Carson-Newman University is a Christian, liberal arts-based University built upon the Lordship of Jesus Christ as evidenced historically and revealed in the Scriptures. Our mission as Christian educators is to help our students reach their full potential as educated citizens and worldwide servant leaders.

Job Title:

Program Director -

Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Track Department:

College of Health Sciences, School of Nursing Reports To:

Chair, School of Nursing & Assistant Chair, Graduate Studies in

Nursing Location:

On-site FLSA Status:

Exempt Annual duration: 12-month Expected hours per week: Full-time , including some nights and weekend work. Part-time hours, if applicable:

N/A Supervisory Responsibilities:

Yes Summary Description:

The Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) Program Director provides leadership for the planning, implementation, evaluation, and continuous improvement of the PMHNP program within the College of Health Sciences. The Program Director is responsible for ensuring program quality, academic excellence, regulatory compliance, accreditation readiness, student success, and alignment with the mission and strategic priorities of Carson-Newman University. The Program Director provides leadership in curriculum development, faculty support, student recruitment and retention, clinical partnerships, program assessment, and accreditation activities. Working collaboratively with university leadership, faculty, staff, students, and community stakeholders, the Program Director promotes excellence in advanced practice nursing education and prepares graduates to provide evidence-based, compassionate psychiatric and mental health care across diverse populations and settings. .

Essential Functions:

As an intentionally Christian academic community hiring Christian educators, all employees will be expected to advance the mission, vision, and identity of Carson-Newman University as defined in university policy and expressed in our strategic plan and are expected to work as cooperative and collegial members of the University. The University expects all employees to conduct themselves in a manner that is appropriate for a Christian institution and to be worthy examples in moral conduct and behavior for the students of the University and fellow employees both on and off campus. Regular attendance during scheduled work hours reflects a commitment to our shared mission and the campus community. All work must be performed in alignment with the terms of the signed contract, if applicable. As Christian educators, all employees of the University should regularly attend and actively participate in a local church. In addition, the PMHNP Program Director has the following essential responsibilities: Program Leadership and Administration Provide leadership for the development, implementation, evaluation, and continuous improvement of the PMHNP program. Ensure that program goals, outcomes, and activities align with the mission, vision, values, and strategic priorities of Carson-Newman University. Develop and implement strategic initiatives that support program growth, quality, innovation, and sustainability. Maintain responsibility for compliance with university policies, state regulations, professional standards, and accreditation requirements. Participate in long-range planning and program development activities to support evolving workforce and healthcare needs. Curriculum and Academic Quality Provide leadership for curriculum design, implementation, evaluation, and revision consistent with national standards, certification requirements, and advanced practice nursing competencies. Ensure curriculum alignment with the AACN Essentials, PMHNP competencies, certification requirements, and current evidence-based practice standards. Lead systematic curriculum review processes and implement curricular improvements based on assessment findings, stakeholder feedback, and emerging healthcare trends. Promote innovative teaching, learning, and clinical education strategies that support student achievement and program outcomes. Monitor course and program outcomes to ensure educational effectiveness and continuous quality improvement. Faculty Leadership and Development Recruit, mentor, support, and evaluate program faculty in collaboration with School of Nursing leadership. Foster a culture of collaboration, innovation, scholarship, and excellence among faculty members. Assist with coordination of faculty workload assignments and teaching responsibilities in accordance with program needs. Facilitate faculty engagement in assessment, curriculum development, accreditation activities, scholarship, and service. Support faculty professional development and achievement of academic, clinical, and scholarly goals. Student Success and Academic Oversight Provide leadership for student recruitment, admissions, orientation, progression, retention, and graduation processes. Monitor student achievement data and implement strategies that promote student success and program completion. Collaborate with faculty and student support services to address academic concerns and promote student well-being. Ensure equitable and transparent processes related to student evaluation, progression, remediation, and appeals. Clinical Education and Community Partnerships Develop and maintain relationships with clinical agencies, healthcare organizations, and community partners that support PMHNP clinical education. Ensure adequate clinical placement opportunities that provide students with diverse and meaningful learning experiences across the lifespan and continuum of psychiatric-mental health care. Collaborate with university partners, clinical coordinators, preceptors, and faculty to provide students with diverse and meaningful learning experiences across the lifespan and continuum of psychiatric-mental health care and to evaluate the quality and effectiveness of clinical experiences. Promote partnerships that enhance educational opportunities, workforce development, and community engagement. Assessment, Accreditation, and Continuous Quality Improvement Lead the collection, analysis, interpretation, and reporting of program data related to student achievement, program effectiveness, faculty outcomes, graduation rates, certification examination performance, employment outcomes, and stakeholder satisfaction. Maintain comprehensive assessment processes that support continuous quality improvement and evidence-based decision-making. Ensure ongoing compliance with standards established by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE), state boards, institutional accreditors, and other regulatory agencies. Lead preparation of accreditation reports, self-studies, annual reports, substantive change reports, and site visit activities. Coordinate the collection and maintenance of evidence supporting accreditation standards and key program outcomes. Utilize assessment findings to develop, implement, and evaluate action plans that improve program quality and student outcomes. Scholarship and Professional Engagement Participate in professional organizations and activities that support advanced practice nursing and psychiatric-mental health nursing education. Maintain current knowledge of trends, regulations, certification requirements, and best practices relevant to PMHNP education. Support faculty and student scholarship through mentorship, collaboration, and dissemination activities. Service and Institutional Engagement Serve on school, university, and professional committees as assigned. Represent the PMHNP program within the university and to external stakeholders, healthcare organizations, and professional associations. Support enrollment management, marketing, recruitment, alumni engagement, and community outreach activities. This description is designed to describe the general nature of the job and is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, skills and duties. Other duties and responsibilities may be assigned and included in assessments and reviews.

Education:

Earned doctoral degree in nursing or a related discipline from an accredited institution.

Experience & Qualifications:

Required Current & continuous certification as a Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner. Current & continuous unrestricted RN and APRN licensure or eligibility for licensure in Tennessee. Minimum of three years of clinical practice experience as a PMHNP. Minimum of three years of academic teaching experience in graduate nursing education. Demonstrated leadership experience in academic, clinical, or healthcare settings. Strong knowledge of accreditation standards, assessment processes, curriculum development, and advanced practice nursing education. Preferred Prior experience serving as a graduate nursing program director or other academic leadership role. Experience with CCNE accreditation, self-study preparation, site visits, and program assessment. Experience supervising graduate faculty and leading curriculum development. Record of scholarship, professional leadership, and service within nursing education or psychiatric-mental health nursing.

Required Skills:

Excellent interpersonal, written, and verbal communications skills; Advanced organizational skills; Ability to establish and maintain working relationships with all stakeholders.

Physical Demands:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. Prolonged periods sitting at a desk and working on a computer. Must be able to lift up to 15 pounds at a time. Must be able to access and navigate campus facilities.