Assistant Nurse Manager

Department: Withdrawal Management Unit

Reports To: Nurse Manager, Detoxification Unit

Classification: Exempt – Full-Time

FLSA Status: Exempt

Job Summary

The Assistant Nurse Manager (ANM) of the Withdrawal Management Unit supports the Nurse Manager in the overall direction, oversight, and quality of nursing services provided to clients undergoing medically managed withdrawal. The ANM functions as a frontline clinical leader, serving as a liaison between bedside nursing staff and unit management, and assumes authority for nursing operations in the absence of the Nurse Manager. This role requires sound clinical judgment, a working knowledge of addiction medicine and withdrawal management protocols, and a demonstrated ability to lead teams in a high-acuity behavioral health environment.

Essential Functions

General

• Assumes responsibility of planning, directing, coordinating and evaluating services on evening or night tours and on weekends.
• Establishes, implements, and continuously monitors the goals and objectives of the department while maintaining alignment with the strategic goals and objectives of the organization.
• Serves as a role model and resource to nursing staff; provides consultation and participates in the development of nursing care standards in the department.
• Promotes excellence in nursing as a resource and role model of the Professional Practice Model: Center of Excellence.
• Responsible for creating active shared governance councils, supporting clinical ladder participation, new resident education, improving certification rates, and educational advancement within the department.
• Uses evidence-based leadership practice, emotional intelligence, and just culture principles to create a high-reliability, safe, and learning environment with high-performing teams.
• Creates and maintains a satisfying workplace that fosters professional growth and job satisfaction for all members of the healthcare team.
• Organizes and prioritizes time and resources to manage efficiency; appropriately delegates and manages complex interdepartmental and interdisciplinary relationships.
  
  

Clinical Leadership & Supervision

• Assists the Nurse Manager in providing day-to-day administrative and clinical oversight of nursing services on the Withdrawal Management Unit.
• Directly supervises nursing staff and patient care technicians (PCTs) during assigned shifts, providing real-time guidance, coaching, and clinical support.
• Assumes full charge of nursing unit operations in the absence of the Nurse Manager, including escalation of critical issues to the CNO or designee.
• Monitors and ensures compliance with CIWA-Ar, COWS, and other validated withdrawal assessment tools, and intervenes when scoring indicates clinical deterioration.
• Ensures nursing personnel maintain current, active licensure and remain in good standing with the New Jersey Board of Nursing.
• Conducts or assists in the evaluation of nursing staff performance, competency, and professional conduct, contributing to corrective action processes as warranted.
  
  

Patient Care & Safety

• Provides face-to-face clinical monitoring of patients on the detoxification unit, assessing for withdrawal severity, medical stability, and behavioral health needs.
• Ensures timely and accurate medication administration in accordance with physician orders, unit protocols, and applicable regulations, including taper medication administration guidelines.
• Participates in the development and review of individualized client treatment plans in collaboration with the multidisciplinary team.
• Coordinates continuity of care across nursing shifts, ensuring seamless hand-off communication and follow-through on outstanding clinical concerns.
• Responds to urgent and emergent patient situations, demonstrating competency in crisis de-escalation and emergency response.
• Ensures documentation in the nursing portion of the patient care plan is accurate, timely, and compliant with facility policies, including clinical notes, MARs, physician order dates, medication name/strength, dose, route, time of administration, effects observed, and nurse identification.
• Maintains and oversees records of client self-administered medications, including verification of dose, route, observation documentation, and nurse signature or entry code per facility policy.
  
  

Administrative & Compliance Functions

• Assists the Nurse Manager in developing, implementing, and reviewing nursing policies and procedures, including annual policy review cycles.
• Supports the maintenance of required nursing staffing patterns and assists with staffing adjustments as needed to ensure safe patient-to-nurse ratios.
• Participates in the development and execution of the unit’s QAPI program, including chart audits, corrective action plans, and regulatory survey readiness.
• Assists in the development of written job descriptions and orientation materials for nursing staff, and participates in onboarding, competency validation, and ongoing staff education.
• Contributes to utilization management functions, including coordination with payers for concurrent review, level of care justification, and documentation of medical necessity in alignment with ASAM criteria.
• Participates in multidisciplinary team conferences and contributes clinical nursing perspective to treatment planning and discharge coordination.
• Ensures compliance with all applicable regulatory requirements, including DMHAS, Joint Commission, and applicable state and federal standards governing behavioral health and withdrawal management services.
  
  

Medication Management Oversight

• Oversees safe medication management practices on the unit, including controlled substance handling, Omnicell reconciliation, and variance documentation.
• Collaborates with pharmacy staff to ensure appropriate medication dispensing, restocking, and resolution of discrepancies in accordance with facility policy.
• Identifies and reports potential medication errors, near-misses, or adverse drug events, and participates in root cause analysis and corrective action as directed.
  
  

Other Duties

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of all activities, duties, or responsibilities that may be required of the employee in this role. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time, with or without notice, based on organizational needs, regulatory requirements, or operational priorities.

Minimum Education/Certifications

• Graduate of a state-approved school of nursing; must have passed the NCLEX-RN Examination.
• Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) preferred.
• Current, active New Jersey Registered Nurse (RN) license in good standing; required at time of hire and maintained throughout employment.
• Certified Addictions Registered Nurse (CARN) or CARN-AP preferred.
• BLS/CPR certification required; ACLS preferred.
  
  

Minimum Work Experience

• Minimum of 2 years of clinical nursing experience in addiction services, behavioral health, or a related acute care setting; required.
• Minimum of 1 year of nursing leadership, charge nurse, or supervisory experience; required.
• Experience with ASAM Level 3.7 or 4.0 medically managed withdrawal management settings strongly preferred.
• Familiarity with CIWA-Ar, COWS, and withdrawal management pharmacotherapy protocols preferred.
• Effective leadership abilities: planning and problem solving; developing goals and objectives; ability to inspire confidence and achievement of high standards; effective communication skills; ability to operate in high-pressure situations; excellent organizational skills; and demonstrated commitment to patient- and family-centered care.
  
  

Position Type/Expected Hours of Work: Exempt – Full-Time. 37.5-hour work week; on-call coverage required.

Physical Requirements

• Ability to climb stairs and move freely throughout a clinical unit environment.
• Regularly required to sit, stand, walk, stoop, or kneel in the performance of duties.
• May occasionally lift up to 20 pounds or assist in lifting or repositioning patients in emergency situations.
• May work at a keyboard/workstation intermittently throughout the day.
  
  

Working Conditions

• The noise level in the work environment is typically quiet to moderate.
• The work environment may include exposure to patients experiencing acute behavioral health crises, requiring composure and adherence to de-escalation protocols.