DEDICATED TO STRENGTHENING THE HEALTH, SAFETY, AND INDEPENDENCE OF IDAHOANS
*THIS ANNOUNCEMENT WILL BE OPEN UNTIL FILLED. APPLICANTS ARE ENCOURAGED TO APPLY AS SOON AS POSSIBLE TO BE CONSIDERED. *
Come join a great team at State Hospital West (SHW)! We are seeking a Director of Nursing Services to join our team in Nampa , Idaho. SHW is a 16-bed Adolescent Psychiatric Treatment Hospital serving youth ages 11–18. Our facility is located on a beautiful campus situated between Ridgecrest and Centennial golf courses along the I-84 corridor. State Hospital West provides inpatient psychiatric treatment for Idaho’s adolescents experiencing the most serious and persistent mental health challenges. We partner closely with families and communities to support successful transitions back to home and community living. SHW is accredited by The Joint Commission and certified by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).
The Director of Nursing Services provides executive leadership and oversight for all nursing operations at State Hospital West. This role ensures safe, evidence-based, trauma-informed care for adolescents in an inpatient psychiatric setting while maintaining full compliance with Joint Commission, CMS, and state regulatory requirements. The Director leads nursing education, competency development, and policy implementation, fostering consistency, quality, and excellence in clinical practice. Serving as a key member of the hospital’s interdisciplinary leadership team, the Director of Nursing Services collaborates with psychiatry, psychology, social work, and allied disciplines to coordinate patient care and enhance treatment outcomes. This position plays a critical role in workforce development, including staff recruitment, retention, mentorship, and professional growth. Through strategic leadership and continuous quality improvement, the Director strengthens the hospital’s ability to provide effective, patient-centered treatment and sustain a safe, therapeutic environment for patients, families, and staff.
This position is not eligible for telework.
The Idaho Department of Health & Welfare is a drug-free workplace. Any applicant offered employment in this position at the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare will be required to pass a pre-employment drug test. In addition, successful candidates will be required to complete a criminal history background investigation. Employment is dependent upon satisfactory results of the investigation.
BENEFITS:
The State of Idaho offers a robust total compensation and benefits package, including but not limited to:
- We have one of the Nation's best state retirement systems (PERSI) that offers a lifetime benefit at retirement.
- 11 paid holidays
- Paid sick and vacation that begins accruing on your first day of employment; can be used immediately after accruing (no waiting time)
- Paid parental leave
- Medical, vision, and dental insurance benefits that become effective first of the month following your hire date. All contributions can be pre-tax (full-time/30+ hours per week)
- 2 voluntary supplemental retirement plans including both pre-tax and Roth options
- Deferred compensation plan
- Life insurance for self, spouse, and children
- Short and long-term disability insurance
- Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA)
- Wide variety of training opportunities
- Some positions offer flexible hours and/or telecommuting
- Additional perks and discounts available through medical provider
- Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Eligibility
- Employee assistance program
Additional information related to benefits and/or State programs can be found here: https://dhr.idaho.gov/StateEmployees/Benefits.html.*
EXAMPLE OF DUTIES:
- Provide leadership, direction, and oversight for all nursing services and clinical operations.
- Ensure compliance with Joint Commission, CMS, and state regulations governing psychiatric inpatient care.
- Develop, implement, and evaluate nursing policies, procedures, and evidence-based clinical practices.
- Lead nursing staff recruitment, onboarding, retention, performance management, and professional development.
- Oversee nursing education, training, and competency programs, including trauma-informed care and crisis response.
- Collaborate with interdisciplinary leaders to coordinate patient care and support integrated treatment planning.
- Monitor and improve quality of care, patient safety, and risk-reduction practices across the hospital.
- Manage staffing levels, scheduling, and resource allocation to ensure adequate coverage and continuity of care.
- Participate in budget development, strategic planning, and hospital-wide performance improvement initiatives.
- Foster a positive, supportive, and therapeutic work environment for staff and patients.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
You must possess all the minimum qualifications below to pass the exam for this position. Please make sure your resume or work history supports your meeting the minimum qualifications for this position. Failure to do this may disqualify you from being considered for this position. It is highly recommended to attach a one-page cover letter to your application to demonstrate how you meet the requirements below.
- Licensed as a Professional or Registered Nurse in Idaho as defined by Idaho Code 54-1408 or state licensure as a Registered Nurse pursuant to the Nurse Licensure Compact, Idaho Code 54-1418.
- Good knowledge of management practices in the supervision and training of a professional nursing staff. Typically gained by at least two classes of upper division college-level coursework equivalent to "Management and Organizational Theory" and "Personnel or Human Resource Administration" that covered the essential elements of management; OR at least one year of experience in a job situation with responsibility for the essential elements of management (planning, organizing, staffing, directing, and controlling), or advising management in the essential elements of management AND at least two years' experience.
- Good knowledge of nursing administration and organizational structure and staffing including experience applying current nursing theory and trends in institutional nursing service delivery. Typically gained by at least four years of experience providing in-service training in varied institutional nursing environments; including clinical supervision experience that included responsibility for professional staff assignments, patient or family teaching.
- Experience applying legal standards of nursing practice and assessing compliance with nursing laws and regulations and initiating appropriate changes . Typically gained by at least three years’ experience as a RN supervisor with the responsibility for nursing service compliance with laws and regulations and quality assurance standards, coupled with authority to recommend and implement changes.
Learn About a Career with DHW
If relocating to Idaho, the Department of Health & Welfare does not reimburse the cost of relocating and the department does not sponsor anyone with a work visa.
***PLEASE NOTE: application assistance is not available after the business hours listed below, on the weekends, or on holidays and you must apply before 4:59 pm on the closing date. When applying, use CHROME as your browser to avoid complications.
If you have questions, please contact us at:
Email is the quickest way to get an answer to your questions.
(answered Monday through Friday during business hours MST)
EMAIL: [email protected]
PHONE: (208) 334-0681
EEO/ADA/Veteran:
The State of Idaho is committed to providing equal employment opportunities and prohibit discrimination against qualified individuals based on their status as protected veterans or individuals with disabilities and prohibit discrimination against all individuals based on their race, color, religion, political affiliation or belief, sex, national origin, genetics, or any other status protected under applicable federal, state, or local laws.
The State of Idaho is committed to access and reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities, auxiliary aids and services are available upon request. If you require an accommodation at any step in our recruitment process, you are encouraged to contact (208) 334-2263 (TTY/TTD: 711), or email [email protected].
Preference may be given to veterans who qualify under state and federal laws and regulations.
