Lead Nurse

Job Title

Lead Nurse (Psychiatry)

Job Summary

Sukoon Health is seeking a Lead Nurse (Psychiatry) to provide clinical and operational leadership across OPD, IPD, and Rehabilitation services at its psychiatric hospitals. The role is responsible for ensuring safe, compassionate, recovery-oriented, and evidence-based nursing care while leading nursing teams, driving quality and patient safety initiatives, strengthening workforce capability, and ensuring compliance with mental healthcare regulations. Working closely with multidisciplinary teams, the Lead Nurse plays a critical role in delivering exceptional patient outcomes and advancing Sukoon's standards of clinical excellence.

Key Responsibilities

Clinical Leadership & Patient Care

• Lead delivery of safe, patient-centric psychiatric nursing care. 

• Supervise patient assessment, medication administration, and clinical interventions. 

• Monitor patient behaviour, risk factors, and treatment response. 

• Ensure compliance with the Mental Healthcare Act, patient rights, and consent protocols. 

• Lead the management of psychiatric emergencies, suicide risk, aggression, withdrawal, and medical comorbidities. 

• Promote least-restrictive care, de-escalation techniques, and patient dignity. 

Nursing Operations & Team Leadership

• Lead, mentor, and supervise Staff Nurses, Team Leaders, GDAs, and Patient Handlers. 

• Plan duty rosters, staffing, shift allocation, and leave schedules. 

• Conduct nursing rounds, shift handovers, and clinical supervision. 

• Drive professional standards, grooming, and nursing discipline. 

• Support recruitment, onboarding, performance management, and retention of nursing staff. 

Training, Capability Building & Competency Development

• Lead orientation and induction programs for new nursing staff. 

• Conduct competency-based training on psychiatric nursing protocols, patient safety, therapeutic communication, crisis management, and infection control. 

• Mentor nursing staff to strengthen clinical competence and leadership capability. 

• Conduct competency assessments and maintain training records. 

• Partner with the Nurse Educator to drive continuous professional development. 

Quality, Patient Safety & Compliance

• Ensure compliance with NABH standards, hospital policies, and nursing protocols. 

• Monitor nursing documentation, medication records, consent forms, MAR, and incident reports. 

• Lead infection prevention, patient safety, and quality improvement initiatives. 

• Support internal audits, inspections, and regulatory compliance. 

• Implement corrective and preventive actions for quality gaps. 

Multidisciplinary Collaboration

• Collaborate with Psychiatrists, Psychologists, Therapists, Physicians, and Counsellors to deliver integrated patient care. 

• Participate in multidisciplinary team meetings, case reviews, and treatment planning. 

• Communicate patient progress, risks, and clinical concerns effectively. 

• Serve as the primary liaison between nursing teams and hospital leadership. 

Administrative & Resource Management

• Ensure availability and optimal utilization of nursing supplies, medicines, and equipment. 

• Coordinate with HR, Facilities, Administration, Pharmacy, and Stores for uninterrupted operations. 

• Support efficient ward management and nursing station operations. 

• Participate in policy implementation and operational review meetings. 

Emergency & Crisis Management

• Lead nursing response during psychiatric, behavioural, and medical emergencies. 

• Guide teams on safe restraint practices, observation protocols, and post-incident care. 

• Ensure timely incident reporting, debriefing, and continuous learning. 

Key Requirements & Competencies

Education

• Bachelor's Degree in Nursing (B.Sc. Nursing) with 6+ years of experience or

• Master's Degree in Nursing (M.Sc. Nursing) with 3+ years of experience 

• Valid Registered Nurse (RN/RNRM) license 

Experience

• Experience in psychiatric, behavioural health, rehabilitation, or multispecialty hospital settings. 

• Proven experience leading nursing teams and managing clinical operations. 

• Experience in nursing education, quality, and accreditation initiatives preferred. 

Skills & Competencies

• Psychiatric Nursing & Clinical Leadership 

• Patient Safety & Risk Management 

• Medication & Psychotropic Drug Management 

• Team Leadership & Workforce Management 

• Nursing Education & Competency Development 

• NABH & Mental Healthcare Act Compliance 

• Quality Improvement & Clinical Audits 

• Crisis Intervention & De-escalation 

• Multidisciplinary Collaboration 

• Communication & Stakeholder Management 

• Clinical Documentation & Reporting 

• Empathy, Professionalism & Patient-Centred Care 

Work Environment

• Psychiatric hospital and rehabilitation centre

• OPD, IPD, and residential mental healthcare settings 

• Multidisciplinary clinical care environment 

• Fast-paced, patient-centric healthcare organization 

Employment Type

Full-time