Director of Nursing

Freedom Behavioral; Lake Charles (LA); On-site; USD 80,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Challenging and rewarding work environment

Competitive Compensation

Medical, Dental, Vision, and Prescription Drug Plan

Generous Paid Time Off

401(K) with company match

Job summary

Freedom Behavioral in Lake Charles, LA, seeks a Director of Nursing to oversee nursing operations and ensure high-quality patient care. This role involves leadership responsibilities, staff support, and compliance with regulations.

The ideal candidate will have at least 5 years as a Registered Nurse, 3 years in psychiatric nursing, and strong leadership skills. The position offers competitive compensation, benefits, and a supportive work environment focused on professional growth.

Join our passionate team to make a difference in patient care!

Qualifications

• At least 5 years as a Registered Nurse with 3 years in psychiatric/mental health nursing care.
• RN License through the Louisiana state board of nursing.
• 3 years of management experience in mental health nursing.

Responsibilities

• Provide leadership and oversight for nursing operations.
• Ensure safe, high-quality patient care compliance.
• Participate in quality improvement initiatives.
• Support staffing, scheduling, and team management.
• Collaborate with HR on recruitment and employee development.

Skills

Clinical judgment

Communication skills

Organizational abilities

Leadership

Education

Registered Nurse for at least 5 years

MSN degree

Job description

NOTE: this position is currently filled. However, it is the policy of Freedom Behavioral to continue to take applications so that we can ensure there is no disruption in patient care if a vacancy occurs.

Freedom Behavioral Lake Charles is a growing psychiatric hospital dedicated to providing compassionate, high-quality care to adult and geriatric patients throughout our community. As we continue expanding toward a 46-bed facility, we are excited to grow our team with passionate individuals who are ready to make a difference every day.

At Freedom Behavioral Lake Charles, our employees are our greatest strength. We are proud to offer a supportive, team-oriented environment focused on professional growth, ongoing training, competitive pay, and work-life balance.

If you’re looking for a rewarding career with purpose, growth, and an incredible team, we would love to have you join the Freedom family!

Position Summary

The Director of Nursing (DON) at Freedom Behavioral Lake Charles provides leadership and oversight for all nursing operations while ensuring the delivery of safe, high-quality patient care in compliance with regulatory and accreditation standards. The DON plays a critical role in supporting nursing staff, maintaining clinical excellence, and promoting a safe and therapeutic environment for patients and employees.

In this role, the DON oversees staffing, scheduling, performance management, and daily nursing operations while providing guidance and support to nursing staff with clinical decision‑making, patient care concerns, and communication with medical providers. The DON also assists with direct patient care when needed and participates in on‑call leadership responsibilities.

The DON actively participates in quality improvement initiatives, monitors nursing outcomes and compliance, and collaborates with interdisciplinary teams to support patient admissions, treatment planning, discharge coordination, and continuity of care.

This position also works closely with Human Resources on recruitment, employee development, evaluations, and departmental support. As a key member of the leadership team, the DON helps ensure survey readiness, regulatory compliance, policy development, and the continued growth and success of nursing services throughout the facility. The ideal candidate is a strong and compassionate leader with excellent clinical judgment, communication skills, organizational abilities, and a passion for behavioral healthcare excellence.

Preferred Knowledge, Skills, And/Or Experience Required

Education: Registered Nurse for at least 5 years with a minimum of 3 years of clinical psychiatric/mental health nursing care. Minimum, with MSN oversight.

License: RN License through the Louisiana state board of nursing.

Experience: 3 years of management in mental health nursing.

Benefits

• Challenging and rewarding work environment
• Excellent staff to patient ratio
• Competitive Compensation
• Medical, Dental, Vision, and Prescription Drug Plan
• Generous Paid Time Off
• 401(K) with company match

Freedom provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.

All applicants selected for employment will be required to undergo a post‑offer drug test and federal background investigation.