REGISTERED NURSE SPECIALIST - 60005422

Requisition No: 874623 

Agency: Children and Families

Working Title: REGISTERED NURSE SPECIALIST - 60005422

 Pay Plan: Career Service

Position Number: 60005422 

Salary:  $2,036.36 - $2,454.25 Bi -Weekly (Attachment B) 

Posting Closing Date: 04/30/2026 

Total Compensation Estimator Tool

The Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF) is the state of Florida’s social services agency. The agency oversees services for child safety, fostering, adoption, domestic violence, adult protective services, refugees, homelessness, mental health, substance abuse, childcare providers, human trafficking and public assistance. The agency’s mission is to work in partnership with local communities to protect the vulnerable, promote strong and economically self-sufficient families, and advance personal and family recovery and resiliency.

Within DCF, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health (SAMH) Program office is recognized as the single state authority for substance abuse and mental health services. The Office of SAMH is statutorily responsible for the planning, evaluation, and implementation of a comprehensive statewide system of care for the prevention, treatment, and recovery of children and adults with serious mental illnesses or substance use disorders.

Florida State Hospital (FSH) is a mental health treatment facility owned and operated by the State of Florida and is part of the Department of Children and Families. The department’s mission is to “work in partnership with local communities to protect the vulnerable, promote strong and economically self-sufficient families, and advance personal and family recovery and resiliency.”

FLORIDA STATE HOSPITAL IS A TOBACCO FREE FACILITY.

TO BE CONSIDERED FOR THIS POSITION RESPONSES TO THE QUALIFYING QUESTIONS ARE REQUIRED AND MUST BE VERIFIABLE BASED ON YOUR SUBMITTED APPLICATION.

THIS REQUISTION MAY BE USED TO FILL MULTIPLE VACANCIES.

This is a highly responsible and professional position serving as the Registered Nurse Specialist within the Nursing Services Unit. The ideal candidate will be a collaborative team player who works seamlessly across all sections within the program office. This role requires the use of independent judgment, a proactive approach to responsibilities, and exceptional attention to detail. If you are driven, organized, and thrive in a fast-paced environment, we encourage you to apply. 

Specific Duties and Responsibilities include:

This position requires lifting, pulling, and squatting.  Duties of this position require the incumbent to be knowledgeable of and utilize the principles of Total Quality Management.

• Provides functional supervision over Licensed Practical Nurses and direct care staff.
• Provides supervision/coordination of all nursing care given by each member of nursing staff and teaches nursing care when indicated.  Supervises, coordinates, and gives instructions on all written and verbal recordings, including resident’s records and any other forms or records kept by ward personnel.  
• Administers medications and treatments as indicated and carries out associated recording procedures.
• Initiates resident care plans, draws blood samples for lab work, administers oxygen, uses suction machine, and gives CPR when indicated. 
• Performs other life-saving measures as needed. 
• Accompanies physicians on their visits to the residents, assisting with examinations and diagnostic measures when indicated. 
• Make daily rounds, observing all residents, assessing their health status and determining any special needs. 
• Notifies physician of any changes in the mental and physical condition of residents. 
• Participates in admitting, transferring, and discharging of residents, ensuring that clothing and valuables are taken care of. 
• Writes and checks all records and reports and instructs ward personnel in these. 
• Maintains records and communications as necessary for effective total resident care.
• Responsible for supervision/coordination of ward staff in proper care of residents, and assures that nursing care and resident responses to care are documented. 
• Participates in Service Team meetings.  
• Formulates and reviews care plans as indicated. 
• Delivers and receives report about residents and nursing care.
• Inspects the ward for cleanliness, ventilation, temperature, and safety measures. 
• Provides instructions to ward personnel in use of equipment to prevent damage to equipment and waste of supplies. 
• Confers with other disciplines and departments about supplies, transportation for residents, repairs and general upkeep of the ward. 
• Checks supplies in cabinets, treatment rooms, dressing carts, and medicine carts for expired items and general cleanliness. 
• Checks oxygen tanks, emergency cart, and suction machines for proper function. 
• Conducts regular ward meetings. 
• Keeps Nursing Supervisor and Executive Nursing Director informed about ward activities and problems.
• Attends inservice and unit meetings as required.
• Maintains compliance with unit and FSH mandatory inservice training.
• Performs other related duties.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities required for the position: 

