ADON position with Centurion?

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I'm currently interviewing for an ADON position for mental health services for the region's prisons (I think I would be in charge of 4 prisons). I've never been a director of any kind, but I have leadership/mgr experience from when I was a SSgt in the military and I've been a charge nurse at a very rough State Hospital. I currently manage a case load of 140+ patients as an outpatient psych nurse. The company I'm interviewing with is called Centurion. There seems to be a lot of bad reviews about that company online (which I of course, take with a grain of salt and realize they are mostly complaints from non-mgr nurses), and I'm curious if anyone has experience? The pay they are offering is $30K MORE than what I make now as an outpatient psych nurse (I primarily do therapy now), so I'm tempted to take it even if the job is a mess. I'm just curious what it is like being an ADON for a system like this (instead of LTC-nursing homes), and if anyone could give me tips.

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Specializes in Corrections, Dementia/Alzheimer's.

I wish you luck. We go through DONs, ADONs, etc very quickly. I think it's pretty rough.

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Specializes in corrections and LTC.

I have worked corrections for 25 years, not for Centurion but for several companies and I find them all to be similar.

My guess is that this job would be hiring/corrective action/terminating employees; reviewing MARs to make sure that patients received their medication in a timely manner after coming into the jail and at all times afterwards (not running out of meds, not seeing provider to renew in time, etc.). Reviewing intake logs and comparing them with the chart to make re that the patient had their initial evaluation within the required time frame, that they saw the MH staff and practitioner within the required time frame. Also reviewing orders to make sure they were carried out.

I believe it would be more like a CQI position. I was a Health Administrator, and always had to do the above tasks when managing the MH dept. You need to know the contract between Centurion and all 4 prisons to make sure that you are meeting the contract requirements. You need to know if they are accredited by NCCHC or ACA and make sure that you are meeting those requirements. Even if they are not accredited, they are great guidelines to follow to keep you out of trouble.

I hope this helps - good luck to you!

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Specializes in Hospice, corrections, psychiatry, rehab, LTC.
On ‎9‎/‎13‎/‎2019 at 12:04 PM, ocean.baby said:

You need to know if they are accredited by NCCHC or ACA and make sure that you are meeting those requirements. Even if they are not accredited, they are great guidelines to follow to keep you out of trouble.

This is sound advice. I work for a state facility and we are not NCCHC accredited, but we frequently refer to NCCHC prison standards when developing policies and procedures. I have a copy of the prison standards on my bookshelf in the office.

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Specializes in ICU, Research, Corrections.

@qimenglan9

Did you take the job? How is it?

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