ORCA card subsidy, Paid Time Off (34 days per year), Retirement Plan **Come work for us!** The Downtown Emergency Service Center (DESC) is currently recruiting a Director of Nursing to be a leader in our health care teams. If you are excited about supporting and fostering growth in a team of extraordinary nurses, process improvement, engaging multiple stakeholders to achieve goals, please keep reading! The Director of Nursing supports DESC's nursing service line as well as many aspects of the DESC Medical Department operations, in collaboration with other leadership positions. DESC, historically and still currently, employs nurses who are focused on providing high quality behavioral health care to a population at the intersection of housing instability, severe mental illness and substance use disorders. In 2025, DESC will begin to employ nurses at our Opioid Recovery and Care Access (ORCA) Center who will also be focused on a broader array of physical health services in addition to opioid use disorder care. As a member of DESC's directors' team, the Director of Nursing will also support the implementation of agency-wide efforts that affect the Medical Department. This role operates under the direction of the Agency Medical Director but has a substantial level of autonomy in executing various tasks and in managing the DESC nursing service line. This role is predominantly administrative and supportive of DESC nurses and nursing leadership, but with opportunities to continue to utilize one's nursing license in times of needed shift coverage and in clinical coaching. DESC is a multi-service agency that specializes in providing permanent supportive housing, emergency shelter, residential crisis services, and comprehensive behavioral health outpatient services for people with long-time experiences of homelessness and serious behavioral health disabilities. We utilize harm reduction, trauma informed care, and housing first practices, striving to deliver high-quality, outcomes-oriented, flexible services that accommodate consumers' unique needs. **About DESC:** DESC (Downtown Emergency Service Center) is a nonprofit organization working to help people with the complex needs of homelessness, substance use disorders, and serious mental illness achieve their highest potential for health and well-being through comprehensive services, treatment, and housing. Our vision is a community where no person is abandoned, ignored, or experiencing homelessness. As the region's leading provider of services to multiply disabled adults who have experienced chronic homelessness, DESC serves almost 2,000 people each day. Our integrated service model is designed to help people secure and maintain appropriate, safe and affordable housing. DESC is recognized nationally and regionally as an innovator in developing solutions to homelessness. **MAJOR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:** + Provide nursing leadership for DESC, including supervision of Senior Nursing Managers. + Provide oversight and model excellent nursing skills and professionalism to internal and external nurses who provide services at DESC. + Work with others in the medical leadership on implementing priority initiatives. + Develop and execute innovative ideas that reflect best nursing practices despite limitations in resources in atypical clinical environments. + Work closely with leadership of other DESC departments to foster integration efforts across the agency. + Attend and participate in relevant team meetings, agency sponsored trainings, and all-staff meetings. + Participate in Quality Assurance/Quality Improvement activities to improve services that are related to nursing responsibilities across agency sites and programs. + Incorporate an equity framework for all aspects of work across the Medical Department, in collaboration with DESC equity leaders. + Provide direct nursing services when needed to address urgent gaps in coverage, but typically not more than 0.2 FTE equivalent. + Build and sustain working relationships with other health care agencies, including hospitals, jails, clinics, and those that provide services at DESC sites. + Build and sustain working relationships with DESC Directors to oversee and improve agency-wide activities that fall within the purview of nursing. + In partnership with DESC's Compliance team, ensure that DESC nursing services follow state and federal regulations. + Develop and execute strategies to recruit and retain exemplary nursing staff. + Create, document, and implement policies and procedures for nursing roles and responsibilities. + Support the financial health of DESC's behavioral health teams by ensuring that teams are meeting service delivery expectations. + In partnership with other stakeholders, support the ongoing implementation and continuous improvement of DESC's medical management, storage and handling policies, procedures and practices. + In collaboration with other leaders, support efforts in DESC's plans to open and operate the Opioid Recovery and Care Access (ORCA) Center. **PHYSICAL DEMANDS** The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee will be required sit for long periods of time, communicate with other persons by talking and hearing, required to lift and carry items weighing up to 25 pounds and to operate computer hardware systems. Specific vision abilities required by the job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus. **EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER** DESC is committed to diversity in the workplace, and promotes equal employment opportunities for all staff members and applicants. The Agency will not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment on the basis of race, creed, color, sex, gender, sexual orientation, age, national origin, caste, marital status, or the presence of any sensory, mental or physical disability in any employment practice, unless based on a bona fide occupational qualification. Minorities and veterans are encouraged to apply. Requirements **MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:** + Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree. + Active and unrestricted license as a Registered Nurse in the State of Washington with the Department of Health. + At least five years of experience of clinical nursing work + Experience working with individuals with substance use disorders and severe mental illness + Experience providing leadership and supervision to a team of nurses. + Ability to and enthusiasm for working in multidisciplinary teams, including administrative staff. + Knowledge and endorsement of strategies to reduce the risks associated with substance use + Strong communication and collaboration skills with clients and colleagues. + Experience in participating in quality improvement/quality assurance activities. + Strong work ethic, eagerness to learn, and initiative. + Computer skills, including proficiency with Microsoft Word and Microsoft Excel or related experience + Strong organizational and administrative skills. + Strong ability to manage email. + Strong communication and writing skills + Strong ability to approach those with differing opinions with curiosity & active listening. + Initiative, creativity, and ability to work effectively within systems and independently. + Ability to work effectively with and demonstrate respect to people who may demonstrate significant behavioral symptoms, including those with co-occurring mental health and substance use conditions. + Ability to work effectively and with respect with colleagues from a variety of backgrounds. + Ability to pass a Washington State Criminal background check. **PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:** + Years of experience working with underserved populations in environments with limited resources. + Experience working with people who are currently homeless or have experienced homelessness. + Experience working in atypical health care settings (e.g., street outreach, housing, day centers, jails, etc.). + Formal leadership experience within an organization. + Experience working in and contributing to the design and implementation of new programs + Experience implementing quality improvement strategies. + Strong applicants can demonstrate the ability to be positive in their empathetic responses to all persons, and value a non-judgmental response to sensitive issues. Candidates should be able to accept feedback and work in a highly collaborative and potentially stressful environment.? Salary Description $152,485.44 - $172,562.64