• Knowledge of nursing principles, practices and techniques.
• Knowledge of human anatomy and physiology.
• Ability to provide emergency nursing services.
• Ability to participate in the planning and implementing of treatment for patients.
• Ability to conduct individual and group therapy sessions.
• Ability to work with patients having a variety of physical or emotional problems.
• Ability to observe patients' reactions to medications.
• Ability to plan, organize and coordinate work assignments.
• Ability to communicate effectively.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with others.
• Ability to effectively interview and assess the health care of clients.
• Ability to analyze complex reports and determine the service utilization habits of clients and to evaluate the appropriateness of that utilization.  

Minimum Qualifications:

• Licensure as a Registered Professional Nurse in accordance with Florida Statute 464 and three years of Registered Nursing experience or Master's of Science degree in Nursing from an accredited college or university.
• A bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university with a major in nursing can substitute for one year of the required experience.

• A master's degree from an accredited college or university with a major in nursing can substitute for the required experience.

Benefits of Working for the State of Florida:

• Health insurance
• Life insurance; $25,000 policy is free plus option to purchase additional life insurance
• Dental, vision and supplemental insurance
• Retirement plan options, including employer contributions
• (For more information, please click www.myfrs.com);
• Nine paid holidays and one Personal Holiday each year;
• Flexible Spending Accounts;
• Opportunities for career advancement
• Tuition waiver for public college courses

For a more complete list of benefits, visit www.mybenefits.myflorida.com.

DCF EMPLOYMENT DISCLOSURES

US CITIZEN REQUIREMENT Only US citizens and lawfully authorized alien workers will be hired.

SELECTIVE SERVICE SYSTEM REGISTRATION All selected male candidates born on or after October 1, 1962, will not be eligible for hire or promotion into an authorized position unless they are registered with the Selective Service System (SSS).  Verification of Selective Service registration will be conducted prior to hire.  For more information, please visit the SSS website: http://www.sss.gov.

RETIREE NOTICE If you are a retiree of the Florida Retirement System (FRS), please check with the FRS on how your current benefits will be affected if you are re-employed with the State of Florida. Your current retirement benefits may be suspended or voided, and you required to repay all benefits received depending upon the date of your retirement.

BACKGROUND SCREENING It is the policy of the Florida Department of Children and Families that any applicant being considered for employment must successfully complete a State and National criminal history check as a condition of employment before beginning employment, and, if applicable, also be screened in accordance with the requirements of Chapter 435, F.S., and Chapter 408, F.S.  No applicant may begin employment until the background screening results are received, reviewed for any disqualifying offenses, and approved by the Agency.  Background screening shall include, but not be limited to, fingerprinting for State and Federal criminal records checks through the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and may include local criminal history checks through local law enforcement agencies.

Candidates requiring a reasonable accommodation, as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act, must notify the agency hiring authority and/or People First Service Center (1-866-663-4735). Notification to the hiring authority must be made in advance to allow sufficient time to provide the accommodation.

The State of Florida supports a Drug-Free workplace. All employees are subject to reasonable suspicion drug testing in accordance with Section 112.0455, F.S., Drug-Free Workplace Act.

VETERANS’ PREFERENCE.  Pursuant to Chapter 295, Florida Statutes, candidates eligible for Veterans’ Preference will receive preference in employment for Career Service vacancies and are encouraged to apply.  Certain service members may be eligible to receive waivers for postsecondary educational requirements.  Candidates claiming Veterans’ Preference must attach supporting documentation with each submission that includes character of service (for example, DD Form 214 Member Copy #4) along with any other documentation as required by Rule 55A-7, Florida Administrative Code.  Veterans’ Preference documentation requirements are available by clicking here.  All documentation is due by the close of the vacancy announcement.