Director of Nursing Services

General Summary: The Director of Nursing Services provides agency-wide strategic, clinical, administrative, and operational leadership for all nursing services across Thrive Behavioral Health. This position is responsible for establishing consistent nursing standards of practice, ensuring regulatory compliance, advancing quality improvement initiatives, supporting workforce development, and strengthening the integration of behavioral health and primary care services.

This role strengthens collaboration between nursing, behavioral health, medical providers, pharmacies, hospitals, and community partners while supporting Thrive's continued growth as a Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic.

• Provide strategic leadership and direction for all nursing services across Thrive Behavioral Health, aligning nursing operations with the organization's mission, strategic goals, and growth initiatives.
• Serve as the senior nursing advisor to executive leadership, participating in strategic planning, program development, grant initiatives, and organizational decision-making.
• Develop, implement, and maintain nursing policies, clinical standards, evidence-based practices, and standardized workflows to ensure consistent, high-quality care across all programs.
• Direct and oversee daily nursing operations, including medication management, nursing documentation, nursing supply procurement, medical waste disposal, and coordination of Narcan and other harm reduction supplies.
• Develop and monitor nursing quality indicators, health outcome metrics, and performance measures to evaluate program effectiveness and improve client outcomes.
• Ensure compliance with all applicable federal, state, accreditation, CARF, CCBHC, RIDOH, RIDE, and agency standards governing nursing practice and medication management.
• Lead nursing quality improvement, patient safety, and regulatory readiness initiatives while serving on organizational committees, including Quality Improvement, Safety, and Pharmacy Quality.
• Investigate medication-related incidents, implement corrective action plans, provide staff education, and monitor systems that promote medication safety and regulatory compliance.
• Serve as the agency liaison with regulatory agencies, pharmacies, hospitals, schools, and community partners to strengthen care coordination and ensure adherence to nursing standards.
• Promote integration of behavioral health and primary care by developing workflows, strengthening partnerships, and supporting population health, wellness, prevention, and health promotion initiatives.
• Provide advanced clinical consultation for complex client cases, interdisciplinary case conferences, and nursing practice issues requiring executive nursing oversight.
• Lead recruitment, hiring, onboarding, orientation, competency assessment, supervision, retention, and professional development of Registered Nurses, Certified Medical Assistants (CMAs), and Certified Medication Technicians (CMTs).
• Develop future nursing leaders through mentorship, succession planning, Lead RN development, continuing education, and partnerships with nursing schools and academic institutions.
• Provide clinical education, training, and consultation to nursing staff, multidisciplinary teams, medical providers, and community partners to support evidence-based practice and professional growth.
• Supervise and serve as agency subject matter expert for nursing technology systems, including Mediprocity, Current Care, Cover My Meds , and the Rhode Island Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP).
• Provide clinical leadership and consultation to Program Directors and Lead RNs while serving as the escalation point for complex nursing, regulatory, medication, and clinical practice issues.
• Monitor nursing practice, medication rooms, infection prevention practices, and clinical workflows to ensure safe, efficient, and compliant operations throughout the organization.
• Foster a culture of collaboration, accountability, diversity, equity, inclusion, professionalism, and continuous quality improvement across all nursing services.
• Attend required leadership meetings, committees, trainings, and safety programs while representing Thrive professionally within the organization and the community.
• Perform other duties and special projects as assigned in support of Thrive's mission, strategic objectives, and operational needs.

Education, Experience and Competencies:

• Bachelor’s degree or Master's Degree in Nursing (MSN) or related healthcare field.
• Minimum three (3) years of nursing experience in behavioral health, community health, human services, or integrated healthcare.
• Minimum two (2) years of nursing leadership or management experience.
• Demonstrated experience in quality improvement, regulatory compliance, and nursing operations.
• Strong leadership, organizational, communication, and problem-solving skills.
• Proficiency with electronic health records and Microsoft Office applications.
• Knowledge of integrated behavioral health and primary care…