Director of Nursing (DON)

Director of Nursing (DON)
Location: Hopewell, NJ 08560
Work Schedule: Full-Time | 35 hours per week
Employment Type: Contract
Work Type: 100% Onsite
The Director of Nursing (DON) provides executive-level nursing leadership and operational oversight for all nursing services within the Mercer County Correction Center. This role ensures delivery of safe, compliant, and high-quality inmate healthcare services in alignment with New Jersey correctional healthcare standards.
The DON is responsible for nursing administration, staffing, clinical oversight, policy development, regulatory compliance, and coordination with medical leadership, custody staff, and County officials.
Key Responsibilities
Clinical & Nursing Leadership

• Provide overall leadership and supervision of nursing staff (RNs, LPNs, CNAs).
• Establish and enforce clinical nursing standards and best practices.
• Ensure quality patient care across intake, sick call, chronic care, and emergency services.

Operations & Staffing

• Manage nursing schedules, coverage, and staffing levels.
• Oversee hiring, onboarding, training, performance evaluation, and discipline of nursing staff.
• Ensure adequate coverage for all facility healthcare operations.

Compliance & Quality Assurance

• Ensure compliance with:
  • New Jersey Department of Corrections standards
  • NCCHC / ACA healthcare standards
  • State and federal healthcare regulations
• Prepare for and participate in audits, inspections, and accreditation reviews.
• Develop and maintain nursing policies, procedures, and protocols.

Care Coordination

• Collaborate with Medical Director, Nurse Practitioners, Mental Health staff, and custody leadership.
• Coordinate continuity of care, medication administration, and specialty referrals.
• Serve as primary nursing liaison with County administrators.

Documentation & Reporting

• Ensure accurate and timely clinical documentation.
• Monitor incident reports, medication errors, and quality metrics.
• Provide operational and performance reports to County leadership as required.

Required Qualifications
Education

• Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) - Required
• Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) or Healthcare Administration - Preferred

Licensure: Active and unrestricted New Jersey Registered Nurse (RN) License - Required
Experience

• Minimum 3-5 years of nursing leadership experience
• Prior experience in:
  • Correctional healthcare
  • Institutional healthcare
  • Public-sector or high-acuity environments strongly preferred

Skills & Competencies

• Nursing administration & leadership
• Correctional healthcare operations
• Staff supervision & workforce management
• Regulatory compliance & accreditation readiness
• Clinical quality improvement
• Policy development & implementation
• Interdisciplinary collaboration
• Strong communication and documentation skills
• Ability to work in a secure correctional environment

Ideal Candidate Profile

• Experienced nursing leader with correctional or institutional healthcare background
• Strong understanding of inmate healthcare challenges and compliance requirements
• Organized, decisive, and capable of managing complex clinical operations
• Comfortable working 100% onsite in a correctional facility

Recruiter Submission Template -


Full Name:
Degree(s) with University & Completion Year:
Active New Jersey RN License? (Yes/No):
Highest Nursing Degree (BSN / MSN):
Total Years of Nursing Experience:
Total Years in Nursing Leadership / Management:
Experience supervising RNs, LPNs, and CNAs? (Yes/No):
Experience in correctional or institutional healthcare? (Yes/No):
Experience managing staffing, schedules, and coverage? (Yes/No):
Experience with audits, inspections, or accreditation surveys? (Yes/No):
Experience developing nursing policies and procedures? (Yes/No):
Experience collaborating with Medical Directors and County officials? (Yes/No):
Motivation / Reason for Interest in Director of Nursing Role:
Motivation / Interest in Correctional Healthcare:
Contact Number:
Email ID:
LinkedIn Profile URL:
Full Address (Street, City, State, Zip):
Notice Period (in weeks):
Current Work Authorization Status:
Expected Hourly Rate:
W2 / C2C (If C2C, Corporation Name):
Are you available to work Full-Time (35 hrs/week) and 100% onsite at Mercer County Correction Center, Hopewell, NJ on your own expense? (Yes/No):