Director of Nursing
Gastonia, North Carolina
RN
Posted Aug 20 · Not open to new grads
- Shift
- Days
- Unit
- Psych
What the listing says
Role
- Schedule
- Days
- Term
- Permanent
- On the floor
- Precepting expected · On call
- Setting
- Correctional
- Accepts
- RN
- Experience
- 3+ years
Ratio not posted. Ask in the interview.
Pay
- Against the board
The median for nursing in North Carolina is $36/hr, across 460 postings. It covers every nursing role in the state, so it is a bearing, not a like-for-like comparison.
About this role
- Job Title: Director of Nursing (DON) – Correctional Healthcare
- Location: Gaston County Jail (Gastonia, NC)
- Reporting To: Health Services Administrator (HSA)
- Direct Reports: Registered Nurses (RNs), Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs)
Position Overview
Reserve Health is seeking a Director of Nursing (DON) to lead nursing operations at the Gaston County Jail. Reporting directly to the Health Services Administrator (HSA), the DON oversees clinical excellence, shift coverage, and staff development across all RN and LPN team members. This role demands strong clinical judgment, proactive leadership, and a commitment to providing compassionate, compliant healthcare within a secure environment.
Key Responsibilities
Read the full posting
- Operational & Team Leadership: Manage day-to-day nursing operations, including shift scheduling, roster coverage, recruitment, onboarding, training, and performance evaluations for RNs and LPNs.
- Clinical Management & Crisis Response: Lead emergency medical responses and crisis interventions. Collaborate with facility physicians to develop care plans, conduct health assessments, and oversee inmate treatment.
- Regulatory Compliance & Policy: Enforce facility protocols to meet federal, state, and local correctional healthcare regulations. Assist with accreditation audits and quality assurance inspections.
- Interdisciplinary Coordination: Work seamlessly with correctional officers, mental health providers, and external healthcare specialists to coordinate comprehensive inmate care.
- Quality Improvement: Drive patient safety and healthcare quality initiatives to improve clinical outcomes and operational efficiency.
- Patient Education & Advocacy: Oversee inmate health management programs (e.g., chronic disease management, substance abuse education) while upholding ethical practices and patient confidentiality.
Qualifications
Education
Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) required.
Licensure
Active, unencumbered RN license in North Carolina required.
Experience
Minimum 3 years of nursing experience, including a leadership/management role. Prior experience in a correctional facility strongly preferred.
Skills
- Demonstrated ability to lead, schedule, and mentor a nursing team.
- Strong clinical assessment, critical thinking, and emergency response skills.
- Knowledge of NC correctional healthcare standards and compliance requirements.
- Clear communication, conflict resolution, and budget management skills.
Working Conditions
Work is performed inside a secure correctional facility. The role requires physical mobility, adherence to strict security procedures, potential exposure to infectious diseases, and the ability to respond to urgent facility needs outside standard shift hours when necessary.
Sourced from a public job board.
“Licensure: Active, unencumbered RN license in North Carolina required. Experience: Minimum 3 years of nursing experience, including a leadership/management role. Prior experience in a correctional facility strongly pref…” · from this posting
Requirements
- Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) required.
- Active, unencumbered RN license in North Carolina required.
- Minimum 3 years of nursing experience, including a leadership/management role. Prior experience in a correctional facility strongly preferred.
- Demonstrated ability to lead, schedule, and mentor a nursing team.
- Strong clinical assessment, critical thinking, and emergency response skills.
- Knowledge of NC correctional healthcare standards and compliance requirements.
- Clear communication, conflict resolution, and budget management skills.
Place
- City
- Gastonia, North Carolina
- Median rent
- $1,204/mo
- Local household income
- $64,059/yr
- Metro price level
- 3% below the national average
rent and tenant-paid utilities
all local households, not nurse pay
Gastonia area index 97.3, where 100 is the national average.
Cost figures from U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.
How this role fits you
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Psychiatric is open from year one. Behavioral health spans inpatient, emergency, and community settings.
Worth asking
The posting doesn’t answer these. Good ones to ask a recruiter or in the interview.
- Can you walk me through differentials?
- What should I expect for weekly hours, weekend, holiday, and rotation?
- What orientation, preceptor time, and ongoing unit support are included?
- How are patient load, floating, and staffing support handled day to day?